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You’re probably well aware of the concept of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). But what about DEIB? As part of an ongoing conversation in the workplace and beyond, the DEI equation has evolved to include another important letter — B, for belonging.
The difference between inclusion and belonging may seem small, but it matters. Employees can be "included" without truly feeling like they "belong." In the past, the burden of fitting into an existing workplace culture disproportionately fell on employees — but DEIB aims to change that.
Most organizations have already begun to embrace DEI and promoting diversity in the workplace. Now that it’s on the scene, it’s your job to understand DEIB’s meaning and how it impacts your people, practices, and policies.
What does DEIB mean in 2025 and beyond?
DEIB stands for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. These four concepts work together to help employees feel genuinely accepted and free to be their whole selves at work.
While it’s easy to answer the question, “What does DEIB stand for?” the bigger questions are, “What does DEIB mean for the future of your organization, and how can you create it?” To build a truly inclusive culture, it’s important to understand how each element of DEIB contributes to a supportive and thriving workplace.
- Diversity refers to the demographics of your workforce. Ideally, this involves bringing together people from varied ethnicities, nationalities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, skill sets, educational levels, and personal experiences. It also means including veterans, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups, while making everyone feel valued for their unique contributions.
- Equity is defined by Gallup as “fair treatment, access and advancement for each person in an organization”. In practice, this includes taking actions like offering equal pay, accommodating employees with disabilities, providing fair access to L&D opportunities, and ensuring fair hiring and promotion practices.
- Inclusion refers to making employees feel valued and welcome. In other words, what does your company do to encourage positive interactions between employees? How do you make them feel safe and empowered to actively contribute? Inclusion at work starts with simple respect — things like keeping feedback constructive and not interrupting others. More formal examples of inclusion include gender-neutral restrooms, nursing rooms for new parents, and employee resource groups (ERGs).
- Belonging is similar to inclusion in that it’s about employees feeling welcomed, valued, and respected. But the addition of belonging deepens DEIB’s meaning by bringing together all its components. When diversity, equity, and inclusion are addressed, employees ideally experience a true sense of belonging. Belonging in the workplace can show up in many forms — from building meaningful relationships through workplace mentoring and team-building, to making sure team members get company-wide recognition or encouraging open, two-way feedback loops.
Each of the four pieces is essential to a positive team culture — but achieving DEIB at work is easier said than done. 84% of CHROs (Chief Human Resource Officers) say they’re stepping up their DEIB initiatives. But only a small percentage of employees feel their DEIB needs are being met.
Organizational change takes time. But DEIB will remain a focus, especially as more of Gen Z enters the workforce. Going forward, engaging and retaining top talent requires your company to go all in on fairness, transparency, and holding leaders accountable to DEIB goals — no exceptions.
DEI vs. DEIB: The impact of belonging
While we’ve briefly covered what is DEIB and why belonging is critical to your DEI strategy, there are key nuances to emphasize.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion set the stage for belonging by creating an environment where employees feel respected, have equal access, and can fully participate. DEI focuses on the actions that shape this environment, while belonging reflects the emotional connection employees feel as a result.
Simply put: Diversity -> Equity -> Inclusion = Belonging.
Adding 'belonging' to the framework emphasizes that diverse representation and inclusive policies alone aren't enough. DEIB goes further, making sure employees feel truly valued, connected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work.
For example, an inclusive environment has wheelchair accessible bathrooms, nursing areas, and pays men and women equally for the same work (for starters). Belonging describes how the employees feel as a result of these and other inclusion initiatives.
What belonging looks like in your organization may differ, but you're on the right track when:
- Diverse social bonds exist.
- There are few instances of microaggressions and exclusion.
- Employee benefits are inclusive.
- Compensation is transparent.
- DEIB educators drive company-wide alignment on these initiatives.
You can measure the success of belonging initiatives through qualitative data (such as employee feedback and DEIB reports). You can also measure more concrete factors like employee productivity and retention. Remember, perfection isn’t the goal — progress is.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace: Why it matters
When done right, DEIB initiatives are not only beneficial for workers, they’re also good for business. Here’s how embracing DEIB can impact your workplace.
Uncover unconscious biases
As humans, unconscious biases often influence our decisions without us even realizing it. Ageism, sexism, and racial bias may stem from stereotypes, past experiences, or preconceived judgments. Regardless of the origin, unchecked bias creates a toxic work environment and leads to discrimination.
A strong DEIB program including diversity activities can help to tackle these issues. For starters, diverse hiring practices will give you a wider range of candidates and promote a more inclusive culture.
Beyond that, DEIB training for managers and employees helps raise awareness of these biases and provides practical steps for handling situations more thoughtfully and fairly. And when DEIB is top of mind across the organization, unconscious biases are easier to spot — and squash.
Attract and keep top talent
Younger job seekers don’t see DEIB initiatives as a nice-to-have — they see it as a requirement. Glassdoor’s Diversity & Inclusion Workplace Survey found that for 76% of employees and job seekers, a diverse workforce is crucial. In that same survey, about 1 in 3 (32%) would not apply to a job at a company where there is a lack of diversity among its workforce.
And research from Great Place to Work found belonging in the workplace makes employees 5x more likely to want to stay at their company a long time.
Boost employee productivity
Employees who feel like they belong are more productive and happier at work. According to a Culture Report by Achievers Workforce Institute, employees with a sense of belonging report feeling more productive, competent, and psychologically safe at work compared to those who don’t.
Great Place to Work also found that employees who experience belonging are 3x more likely to look forward to coming to work, and to say their workplace is fun.
Improve financial performance
For employees to believe DEIB is truly a priority, leadership has to model a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. When this happens, the entire company benefits.
A Deloitte study found that companies with a strong DEIB culture experienced a 46% increase in industry advantage, a 34% increase in financial performance, and 30% higher customer satisfaction.
It’s clear that DEIB policies influence more than employee satisfaction — they ultimately feed into major business outcomes like performance and revenue.
Case study: Read how a global firm uses mentoring to strengthen diversity and develop employees
Achieve better decision-making
To spark new ideas and avoid groupthink, you need a team of people with different backgrounds and perspectives. Innovation thrives when people share their unique viewpoints, rather than everyone echoing the same thoughts.
Teams with varied skills and experiences are also better at tackling problems. A broader knowledge base and diverse approaches lead to creative, effective solutions that tackle challenges from multiple angles.
When all voices are valued, decision-making becomes stronger and more efficient. Research backs this up, with one white paper showing that teams with age, gender, and geographic diversity make better decisions 87% of the time.
Challenges with advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives
When DEIB initiatives deliver such powerful results, what’s stopping organizations from jumping in head first?
The reality is, there are real challenges to workplace diversity when the rubber meets the road.
Workers and employers are not on the same page
Investment into DEIB is growing. But while most workers and employees agree that their organization is committed to advancing DEIB, they’re split on how effective the programs actually are. For example, in one survey 69% of employers say their DEI or DEIB program has clearly defined goals, compared with 49% of workers.
Gallup and Harvard Business Review have found similar results indicating that, despite good intentions, most employees still don’t see their workplace as “fair for everyone”. This means leadership and teams need to get on the same page about what “fair” looks like and what actions create belonging.
Misguided motivations for establishing DEIB programs
Employers have many reasons for launching DEIB programs — and not all of them are employee-centric. If your DEIB efforts are just about checking compliance boxes, impressing the board, managing PR, or dodging “cancel culture,” employees will see right through it. When that happens, your plans are as good as dead in the water. Real impact starts with genuine commitment, not performative gestures.
DEIB efforts lack structure or clear roles and responsibilities
Many organizations are just starting out with DEIB initiatives, and that comes with a learning curve. Only 41% have "advanced" or "expert" practices in place, according to an HR Research Institute study. The remaining 59% of companies surveyed fall under “less mature.”
In many cases, companies are unclear about who should lead DEIB efforts, how to implement them, and how to measure success. Often, this lack of clarity leads to inaction or disorganization, putting a drag on impact.
Leadership ranks still lag in gender and racial diversity
Like most organizational changes, DEIB initiatives are more successful when the approach is top down. Leadership sets the tone by showing what’s possible and making a genuine impact visible.
In the business world, women are still underrepresented at every stage of the corporate pipeline, and that includes leadership roles. For every 100 men promoted to manager, 89 white women were promoted in 2024, according to data from McKinsey. And while women held 29% of C-suite roles in the same year, only 7% of those belonged to women of color.
Again, meaningful change takes time. But while there’s been some progress in workplace diversity, companies’ workforces are still far less diverse than the markets they serve. Clearly, we have a long way to go when it comes to representation in leadership.
DEIB initiatives don’t get the time or resources they deserve
DEIB programs don’t get the time, money, or staff they need to flourish and succeed. The data shows DEIB efforts are often under-resourced, with about two-thirds of respondents spending 40% or less of their workweek on DEIB issues, programs, or policies. Nearly half devote just a small fraction (less than 20%) of their time, suggesting that despite organizational lip service, a lack of focus may be holding back meaningful progress.
Organizational blind spots may cause gaps
Even well-meaning leaders may not fully understand all the different identities within their team, which can create blind spots. Gaps like this can hinder the growth of an inclusive workplace culture.
For example, a DEIB leader who is passionate about accessibility and supporting employees with disabilities will probably excel in that area. But they may fall short in addressing the challenges faced by marginalized ethnic groups.
To overcome blind spots, connect with employees from diverse backgrounds to gain new perspectives. Regular reflection and strategy adjustments will make your efforts more inclusive and effective.
How to promote DEIB in the workplace: Best practices
For DEIB to truly take root, you need to stop treating these terms as buzzwords. Instead, see them as tools for change — with the power to boost employee happiness, safety, engagement, and business success.
With a few best practices and actionable tips, you’ll come closer to bridging the gap between policy and practice.
Hire leaders who value and reflect DEIB initiatives
As we’ve established, leadership is responsible for driving significant changes. When the C-suite values DEIB initiatives and reflects those ideas, it’s easier to bring about those changes.
This advice holds true when hiring HR teams, department heads, and team leads as well. Any manager that isn’t invested in making the workplace a safe space to work will only make it harder for your diversity and inclusion plan to take root.
Invite ongoing talks about diversity
Often, the companies that fail to advance their DEIB initiatives are the same ones that overlook their employees’ perspectives. To address this gap, hold regular, structured discussions with members from underrepresented groups and ERGs.
These conversations provide a platform to share new initiatives and track progress. At the same time, you’ll get ideas to refine and improve your programs.
By creating safe spaces for open dialogue, inviting feedback, and actively involving leadership, you show employees they matter, and prove your commitment to progress over perfection. These discussions build trust, highlight hidden biases, and ensure your DEIB initiatives stay relevant and effective.
Align your DEIB goals with business goals
Connecting your DEIB goals with key business objectives makes it easier to secure investment and support. When DEIB initiatives are traced back to measurable outcomes—like improved employee productivity, higher customer satisfaction, revenue growth, enhanced team performance, reduced turnover, and lower recruitment costs—leadership sees a clear payoff.
This alignment strengthens your case and gives your DEIB programs the traction they need to succeed.
Encourage belonging through mentoring
As a piece of your DEIB strategy, mentoring tackles several key challenges faced by underrepresented groups. It helps new hires feel more integrated and valued within the organization, and provides equitable access to learning and development opportunities.
Having a diverse team of mentors further promotes inclusion, as these people can guide and inspire mentees from similar backgrounds. Mentoring programs also support ongoing retention by creating personal connections. These programs strengthen organizational culture by enhancing cultural competence and facilitating knowledge sharing across different groups.
Here are a few ways to integrate mentoring and DEIB in your workplace:
Mentor new diverse hires
Even after completing onboarding programs, 70% of new hires still feel unprepared. Pairing new hires with an experienced mentor significantly reduces culture shock and helps new hires get “in the loop” much more quickly.
You can match mentors and mentees based on shared skills, interests, and goals. Then, provide structured mentoring sessions with set agendas to induce thought-provoking sessions.
Run diversity-focused mentoring programs for ERGs
With a focus on diversity mentoring programs for ERGs, you can improve participation from underrepresented groups. By connecting mentees with mentors who share similar backgrounds or experiences, you deepen social bonds and promote career advancement within these groups.
Diversity-focused mentoring helps build a leadership pipeline while enhancing cultural competence — which strengthens your DEIB initiatives overall.
Finally, matching mentees with mentors skilled in DEIB principles supports a more inclusive workplace culture within your ERGs.
Monitor the progress of mentorship programs
As with almost everything in business, you’ll need to track progress and prove the value of your mentorship programs. Choosing the right metrics to track helps you know whether employees are engaged, how each mentor-mentee pair is growing, and which mentees need extra attention.
This data also highlights areas for improvement and checks that programs are aligned with your DEIB goals. Monitoring progress can improve participation levels, strengthen your talent pipeline, and help you advocate for the added resources your DEIB program needs.
Lean on an easy-to-use mentoring platform
When it comes to DEIB initiatives, most organizations struggle to connect the dots between intentions and outcomes. But with the right mentoring platform, advancing DEIB programs and making progress is easy.
Together helps you make mentoring central to your DEIB strategy with its easy-to-use platform that helps you pair mentors with mentees at scale. Our mentorship program template makes it easy to get started quickly. Or, customize the program to fit your own DEIB policies.
Ready to advance your DEIB strategy with Together? Book a demo.
