Across Wisconsin’s three most populous regions, business groups said their members largely plan to continue diversity and inclusion initiatives, according to Wisconsin Public Radio, but some said companies are reevaluating how they talk about that work.
The efforts are key to addressing Wisconsin’s longstanding labor shortage, economic development officials in Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay say, adding that the issue could worsen amid projected population declines.
The messaging shift comes in the midst of federal policy changes, with President Donald Trump and his administration working to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, starting with an executive order that cut them from the federal government.
Some major companies responded by rolling back DEI programs. According to the New York Times, the number of S&P 500 companies using DEI language in federal regulatory filings is down 60% from last year.
In Wisconsin, DEI has been widely framed by regional business groups as a tool for worker attraction and retention. Some companies, however, are reportedly now shifting how they communicate around diversity and inclusion after finding that some past efforts may have inadvertently made some employees feel excluded.
Zach Brandon, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, said he does not know a single Madison business that “doesn’t want to solve the problem” of Wisconsin’s demographic challenge, adding that the only way to address the issue is to “grow the tent” of people who want to live and work in the state and make sure as many as possible “feel like they belong.”
“I think what changes is what we call it,” Brandon said. “The race for talent, and this global challenge for talent — if that’s what you’re trying to solve, then the work will continue, regardless of what it’s called.”
He said that work includes casting a wide net to ensure job postings end up in front of all potential candidates regardless of background, as well as making resources available to help employees feel welcome inside an organization.
