Recent Executive Order Stunts Workplace Progress on Diversity

1Huddle is concerned about the recent executive order “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,” issued by President Trump on September 22.

You might be wondering why a workforce tech company is worried about an executive order on stereotyping. Well, it’s because we know this EO will have serious effects on workforce training and development.

To explain what exactly this EO does, we can start by telling you what it doesn’t do. It does not combat stereotyping like the title claims. In reality, this EO severely limits the way certain employers are able to train on important topics concerning equity, inclusion, diversity, and sexual harassment by directing executive branch agencies to eliminate or restrict training on concepts it deems “divisive” such as white privilege and race theory.

At 1Huddle, we don’t believe issues pertaining to equity and inclusion are “divisive concepts.” We believe combating systemic racism will bring us all closer together, not further apart.

And we know we aren’t the only ones who feel this way, because companies around the world use our content to train on equity and inclusion. We take pride in the growing number of users that have played these games over the past few months, and we think it would be a shame to roll back on the progress companies are making to become more inclusive and diverse.

Below are 1Huddle’s Top Four Games on D&I that companies use to stay at the forefront of diversity and inclusion training:

1.INCREASE ENGAGEMENT

Unconscious Bias: What is unconscious bias? This game helps us understand the concepts and motivations behind our decision-making.

2. MITIGATING BIAS

Once we have a more enhanced understanding of what unconscious bias is, we can start to actively mitigate those biases and realize when they are affecting our thoughts and actions.

3. PROMOTING INCLUSION

This game helps us realize the importance of inclusion by learning to further respect and appreciate our differences. When everyone’s voices are heard and workers are equitably represented, we all win.

4. EMBRACING DIVERSITY

Helps us learn about the many benefits to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workplace. When the diversity of our teams reflects the diversity of our society, our companies and our people will benefit.

These are just a few of the games in our content library that are helping to build more equitable workplaces around the globe. We offer this content as part of our commitment to combating discrimination and promoting antiracist learning. We also give our clients the ability to create their own content for D&I training, because we know companies need the ability to tailor training to their specific needs. That’s another reason why this EO concerns us.

Shouldn’t companies have the freedom to train their people on antiracism however they feel fit? Is it the government’s job to dictate what diversity training businesses can and cannot conduct?

Preparing for the future of work means prioritizing diversity training. That is why 1Huddle will continue to offer our clients training to help end discrimination and promote equity in the workplace and beyond. We urge others to do the same.

If you want to learn more about our policy plan to raise up all workers and help end workplace discrimination, you can check out our RAISE Every Worker Policy Plan.