🤐 Zuck Cancels DEI

Hey Happy Ne I hope your year is off to a great start,

Zuckerberg just let the world know that Facebook is ending its DEI initiatives.

Joining brands like Walmart and McDonald’s.

No more:

❌ Representation goals

❌ Inclusion training

❌ DEI-focused teams

❌ Supplier diversity efforts

It’s no coincidence that this news comes shortly after the election results.

Although Trump isn’t able to ban DEI within private companies because of First Amendment Rights many companies want to make sure they’re in his good books.

Others even if they support DEI are becoming more hesitant to promote it in fear of Government backlash.

My view is that the growth in DEI we’ve seen over the last few years was much needed and long overdue.

However many organisations went about it the wrong way.

They didn’t build a considered strategy or develop insights before taking action.

They made mistakes.

Now it’s become a more political and somehow controversial topic.

At its core it should be about creating an environment where everyone feels included, represented, and that people at a disadvantage are given a fair opportunity.

That way people are able to do their best work and teams get the advantage of a range of different perspectives to make better business decisions.

So if you’re competing with brands like Facebook, Walmart and McDonald’s for talent, what should your reaction be?

Good.

Because guess what?

People actually care about the true meaning behind DEI.

It’s especially important to Gen Z so you better believe they’ll decide which companies to join based on announcements like these.

And btw they’ll make up the majority of the workforce over the next 10 years.

This year employers proudly supporting all aspects of DEI will stand out more than ever and win the race for the best talent.

🤳🏿 5 Factors Impacting Gen Z at Work in 2025

That you and your company should know about:

1️⃣ Anxiety:

They’re often called the “anxious generation” in large part down to their heightened awareness of what’s going on around them and around the world through social media. Change at work is often difficult but with AI the rate of change is moving into overdrive and adding to this anxiety.

2️⃣ Sense Of Belonging

Seen as vital to balance out workplace changes and anxiety. With a reduction in the role of middle management Gen Z are being asked to lead more. This self-direction can be empowering but there’s a fine line between feeling empowered and feeling disconnected from your team. It’s important to get to the truth about how they’re feeling about their workload and responsibility whether we want to hear the answers or not.

3️⃣ In-Person Connection

While remote work has its benefits there’s a growing push for more in-person collaboration by getting into the office and attending work events for networking and to reduce the feeling of isolation while WFH. That means leaning into both internal events and external events for prospective candidates is a must this year.

4️⃣ Tech

Gen Z grew up in a digital world. Many of them don’t remember the days before apps and smartphones. AI is taking off and Gen Z is taking up a bigger share of the workforce - this has the potential for a match made in heaven. Employers need to give them freedom, let them cook and see what they can do with this new Tech.

5️⃣ Well-being

According to some research Gen Z has the poorest mental health of any generation. The old world of corporate games, micromanagement and just sticking it out won’t cut it. Employers need to listen closely to their needs and provide connection, support and mentorship if they want to get the most out of them in 2025

Until next time 👋🏽

Tobi

Drop some time in my diary here if you want to chat about you talent attraction strategy