DEI derailed? Meet in the middle.

Michelle Thompson-Dolberry, MFS Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, MFS Investment Management

What stops a DEI journey cold in its tracks, even when senior leaders are onboard and employees are bubbling up grassroots efforts? It may be what’s happening – or not happening in the middle of your organization. Often, that’s where cold feet around DEI get started. Middle managers may not know what to do. They might be afraid of making mistakes. Or they may not have the support needed to engage their teams in DEI. The result is what we call “the frozen middle.”

Putting it on ice

A frozen middle is what happens when a company-wide DEI mission or initiative that starts at the top with senior leaders, slows down or stops completely below that. Even when senior leaders have crafted a compelling DEI narrative and strategy, if middle managers aren’t continuing the conversation or inspiring their teams to take action, progress can freeze.

Now it’s important to note, middle managers aren’t to blame. They’re just in a role that is critical to the success of any organizational transformation, while being potentially unsupported. Here are some of the DEI derailers for managers:

Communication critique. A DEI vision or strategy, no matter how powerful, may not have been fully communicated to middle managers or accompanied by a clear plan of execution. If managers don't understand the purpose of a DEI initiative or how to execute on it, how can they carry out a plan and get their team involved? That’s important because managers are often asked to lead DEI initiatives.  

Base case. Managers may not be clear on how DEI connects to the organization’s desired outcomes and the bottom line. Missing this connection could limit a manager's engagement in the initiative, so leadership needs to make sure it is very clear.

Role play. Sometimes, a manager's role and responsibilities in a company DEI initiative haven't been made clear. "What am I supposed to do?" is a common question and managers need answers. They need to know how DEI fits into their core job function as well as the skill sets to build, behaviors to model and tasks to help build an inclusive workplace for employees.

"A frozen middle is what happens when a company-wide DEI mission or initiative that starts at the top with senior leaders, slows down or stops completely below that."

Fortunately, it seems that managers are becoming more aware of DEI’s importance to an organization’s success. In a study done by Nicsa’s Diversity Project North America, while 23% of managers felt DEI-related performance metrics were important in 2021, that number jumped to 33% in 2023.

Support system. If managers are asked to play a role in transforming an organization's culture, they need a relevant knowledge base and tools. Whether that support comes in the form of written tips, conversation guides or targeted training, in many cases managers need more resources than they have currently, which can leave them feeling overwhelmed and stuck.

Thaw the middle

Why pay so much attention to the middle of your organization? Middle managers are very often the agents for change when it comes to DEI. They are closest to employees who should be engaged in DEI initiatives and they’re the ones responsible for creating the psychological safety to support employee action. Here are a few ways to help:

Create a culture of compassion. Make sure your managers feel free to speak up as they’re often the first to identify problems and offer solutions. Showing middle managers compassion is modeling the behavior you want them to replicate with their employees.

Be skill specific. While foundational inclusion training is a great start, managers need specific skill sets and actionable training to go from learning to doing. It’s not enough to tell managers to be culturally aware and empathetic leaders. They actually need to learn specific behaviors and action steps to take with their teams.

Foster connections. Managers who get involved in DEI work not only show employees they care but also implicitly support any DEI work those employees want to do. At the same time, employees who feel like their manager supports them are more likely to thrive at work and contribute to the company's productivity. In a study done by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton school, 61% of respondents saw improved work engagement when managers were involved in DEI efforts. In that same study, 43% of respondents said having their managers involved in DEI efforts improved their sense of commitment to their organization.

Drive more dialogue. When it comes to sensitive topics – whether social justice issues or the tragedy of war – some employees want to talk about it at work and others don’t. Managers need to know how to handle the differing needs of their team members. While there is no obligation to have in-depth conversations, managers who check in with their employees periodically create a sense of trust, support and belonging. In addition, offering managers conversation guides for sensitive topics gives them a way to open dialogues without feeling at risk of making mistakes.

So often when it comes to organizational challenges, we’re quick to focus on the top. To keep a DEI journey moving forward, however, it may be time to pay more attention to the middle. That’s where inclusion and equity can take hold – but only as long as you keep the fires burning among your true culture carriers – your middle managers.