Diversity, equity, and inclusion work is under great scrutiny right now and many organizations are questioning the best way to proceed with their efforts.

With so many stakeholders involved, from donors to board members, it can be tempting to scale back DEI initiatives to minimize the risk of complaints or worse: cancellation. What we know, however, is that at times like this, employees are looking for clear signs of organizational commitment and leadership engagement as they pertain to inclusion.

Maintaining cultural celebrations is an important demonstration of this commitment, and there are many benefits to supporting these events at work.

For decades, employee resource groups (ERGs) and diversity committees have highlighted cultural traditions to celebrate heritage and share unique identities. ERGs help increase employee retention and holding cultural celebrations is just one way ERGs promote a sense of belonging in the workplace.

“Belonging and connection are important for workers to thrive, which is one reason why being part of an ERG increases performance levels and lessens turnover and absenteeism,” according to an SHRM article by Stephen Miller.

In response to the current DEI pushback, it’s important to highlight the business case for diversity efforts and cultural celebrations in the workplace. Here’s what that looks like:

1. Organizations encourage cultural celebrations for DEI observances, such as Pride Month, Juneteenth, AAPI Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, etc., often led by ERGs.
2. Members of those communities feel seen, appreciated, and welcomed at work.
3. Employees feel a connection to their organization, becoming more engaged and less likely to quiet quit or job search due to lack of belonging.
4. Other historically excluded groups recognize there is space for them to organize these cultural celebrations at work and join existing ERGs or start their own.
5. Performance improves as time goes on, along with employee satisfaction.
6. Higher performance leads to increased innovation, outperforming competitors, and higher revenue.

Cultural celebrations are also low-barrier, low-risk opportunities for all employees to expand their knowledge. Events that highlight particular holidays or observances are often fun, relaxing, and a chance to make new connections. While someone may not have exposure to different cultures in their personal lives, having these events available at work can be just what they need to learn about intersectional identities and diversity.

Proximity to different cultures expands a person’s worldview. The closer they become to those who are different, the more expansive their perspective becomes, which is a fundamental piece of developing a DEI mindset and promoting true allyship in the workplace.

So what are some cultural observances and DEI holidays that your organization can celebrate this year?

Here are a few, but take a look at this 2024 calendar for more dates.

• June is Pride Month, Black Music Month, and Caribbean-American Heritage Month
• June 19th is Juneteenth (Take a look at this guide with recommendations on how to honor Juneteenth at your organization.)
• July is Disability Pride Month and National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
• September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month
• October is Filipino-American Heritage Month
• November is National Native American Heritage Month

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