Breaking the Invisible Wall: Barriers to DEI Program Implementation

Abstract

Many organizations acknowledge the importance of creating inclusive workspaces but struggle with implementing effective DEI initiatives. The purpose of this study is to uncover the internal organizational barriers to effective DEI program implementation in organizations. The researcher conducted a comprehensive database search and quality appraisal for the best available data resulting in the inclusion of 13 high-quality articles. Synthesis of evidence that emerged from inductive thematic coding of the 13 articles yielded findings of this study which are—DEI solutions not aligned with organizational DEI needs, no pre-mortem to minimize implementation challenges, and organizational culture at odds with DEI strategy. A limitation of this study is the small number of articles synthesized so the study may not have addressed all the contexts related to this study. This study highlights the importance of hiring a DEI consultant to help organizations navigate the DEI initiatives implementation process, conducting a DEI audit to understand the DEI status of the organization and existing gaps, setting DEI goals based on existing gaps and incorporating metrics to track and measure success. This study provides a good starting point for organizations looking to implement DEI initiatives effectively.