In 2023, will diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives be placed on the chopping block? In 2022, a Glassdoor executive expressed similar concerns to HR Dive. The 2023 workforce trends report released by researchers at Monster and Workhuman also pointed out that when leaders face pressure to cut company costs, DEI often falls into the category of "first to be abandoned."

For HR managers wondering "So what's the point of pushing DEI initiatives?", the answer is: job seekers are increasingly paying attention to DEI when evaluating potential employers. Multiple studies in 2022 showed that amid the noise of the "Great Resignation," words like "purpose," "values," and "fit" stood out.

When assessing employment market outlook reports in early 2023, labor experts told HR Dive that employers can differentiate themselves by advocating for DEI to attract discerning top talent.

HR Dive interviewed three workplace advisors to learn about trends they observed among corporate clients that will persist into 2023.

2023 Diversity Trend: Political Bias

"Traditionally, talking about politics has been very taboo," said Mandy Price, co-founder and CEO of DEI technology company Kanarys. But as the U.S. prepares for the 2024 presidential election, Price expects political bias to become a major issue this year.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is already tracking the rise of such bias. Price cited SHRM's August 2022 report, in which 24% of respondents said they had experienced positive or negative differential treatment due to their political views. That's up from 12% in 2019.

2023 Diversity Trend: Embracing Humility

Laura Stamps, director of DE&I engagement and financial wellness strategy at Financial Finesse, hopes to see people "pay the cost to learn" in 2023 trends. "People are afraid of offending others and afraid of not being perfect in this work. Everyone has their own unique perspective," Stamps said. "Just because I'm a multicultural Black woman doesn't mean I know everything about everyone. Being seen as a 'diverse' person doesn't make me an expert on everyone."

"Have humility, be willing to learn about others, and understand that you may make mistakes," she added.

2023 Equity Trend: Pay Transparency

"Pay transparency is an area where we're seeing a lot of progress," Price said, citing laws in California, Washington state, and New York City. "We will see other states follow suit, and employees will also call for greater pay transparency."

Data cited by Price highlights that employees want to understand how employers calculate pay. In Visier's 2022 Pay Transparency Report, 62% of respondents said they know what factors determine their pay. This data not only shows that a significant number of employees are unaware, but Visier also noted that this awareness varies "significantly" by gender and generation.

2023 Equity Trend: Retirement Education for BIPOC

Working in the financial wellness space, Stamps shared insights she gained from Financial Finesse's collaboration with the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Notably, EBRI research shows that Black and Hispanic populations often enter retirement with non-mortgage debt. "Their retirement savings tend to be less," she emphasized.

A phenomenon Stamps has been thinking about recently is medical issues forcing people into early retirement. "If you're forced into retirement, you're theoretically less prepared than the average person, and you carry more debt. It's more challenging because now you only have fixed income (if you're lucky). Relying on any fixed income exacerbates the racial wealth gap."

A goal for HR leaders and benefits professionals in 2023: introduce these conversations to employees earlier. "Let's not wait until 10 years before retirement—because for these populations, they don't have that much time. We're already playing catch-up," Stamps said.

2023 Inclusion Trend: Strengthening Caregiver Support

While no single policy can make a company "family-friendly," there are indeed some sought-after benefits that can make a difference, Sadie Funk, director of the business community The Best Place for Working Parents, told HR Dive. For example, childcare support can have a huge impact.

On-site care isn't the only solution. "One opportunity is through childcare assistance. This could be a subsidy to cover part or all of the cost."

She said dependent care FSAs (structured similarly to healthcare FSAs) can also apply to eldercare. Funk noted this is especially helpful for members of the "sandwich generation."

She explained that discussions about caregiver support resources have only increased since 2020. "Before the pandemic or even in the early stages, many of these policies were still seen as 'nice-to-haves.' Today we see that it's no longer a 'nice-to-have,'" she said. "'Family-friendly' isn't just a benefit; it's truly a necessity for companies trying to compete."

2023 Inclusion Trend: Embracing Veterans

Stamps also said she hopes to see more conversations about veterans—especially nuanced ones. The veteran community spans different branches (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force). Veterans from these branches may have combat or wartime experience.

Additionally, military-related physical disabilities and mental health challenges vary. "Some have combat-related injuries. My husband is 100% disabled from the Marine Corps, but you'd never know it just by looking at him," Stamps explained.

As military personnel reintegrate into civilian life, the compensation and benefits they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs affect how they work. Stamps said employers should consider how a veteran employee's status impacts their financial goals, how they interact with the world, and whether they "feel seen."