Your DEI Minute™

In this episode, Jamey discusses the importance of making workplace benefits truly inclusive. Addressing the evolving expectations of diverse workforces, Jamey emphasizes that benefits policies must go beyond basic health care and PTO to address the unique needs of all employees—such as those from LGBTQIA+ communities, parents, caregivers, and people with chronic health challenges. The episode provides leaders with concrete actions...

In this episode, Michelle shares practical insights on how organizations can broaden the impact of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles beyond internal practices and into their community outreach efforts. Michelle explains that while most DEI initiatives focus on improving retention, recruitment, and eliminating bias within company operations, it’s equally important to engage with external opportunities—such as p...

In this episode, Jamey Applegate tackles the challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in modern work culture, focusing on practical DEI strategies for workforce development. The conversation centers on how to create workplace equity and workplace inclusion by empowering employees to move from being passive bystanders to active upstanders when addressing workplace challenges. Through frameworks and real-world examples, l...

In this episode, Michelle discusses the practical steps of building an effective communications plan for workplace DEI initiatives. She first talks about the importance of understanding your audience—not just as a broad organizational segment, but as distinct individuals with unique profiles, needs, and influences. To do this, Michelle recommends using empathy maps and provides actionable guidance on how to create and utilize these...

In this episode, Jamey provides actionable insights for organizations striving to maintain effective Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) amidst evolving regulatory requirements. Building on a previous episode about executive orders and ERG compliance, Jamey recaps six crucial tips for sustaining DEI efforts and dives deeper into strategies for keeping ERGs open to all employees while ensuring compliance and fostering meaningful engagem...

Michelle dives into the topic of over-compliance in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly in the wake of recent executive orders and evolving legal guidance in the United States. She explains that despite the prevailing confusion and caution caused by recent governmental actions, DEI initiatives remain essentially legal, with only a few specific practices (like quotas or exclusive programs) now restricte...

In this episode, Jamey explores the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within organizations. Jamey opens with a balanced perspective, noting that while AI can be a powerful tool for supplementing an organization’s DEI capacity—especially with tasks like data synthesis, trend analysis, and policy review—it also comes with significant limitations and potential risks if...

In this episode of DEI Minute, Jamey addresses how organizations can continue supporting internal programs dedicated to specific groups while ensuring compliance with current and potential future legal restrictions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Jamey discusses the impact of recent executive orders and legal actions on DEI initiatives, particularly focusing on programs like Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and pr...

In this episode, Jamey tackles the confusion and challenges surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts—particularly in the context of recent executive orders and shifting federal climates. Jamey discusses the impact of these orders on federal agencies and government contractors, noting the chilling effect they've had on DEI programs nationwide. He highlights the widespread uncertainty they've created about which DEI...

In this episode of the DEI Minute, Jamey addresses the impact of recent executive orders from the Trump administration on employee resource groups (ERGs) in the workplace. The discussion opens with an important legal update—a federal judge's preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks certain aspects of these orders, particularly as they pertain to investigations of organizations running DEI programs. Despite ongoing challenges,...

In this episode, Michelle discusses what it means to create an inclusive and accessible workplace for everyone—particularly focusing on supporting employees with disabilities. Michelle highlights how organizations often approach disability accommodation from a compliance standpoint, waiting for requests rather than proactively designing accessible environments. She emphasizes the positive impact of being proactive—not only does thi...

In this episode, Jamey tackles the crucial question of where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) should sit within an organization’s structure. Drawing on common pitfalls and practical recommendations, Jamey explains why embedding DEI as a secondary or split responsibility—often within HR—is a mistake that can undermine the initiative’s effectiveness. The episode highlights the difference between HR and DEI, emphasizing that DEI...

In this episode, Michelle covers some of the top ways to drive lasting DEI change in your organization, providing actionable insights for leaders at every stage of their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey. Drawing from extensive experience, Michelle outlines broad, mindset-shaping principles essential to making DEI efforts effective and sustainable, rather than just a box-ticking exercise. She discusses that while tactical ti...

In this episode, Jamey dives into the landscape of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) trainings, focusing on two common pitfalls organizations encounter when implementing DEI education. Jamey emphasizes that while education should be a foundational component of any effective DEI strategy, it is often mistakenly used as a one-size-fits-all solution. The episode highlights the importance of integrating education within a broader ...

In this episode, Michelle covers microaggressions in the workplace, offering a thoughtful exploration of what the term means, how microaggressions manifest, and their profound impact on individuals and organizational culture. Michelle explains that microaggressions are verbal or nonverbal slights, snubs, or insults—whether intentional or not—that communicate negative or hostile messages based on aspects of a person's identity, such...

In this episode, Jamey covers the crucial topic of analytics and tracking DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) metrics in the workplace. He addresses common challenges organizations face when attempting to measure the effectiveness of their DEI initiatives, highlighting frequent mistakes like tracking either too many or too few data points, neglecting to set clear goals, and falling prey to confirmation bias. Jamey talks about th...

At a time when it feels like DEI is no longer a priority, does the data share a different story?

In this episode, MIchelle talks about the truth in what employees are look dives into the latest research on employee and employer demand for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the workplace. She highlights compelling data from recent studies, revealing that employee interest in DEI programs is at an all-time high, mat...

In this episode, Jamey discusses the importance of knowing how to recruit diverse talent and highlights strategies that organizations typically consider, such as forming partnerships with HBCUs, HSIs, and other underrepresented groups.

Jamey also talks about the critical need to understand and improve the internal environment to support diverse employees. Addressing internal policies and practices is key to retaining and supportin...

In this episode, Jamey focuses on navigating religious diversity in the workplace by highlighting the integral role that religious beliefs and practices play in many people's lives and how these elements are naturally brought into work environments. The episode also discusses the challenges organizations face, from dress codes conflicting with religious attire to dietary requirements during work events. Jamey talks about the import...