1. **Critics of DEI**: Prominent critics of DEI efforts include billionaires like Elon Musk and Bill Ackman.
2. **Company Progress**: A survey by i4cp, a work, and HR research firm, indicates that most companies are making progress on their DEI efforts. Only 9% believe they are not meeting their marks.
3. **Reasons for Misses**: The reasons for falling short on DEI goals include unclear objectives, poor integration with office culture, and lack of leadership accountability.
4. **Internal Challenges**:
- **Managers**: Approximately 37% of professionals surveyed believe that managers are the biggest challengers of DEI initiatives.
- **Frontline Workers**: Another 34% pointed to frontline workers as a challenge.
5. **External Challenges**:
- **Critics**: About 24% identified external critics like media, politicians, and social media as posing obstacles.
6. **Leadership's Influence**: The workforce reflects society, and viewpoints are influenced by leaders. Misconceptions about reverse discrimination prevail, emphasizing the impact of leaders on employees' opinions.
7. **Manager Preparedness**: The report highlights that managers are generally unprepared to address resistance to diversity and inclusion goals. 41% believe mid-level managers cannot handle criticism, while 54% say frontline managers are not equipped to address pushback.
8. **Addressing Challenges**: The report recommends that managers identify and address inclusion challenges by ensuring workers feel heard, providing clear communication on DEI objectives, and offering education to foster understanding and acceptance of diversity goals.
9. **The Role of Education**: Education emerges as a crucial driver in aligning workers with diversity objectives. The report underlines the importance of disseminating DEI education throughout the company to ensure continued progress.