Effects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives or Policies in the Workplace

Introduction

It is often associated that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are initiated to reach a quota, and in many cases, that is true. Our main focus in implementing such should be to better the company. It is known that a variety of different individuals from various backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge is important in creating a strong group of individuals to better the workplace and company. Many components go into creating a successful company, while focusing on only a few: creativity, innovation, and decision-making, all of to focus on maintaining sustained competitive advantage. 

This project is focused on identifying the benefits of implementing DEI initiatives within the hiring process to promote sustained competitive advantage in organizations. Focusing on for-profit organizations in the Cincinnati, Ohio area to obtain first-hand experience and opinions from current human resources professionals regarding the topic. DEI in the workplace is interesting because of how uncomfortable many individuals are with the topic. I feel as if it is often seen as a negative aspect of the workplace and has been seen as taboo most of the time. DEI, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is considered an interdisciplinary study within organizational hiring since it incorporates insights from sociology, psychology, human resources, and management to address workplace diversity and fairness. This approach helps organizations create inclusive hiring practices that consider various factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status, ultimately leading to better organizational performance and employee engagement. There are many aspects that I intend to address that I feel are most beneficial for an organization, and how I see them tying into the main goal of sustained competitive advantage for a company: creativity, innovation, better decision-making, and the end goal of sustained competitive advantage.

Objective

This project examines how DEI initiatives in the hiring process support sustained competitive advantage in for-profit organizations in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, using insights from human resources professionals. Drawing from sociology, psychology, human resources, and management, inclusive hiring practices can improve employee engagement, creativity, and overall organizational performance.

Utilizing the snowball sampling method, I was able to obtain one interview. Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the topic, it posed a challenge in the beginning to obtain interviews due to the associated risk. This method is mainly used in interviews where initial participants help recruit additional participants from their social networks. 

• Align and tailor DEI initiatives to organizational goals and workforce needs to ensure relevance and impact.

• Enhance equitable and inclusive practices by expanding access to opportunities, supporting diverse needs, and improving hiring and retention strategies.

• Leverage DEI to drive innovation and advocacy by empowering HR to connect employee insights with strategic organizational action.

• Amabile, Teresa M. “Motivating Creativity in Organizations: On Doing What You Love and Loving What You Do.” California Management Review, vol. 40, no. 1, Oct. 1997, pp. 39–58

• Boyles, Michael. “DEI: What It Is & How to Champion It in the Workplace.” Business Insights Blog, Harvard Business School, 3 Oct. 2023, online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-dei.

• Cole, Shawn. “Waiting until Q1 to Onboard an Executive Could Cost You the Year.” Forbes, 7 Nov. 2025, www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/11/07/waiting-until-q1-to-onboard-an-executive-could-cost-you-the-year/.

• Drucker, P. R. (n.d.). The Discipline of Innovation.

• Larson, Erik. “Research Shows Diversity + Inclusion = Better Decision Making at Work.” Www.cloverpop.com, 25 Sept. 2017, www.cloverpop.com/blog/research-shows-diversity-inclusion-better-decision-making-at-work.

The Miami University Research Ethics & Integrity Program reviewed this study and determined its exempt status, #02465r.