Game Over: You Can Stop Pretending to Do DEI

The last few years have seen an unprecedented rise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as organizations rushed to signal their alignment with social justice movements. From corporate mission statements to diversity task forces, DEI became an organizational buzzword—a symbol of progress. But what happens when these efforts are more about optics than actual commitment? What happens when organizations take on DEI as a PR move, without the substance or intention to back it up?

The reality is, most DEI efforts in these organizations are performative at best and harmful at worst. Employees from marginalized backgrounds—those these initiatives are meant to uplift—are left disillusioned and even traumatized by environments that are hostile to their progress. DEI becomes an exercise in tokenism, where diversity is invited but never truly included, and where power structures remain as rigid as ever.

So let’s call it: game over. If your organization isn’t ready to fully commit to the transformative, often uncomfortable work that DEI requires, then it’s time to stop pretending. The damage you’re causing—through token gestures, performative allyship, and shallow commitments—is far greater than the benefit of keeping up appearances.

The Performative DEI Trap

For many organizations, DEI has become a tool to maintain social relevance rather than a genuine pursuit of justice and equity. In the wake of racial and social justice movements, organizations scrambled to create diversity statements, launch DEI initiatives, and in some cases, hire DEI officers—all without an understanding of what real change requires.

What we’re left with is performative DEI—the appearance of progress without the substance to back it up. These efforts often reinforce existing power dynamics, allowing organizations to showcase their commitment to diversity without addressing the underlying structures of inequity.

Performative DEI allows organizations to claim progress while avoiding the hard work of transformation. It offers a shortcut to visibility without the uncomfortable introspection that true equity demands. But in doing so, it turns DEI into an exercise in optics, a way to showcase diversity on the surface while leaving the systemic barriers that perpetuate inequity intact.

The Stagnation of Organizational Culture

When DEI is approached as a symbolic act, it leads to the stagnation of organizational culture. Instead of creating environments where diverse talent can thrive, these initiatives create spaces where employees from marginalized groups are tokenized, celebrated for their presence but denied the power or support to drive real change.

Organizations that fall into the trap of performative DEI become breeding grounds for white saviorism and performative allyship, where well-meaning gestures stand in for genuine, structural change. In these environments, Black, Brown, and marginalized employees are often left with the burden of driving DEI efforts without the resources or support to make an impact. These employees become the face of the organization's "commitment to diversity" while their lived experiences remain on the margins.

Data from a McKinsey report shows that organizations with weak DEI frameworks are more likely to suffer from stagnation, losing out on the innovation and growth that diversity can drive. When diversity is performative and inclusion is absent, organizations lose talent, engagement, and opportunities for growth.

The Emotional and Professional Toll

Beyond the stagnation of culture, the emotional and professional toll on Black, Brown, and marginalized employees is profound. These employees are often brought into organizations as symbols of progress, but when they begin to challenge the systems that perpetuate exclusion, they’re quickly labeled as threats rather than assets. This phenomenon, known as "pet to threat," is deeply harmful and leaves many employees feeling alienated, burned out, and disengaged.

A study by the Kapor Center found that unfair treatment in the workplace is one of the primary reasons employees from underrepresented groups leave their jobs. The study reveals that 78% of employees who left due to unfairness experienced personal consequences, such as stress, anxiety, and professional stagnation. These employees aren’t leaving because they lack ambition or capability—they’re leaving because the environments they’re working in are hostile, despite claiming to value diversity.

This emotional toll is compounded by cultures of gaslighting, where marginalized employees who raise concerns about inequities are dismissed, ignored, or made to feel as though they’re being overly sensitive. This gaslighting erodes trust, creates a culture of silence, and further alienates employees who were supposed to be at the heart of the organization's DEI initiatives.

The Role of Allies: Where Should They Stand?

Allies—particularly white allies—play a critical role in DEI, but their role must be carefully examined. Too often, we see performative allyship, where white leaders position themselves at the forefront of DEI efforts without a deep understanding of the lived experiences and systemic barriers they’re claiming to dismantle. In these cases, DEI becomes another exercise in centering the ally’s experience rather than empowering marginalized communities.

True allyship requires stepping back, relinquishing control, and creating pathways for those most affected by inequities to lead. Allies should be champions and protectors, not protagonists. They should use their privilege to amplify marginalized voices, create space for underrepresented leaders, and advocate for real structural changes. Anything less risks reinforcing the very systems that DEI is meant to disrupt.

The Moral Toll on Organizations

The cost of performative DEI extends beyond the damage to employees—it also takes a moral toll on organizations. Companies that engage in DEI for optics risk losing credibility both internally and externally. Employees can see through shallow efforts, and the disillusionment that follows is palpable. Externally, organizations that claim to champion diversity but fail to follow through are increasingly being held accountable by consumers, partners, and stakeholders.

A report by the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 86% of consumers expect companies to take a stand on social issues, but they can easily identify when those stands are performative. Companies that fail to live up to their DEI promises risk losing trust—and ultimately, business.

The Call to Stop

The uncomfortable truth is that if your organization isn’t fully ready to engage in the deep, transformative work of DEI, it’s time to stop pretending. Performative efforts aren’t just ineffective—they’re harmful. They erode trust, waste time, and force marginalized employees to shoulder the burden of driving initiatives that were never set up to succeed.

Real DEI work requires more than public statements and diversity task forces. It demands a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about power, privilege, and systemic inequity—and to act on those truths, even when it disrupts the status quo.

If you’re not ready to make that commitment, then it’s time to step aside. Stop making shallow promises. Stop wasting the time and trust of your employees. The harm you’re causing is far too great to ignore, and it’s time to get out of the way.