Top Mistakes Made in Communicating Inclusion and Diversity Goals

The diversity, equity, and inclusion executive orders issued in January and U.S. Supreme Court decision have forced companies to re-evaluate their approach to inclusion and diversity (I&D). More than half of CHROs (55%) said they anticipate more companies will scale back or eliminate I&D initiatives in 2025, according to SHRM’s CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report.

The stakes are high. The SHRM Q1 2025 Civility Index shows that ideological differences — particularly around politics, social issues, and race or ethnicity — are the leading contributors to incivility at work. In this climate, effective communication around I&D is not just a cultural imperative but a tool for organizational resilience. Clear, grounded communication can help prevent misunderstandings from escalating into disengagement or worse.

“Missteps in communication can damage brand trust internally and externally,” said Janet M. Stovall, founder and principal of Pragmatic Diversity, a firm that works with organizations to understand their unique inclusion ecosystems. “Internally, it leads to employee disengagement, skepticism, and a sense of betrayal. Externally, it leads to brand damage, profit hits, and customer loss.”

Companies that are missing the mark on communicating about I&D may be making some of these common communication mistakes.

Failing to Connect I&D to Business Outcomes

Ambiguous statements or “checkbox” language that is not linked to business outcomes can diminish the value and importance of I&D work, according to Stovall.

Talking about I&D efforts without connecting them to business outcomes risks them “being seen as a separate initiative, a nice to have, rather than a core business strategy,” she said. “It also makes the work vulnerable during economic downturns and shifts in organizational priorities.”

In messaging, Stovall recommends using narratives that illustrate how I&D work contributes to increasing revenue, reducing costs, and other ROI measures.

Separating I&D from Performance Management

Gregory Nance, head of people at Playworks, an Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit that provides safe and inclusive play to low-income students in urban schools, has been part of organizations where diversity felt performative rather than authentic, because it wasn’t linked to performance management.

“If it’s not built into goal setting, it doesn’t happen,” Nance said. “Building the work into goal setting places emphasis on the importance of diversity, and when the C-suite makes it a priority, it gets done.”

Nance encourages leaders to ask themselves, “Why does diversity and inclusion matter to me?” Then, leaders should connect their values to their leadership style, understand why I&D is good for business and growth, include organizational I&D values in performance management, and develop a narrative that tells that story.

Relying on One-Way or Top-Down Communication

True I&D only occurs when leaders understand how people are experiencing the company culture, invite feedback, and take input seriously.

“We can’t make assumptions,” Nance warned. “If we do, we’re just guessing.”

He urges leaders to build systems to capture employee voices and communicate to employees that their voices have been heard and considered in decision-making.

“Following up earns your credibility,” Nance added. “If you don’t follow up, you’re doing more damage, and employees won’t talk to you anymore.”

Turning Commitment into Credibility

In today’s polarized climate, how organizations communicate about I&D isn’t a matter of tone — it’s a test of leadership. Vague language, performative messaging, or top-down directives can quickly erode trust and fuel the very tensions I&D efforts are meant to ease. But when communication is authentic, accountable, and clearly tied to business strategy, it does more than protect culture — it builds it. Now is the time for leaders to speak with clarity, act with conviction, and make I&D a shared, strategic priority.