Long story short: Who are you forgetting in your DEI initiatives?

By Alyssa Place, This is my expertise

Published February 25, 2022 11:28 AM EST 2 Min Read

Are your DEI initiatives going deep enough?

As workplaces become more diverse and employers put more effort into advancing their inclusion goals, workplace benefits and programs need to keep up. In this week’s top stories, underserved groups including plus-size workers, women who have taken career breaks and people of color can all stand to benefit from an employer reviewing their DEI policies and programs to ensure all employees are well-served.

Individuals clinically catergorized as overweight or obese made up 42.4% of the U.S. population in 2020, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. More than half of that demographic are active contributors to the workforce, according to CareerBuilder, though the corporate landscape is often unaccommodating for workers of a certain size.

“Plus-size is one of the last populations that has been seen or heard out there [in the workforce],” Kara Richardson Whitely, extended sizing advocate, consultant and author, tells associate editor Paola Peralta. “So when it comes to employers connecting with that audience, they’re missing out on a pool of talent that may not feel welcomed.”

Alyssa Place

Editor-in-chief

Alyssa Place is the editor-in-chief of Employee Benefit News and has been with the team since 2019. Her work covers mental health, DEI, women at work, financial wellness, retirement and workplace … Read full bio