I recently had someone ask me what is replacing DEI in job titles.

A lot of employers are trying to figure this out. But if you are shifting your focus from DEI, it is more than a job title shift. It is much more than an acronym change.

It is about creating a work environment that supports high performance from all members of the team.

Let’s assume the goal is to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and has equal opportunity to participate and succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or characteristics.

A change in behavior requires a change in thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and actions.

This is simple to say and difficult to accomplish.

I recognize that we do not all start from the same place and that we must acknowledge and adjust imbalances. The process is ongoing, and it requires us to identify and overcome intentional and unintentional barriers arising from bias in our systemic structures.

Our focus should be on freedom from discrimination, bias, and favoritism. We also should focus on access to opportunities, networks, resources, and supports in addition to outcomes.

So, let’s go back to the original question I was asked. What is replacing DEI in job titles?

I have seen the words "belonging” or “culture" used in titles recently.

And new acronyms are appearing:

MFE which stands for Merit, Fairness, and Equality
MERIT which stands for Mastery, Experience, Resources, Intelligence, and Talent
FAIR which stands for Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation
MEI which stands for Merit, Excellence, and Intelligence

At the end of the day, these frameworks are all meant to improve the performance of individuals, teams, and employers. So maybe a better job title is something like "Performance Optimization Consultant."

#DEI #MFE #MERIT #FAIR #MEI #belonging #respect #culture #performance #jobtitles #compensation