If you’re leading a team, or a business, you’ve probably wondered what all the recent noise around DEI actually means for your workplace. As the language gets politicized, it’s more important than ever to define what DEI—or EDIB, or EDI, or whatever we’re calling it this week—means to you and your organization.
Is it still important? What are you doing about it?
My stance is simple.
The goal of EDIB is to broaden opportunities for all people.
It’s about making sure talent, not identity—gets people through the door, and making sure people feel supported, respected, and able to reach their full potential once they’re in.
Yes, EDIB and merit-based hiring can absolutely coexist. When done right, they make each other stronger. But when taken too far—or applied without thought—they can also do damage. So let’s talk about both sides.
Let’s Redefine Merit—Because It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All
We believe in hiring the best person for the job. Always. But “best” isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Are technical skills important? Of course. But so is attitude. So is adaptability. So is emotional intelligence, especially if you’re hiring someone who’s going to lead others. We’ve seen firsthand that collaboration, curiosity, drive, and accountability can be just as important as what’s on a resume
Every industry and role requires a different blend of hard skills and human skills. That’s why we work with clients to define clear, relevant success criteria, so that instincts can be applied with intention, not in place of structure. A gut feeling can be one of the most valuable signals in hiring—as long as you pause to ask why it’s showing up.
Inclusion Isn’t the Goal—Hiring Better Is
I’m not here to sell inclusion as a warm and fuzzy initiative. And I’m also not here to tell you diversity leads to stronger creativity and innovation, and profit. There’s a strong body of research that suggests it can—and that’s worth paying attention to.
What I see consistently is the correlation. Causation? That’s harder to untangle—like most complex business outcomes, there are many factors at play. Still, the case for inclusive hiring is strong. Here’s why.
1. Because traditional hiring methods don’t always lead to the best hire.
Traditional sourcing methods, post and pray, or relying on referrals, often lead to homogeneous candidate pools. Not because better people aren’t out there, but because you’re not looking widely enough.
That shrinks your options and reduces your chances of making the best hire. Inclusive sourcing strategies expand your options. That doesn’t mean lowering standards; it means improving inputs. And when your talent pool is broader, your odds of finding the best person go way up.
2. Because we’re facing a skills shortage and can’t afford to overlook talent.
North America is projected to face a shortfall of nearly 3 million skilled trades workers by 2030, as retirements and rising demand outpace the available talent pipeline in industries like manufacturing, mining and construction.
At the same time, there are high-potential people out there—ready to contribute—but it might take a dedicated effort to find them. They may need mentorship, targeted development, or just the opportunity to prove themselves.
EDIB initiatives aren’t about lowering the bar, they’re about finding and training people to get over it.
3. Because culture, retention, and performance are all connected.
Companies that maintain an optimal focus on EDIB tend to see stronger employee satisfaction, better retention, and improved overall performance. Some studies say it’s because diversity leads to better innovation, and that may be true. But at its core, we believe it’s because people want to work (and work hard) where they’re respected, rewarded fairly, and can focus on doing great work without second-guessing whether they belong.
That’s why the most effective EDIB efforts are grounded in structure and aligned with broader goals—like transparency, fairness, and accountability. In fact, the same practices that make EDIB work are the ones that make companies great places to work in the first place.
EDIB isn’t just about doing what’s fair—it’s about doing what works. When people feel supported and included, they’re more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stay. That’s not charity—it’s good business.
Why EDIB Can’t Be Passive
Let’s get back to basics. Merriam-Webster defines equity as “fairness or justice in the way people are treated.” Who’s arguing with that?
The challenge isn’t the principle, it’s the execution. The real debate is how far an organization should go to address the lingering effects of unequal access to opportunity. And like anything important, there’s a point where good intentions can go too far.
That’s where intentionality comes in.
These issues don’t—and won’t—solve themselves. Left to chance, hiring tends to replicate the status quo. That’s why I believe thoughtful EDIB efforts still matter. Not as overbuilt programs or ideological mandates, but as practical, structured layers of accountability that keep hiring fair, human, and focused on performance.
What We Will and Won’t Do (And Why That Matters)
At TPD, we take EDIB seriously—but we also believe in balance, judgment, and accountability. We don’t engage in the practices that have sparked backlash, and in many cases, we agree with the criticism. Here’s where we draw the line:
✅ We will put extraordinary effort into attracting diverse talent—through inclusive sourcing, community partnerships, and creative outreach.
❌ We won’t exclude qualified candidates based on race, gender, or any other protected characteristic. We do not discriminate.
✅ We will train our team on bias awareness and use structured, consistent hiring practices.
❌ We won’t shame people for having biases—because we all do! What matters is how we manage it, not whether it exists.
✅ We will measure the diversity of our talent pools and how that changes throughout each stage of the hiring funnel.
❌ We won’t impose demographic targets. We only shortlist the most qualified candidates based on what’s relevant to the role, not who they are.
✅ We will use technology to support objective, efficient, and human-centered hiring.
❌ We won’t outsource decision-making to algorithms or rely on automation to define fit. Tech supports the process, it doesn’t replace good judgment.
✅ We will invest in underrepresented talent through mentorship, training, and long-term pipeline development.
❌ We won’t fill quotas. Hiring should be intentional, fair, and based on potential, not checked boxes.
✅ We will challenge our clients’ assumptions when requests are based on gender or other identity factors, not skills. We’ll always redirect the conversation to qualifications and fit.
❌ We won’t facilitate bias-based hiring. If the conversation can’t shift to capability, we’re probably not the right partner, and that’s okay.
✅ We will use inclusive language. When talking about the ideal candidate, we’ll use they instead of he, journeyperson instead of journeyman.
❌ We won’t mirror outdated terms just to keep things comfortable.
For Candidates, We See You Too
We’ll ask for your preferred name and pronouns. We’ll ask how to support you. We’ll coach you, encourage you, and be straight with you. We’ll advocate for you based on what you bring to the table, not where you come from. And if you’re passionate, collaborative, accountable, and growth-minded—we’ll go to bat for you. Because people deserve to be treated like people, not numbers, and definitely not stereotypes.
“No one wants to be a diversity hire. What people really want is to be treated like a whole human.” – Simone Dorie, TPD Workforce Specialist
Exactly that.
The Bottom Line
Strong hiring isn’t about choosing between merit and inclusion. It’s about designing a process that brings the best person to the top.
I’m not chasing buzzwords. I’m focused on building high-performing, sustainable teams—and just doing what feels right.