Business experts talk DEI in North Carolina, discuss changing approaches

Diversity, equity and inclusion practices in business are far from new — even if the term itself feels like it has gained major traction during recent years. However, the way businesses approach DEI has changed over time.

According to 2021 research published by the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, diversity in the workplace has tangible financial benefits, as well as internal benefits such as higher perceptions of leadership effectiveness and decreased mental health risks for employees. 

Allison Schlobohm, clinical associate professor of management and corporate communication at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, said diversity greatly benefits teams within organizations. 

“When you have lots of people coming together from lots of different backgrounds, you're going to get more information from them. You're going to be more creative,” Schlobohm said.

Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Torri Staton said DEI in business includes programs and initiatives to expand cultural knowledge and foster respectful workplaces where people can peacefully coexist. 

Schlobohm said all three pieces of DEI working together creates a strong sense of belonging and develops a stronger connection between employees and organizations. 

“A diverse organization marked by belonging has people who are aligned with the company's mission and are out there putting in the efforts to see the organization's success as aligned with their own success, and that experience is going to be better for an individual,” Schlobohm “It's going to be better for an organization.”

North Carolina, Schlobohm said, is well-positioned for companies to implement DEI practices, due to the state's growing population and growing popularity for business. 

In January, the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management released a press statement saying that by the early 2030s, North Carolina is projected to be the seventh most populated state, based on census projection data. Additionally, for the past five years in a row, CNBC has ranked North Carolina as one of the top three states in the country for business.

“North Carolina is a place people want to be,” Schlobohm said. “If we continue to create a business space where people are feeling invited, and people from a lot of backgrounds are feeling invited, then it can be excellent for our state economy as a whole. We can become a state that people want to move to and employers who set themselves apart in this way can become the place where people want to work.”

Staton said a common misconception about DEI practices in business is that unqualified people become successful in the name of increasing diversity. 

But, Staton said, that’s not how it happens. 

DEI, especially when hiring, seeks to expand the talent pool, often marketing to underrepresented groups to increase who has access to apply, Staton said. 

“A lot of times what that means is expanding the search so that more people can submit applications,” Staton said. 

Staton said she really believes DEI practices for businesses are a journey, constantly evolving and never ending. 

“It's not necessarily a box to be checked, but it's more so of a journey to engage in,” Staton said. “You have a start, you have a middle and you continue to learn and grow as you find different avenues that you can explore.”

Schlobohm emphasized that core elements of DEI are empathy, curiosity and respect — three traits everyone in an organization can use to develop an inclusive workplace. She said that as businesses continue to grow and understand how DEI can benefit their organizations, these core elements will help.

“With a little bit more curiosity, a little bit more generosity and a little bit of grace, I think we'll go a lot farther,” Schlobohm said. 

@Kathryn_DeHart

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com

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