This is #IncreaseDiversity, a weekly newsletter series + Increase Diversity Toolbox sharing best practices for employers who want to learn how to… well, increase diversity. To see previous editions, visit JenniferTardy.com. | IG: @IncreaseDiversity | Increase Diversity - YouTube

This week marks our 300th article edition of the Increase Diversity Newsletter. If you’ve been with us since the early days, you know this started as a way to track progress, educate folks on how to increase diversity, and offer real solutions for building a more inclusive workforce. If you’re newer here, welcome. You showed up just in time, because this one’s personal.

We’re five years in. We’ve seen wins, and we’ve seen whiplash. And in 2025, we’re seeing something that feels like a rerun with worse lighting.

There’s a lot of noise right now. DEI programs are under fire. States are banning DEI programs. Offices are shut down. Trainings are scrubbed. Leaders act like equity is some radical experiment when it’s just a basic attempt to treat people fairly.

Executives are playing hot potato with responsibility. And in this political moment, a lot of companies are freezing up. They’re treating equity like a liability instead of what it is: a leadership strategy.

Truth be told: you can’t crush DEI. We CAN cut budgets and even change the wording. But we can’t unring the bell. People want workplaces that treat them fairly. They want to work somewhere that sees them, values them, and doesn’t need a court order to do so. That’s not going away.

So, in honor of our 300th, we’re challenging a few myths that are in the air.

Myth #1: DEI is “Over”

People say it like it’s a trend that has expired, much like skinny jeans.

But diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t “gone.” We still need diverse organizations because that represents the American workforce diversity. We still need equity because not everyone starts with the same level of barriers. We need inclusion because we can’t afford exclusion. And when employees don’t belong to an organization, they just leave.

Increasing diversity is non-negotiable. Companies with well-represented leadership teams consistently outperform the rest. That’s not just theory. That’s data. The business case has been made, remade, and reinforced. Diversity drives innovation, resilience, and returns.

You know what’s not working? Ignoring your workforce. Pretending every employee experience is identical. Acting like cutting your DEI team is just a budget decision. It’s not. It’s a culture signal, and your people read it loud and clear.

The fallout is fast. We’ll soon experience a workplace where trust will drop. Retention tanks. And your best talent quietly checks out, while your employer brand loses its edge.

The world didn’t stop needing equity just because the headlines shifted. The need is still here and so is the expectation. The question is whether you’re going to meet it—or fall behind.

Myth #2: There Aren’t Enough Qualified Candidates

This one gets dragged out like it’s a fact, not an excuse. “We’d love to hire more ‘diverse’ candidates, but they’re just not applying.”

Let us tell you what’s really going on. We’re not asking effective questions. Are you looking in the same places you’ve always looked? Are you waiting for different results from the same networks? Are bias and obstacles still prominent for job seekers and candidates of historically underrepresented communities? Are you still writing job descriptions that sound like corporate riddles? Are you making people prove they belong instead of showing them why your company’s worth their time? Are you assessing skills—checking who can do the job—or are you checking who has the ‘license’? We need to answer these questions if we all want to squash the myth.

The talent exists. The issue is access and trust.

Myth #3: DEI is Only HR’s Job

HR can guide and can support increasing diversity and retention. But they can’t carry it. They don’t run your engineering team. They’re not leading your sales huddles. They’re not your CFO. And if your executive team thinks this all gets handled in a training module once a year, you’ve already lost the plot.

Every leader is a culture leader. Every manager shapes experience. Every team decision is an opportunity to be more inclusive. So, when we hear “We’re waiting for HR to roll something out,” what it means is “We don’t care enough to own it.”

DEI belongs in everyone’s job description, so it’s everyone’s responsibility, especially at a time when it is being axed.

Myth #4: DEI Lowers the Bar

Hiring someone from a historically underrepresented background doesn’t mean you’re lowering your standards. It means you’re addressing the reality that our systems haven’t always been fair or bias-free. For decades, hiring practices have favored those with existing access—through networks, biased screening tools, or outdated requirements that exclude talent without predicting performance. What’s often labeled as “merit-based” has too often been “familiarity-based.” So when someone says, “We just want the best person for the job,” the real question is: Have we built a process that gives everyone a fair chance to be considered for the opportunity? Because true merit doesn’t exist without equity.

Myth #5: Employees Don’t Care About This Stuff Anymore

They do. They just don’t say it in town halls. They say it in exit interviews, and they speak aloud on Glassdoor. They say it to their friends, and their mentors, and that sharp recruiter who slid into their inbox last week.

People still want to work where they feel safe, seen, and supported. They want to grow without code-switching. They want to bring their whole selves to work without wondering if that’s going to cost them a promotion.

You may not hear them talking about DEI in those exact words anymore—but they are still asking the same questions. Does this place value me? Is it worth staying?

And if your company isn’t answering those questions clearly, someone else will.

One last thing we’re not asking—but should be—is this:

If we care so much about America being the innovation capital of the world—leading in technology, invention, and systems—why are we still assuming that one race, one gender, one ethnicity, and one way of thinking will get us there?

America has always thrived because of its diversity. This moment is no exception.

No Matter What

Let’s end with this: We’ve made it to 300 article editions. And no matter what the headlines say, Team JTC has never believed more deeply in this work. Because this isn’t just about strategy or the name of this work. And it’s not just about our relentless focus on increasing diversity and retention without causing harm. It’s about humans.

If you want to be part of this journey, grab a copy of our CEO’s book, The Equity Edge.

Spoiler: It’s written for recruiters, HR leaders, and teams, but there’s a special section for job seekers in every chapter. Because, well, equity is never one-sided.

Join us in the comments: What innovative strategies can foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace culture on a daily basis?