In today’s corporate world, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become trendy buzzwords that organizations love to showcase. From bold mission statements to well-polished recruitment campaigns, companies proudly declare their commitment to building inclusive workplaces. However, when we look past the surface, a different reality emerges—one where DEI in talent acquisition remains more performative than practical.
Many organizations fall into the trap of tokenism over true inclusion, potentially hiring a few individuals from diverse backgrounds to check a box rather than implementing meaningful change.
Despite advancements in technology and training, unconscious bias continues to plague recruitment processes and one topic I want to address today is the ignored need of neurodivergent candidates, which, in my humble opinion is a glaring example of the failure in DEI hiring practices is how organizations handle candidates with neurodivergent conditions.
Take the recent experience of a personal connection who has dyspraxia, a condition that affects coordination, motor skills, and information processing. It also affects speech. A person with verbal dyspraxia has difficulty placing muscles in the correct position to produce sounds. The muscles have not been damaged. The messages from the brain that tell the muscles what to do have been affected. The impact of having dyspraxia and verbal dyspraxia is that some times, due to information processing skills, responses can be delayed and also the voice can sound monotone.
This individual has been actively applying for jobs, always informing recruiters upfront about the need for special adjustments in the recruitment process. Yet, not once has a recruiter followed up to inquire about the condition, how it affects their performance in interviews, or how they could adapt the process to ensure a fair evaluation in line with typical candidates applying for the job.
By failing to acknowledge the candidate’s request or ascertain information about the condition, these organizations demonstrate a complete lack of commitment to true inclusion. If DEI were genuinely embedded in their hiring strategies, they would proactively educate themselves on such conditions and adjust their recruitment processes accordingly—whether by modifying interview formats, offering alternative assessment methods, or simply engaging in open conversations.
While companies love to talk about their DEI initiatives, there is a lack of accountability and transparency with few providing measurable data to show real progress. Job postings and company websites may boast about their inclusive hiring policies, but without accountability mechanisms, these words can appear to be hollow. Transparency in hiring practices, feedback on candidate experience, (particulary those with diverse needs), and follow-through on accommodations are all areas where organizations continue to fall short.
Unfortunately there is inadeqate support and resources available to those who need it most and DEI initiatives can been seen as a side project rather than an essential part of business strategy. Training sessions should be ongoing learning experiences and priority should be given to continuous investment in awareness, education, and structural changes, so that the workplace is accessible for many underrepresented groups.
Conclusion: More Than Just Talk
The reality is that most organizations have not nailed diversity, equity, and inclusion in their talent acquisition strategies. While they may craft compelling DEI statements, their actions—or inactions—tell a different story.
For DEI to be truly effective, it must go beyond lip service. Organizations must engage in active listening, particularly when candidates request accommodations. They must invest in bias-free hiring practices and accessible recruitment processes that consider all applicants. Most importantly, they need to move from performative diversity to genuine inclusivity, where every individual—regardless of background, ability, or neurodivergence—is given an equitable opportunity to succeed. Until then, the DEI gap in talent acquisition remains wide open.
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