“See how he treats the waiter.”
It’s common dating advice. Of course your date is going to treat you well. But how do they treat those they think they don’t have to? That’s how they will most likely treat you once they’re no longer on their best behavior.
Right now, with the incoming GOP administration ready to begin dismantling all sorts of regulatory requirements — and particularly DEI requirements — the ways that companies are treating their DEI initiatives is the equivalent of how they treat the waiter.
DEI initiatives — while a net good for both society and the companies that have them {1} — take time to show a return on investment. They typically do not show returns in a single revenue cycle. While they are good for profits in the long run, they are an investment in a company’s culture and productivity. They rarely turn short-run profits, making them less attractive to investors that are focused on the next quarter’s profits. {2}
The about-face on DEI initiatives from some companies is the equivalent of screaming at the wait staff.
The moment these companies felt that they could get away with cutting corners to increase their short-term profit — no matter what harm it does to real people or even their own company — they did it.
What do you think is going to happen when the GOP and “DOGE” relaxes other regulations?
The regulations about your safety at work?
The regulations that keep our food supply safe? {3}
The regulations protecting your bank account and investments?
The regulations keeping products from being dangerous to children?
The regulations that ensure your medications actually contain what they claim to?
When you hear claims that industry will “regulate itself” and that we should rely on “market forces”, remember.
Sooner or later, you will be standing on one of those corners that gets cut.
{1} If you want to argue with that statement, you’re reading the wrong author and the wrong article. Try this one or this one.
{2} This is also why relying on “market forces” to do the right thing unless it’s immediately profitable is a fool’s bet.
{3} Yes, there have been a lot of failures of this system lately; the FDA is already stretched to the breaking point. See John Oliver’s breakdown of the issue.
Featured Image by LEEROY Agency from Pixabay