A “diaspora” is a population that has been displaced and separated from their place of origin, sometimes by force.
Today in America, white males are feeling negative effects from DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives impacting promotions, hiring, and terminations and forcing some to consider career changes. Some feel compelled to seek job opportunities at variance from their current career aspirations and in unfamiliar segments of the economy. As a 30+ year veteran of one of the largest multinational financial services companies expressed it, “I’d reached the second row of C suite executives. The 65-year-old CEO would be handing the reins to someone soon. But as a white male looking at the latest occupants of the first row, it wasn’t going to me.” He resigned to join a small technology company.
The definition of “diversity” has evolved. What was once an effort to overlook differences has become a prescription for accentuating them. DEI promotes deliberately taking race, gender, and other factors such as sexual orientation into account when deciding who is hired, and promoted, or terminated in a cutback. In the rush to implement DEI initiatives, employees or potential employees are seen as members of some “group” first and as individuals second.
Several of the larger money managers that invest in public companies are not only embracing DEI themselves but push the firms they invest in to accelerate their DEI efforts. There are about 4000 publicly traded U.S. companies employing one third of U.S. non-farm employees.
The realization that significant and visible job opportunities would more likely be going to female or minority employees is being felt across America. While this may be a correction to past discrimination against women, people of color and other populations, it’s becoming a ceiling or barrier for another significant population.
This happened to me. White, middle aged and unable to get promoted. All my job reviews were glowing but I was passed over time and again by people who had far less experience and were people of color. I quit and went to work elsewhere because of it. Can’t fight an uphill battle.
No, it won’t.
Anyone remember when DEI was short for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. A true business where the acronym had significance?
Be careful. The lion lays and awaits it’s time. And when it strikes it’s a blood bath.
good when the white males either decide to stand down or stand up things will finally change!