It’s been more than a year since the Black Lives Matter movement spurred many companies to acknowledge racism and inequality at work, and in that time, diversity, equity, and inclusion organizations like the one I work for, InHerSight, have seen a huge uptick in employers interested in attracting and retaining talent from underrepresented backgrounds.

I, for one, love the increased engagement in making our workplaces more equitable and inclusive, but in order to make noticeable progress where it counts, DEI efforts need more oomph in every way—transparency, goal-setting, financial backing, language usage, and more. 

All of these factors contribute to how potential hires and current employees gauge a company’s level of commitment and follow-through to both supporting marginalized groups and making them feel welcome at work. 

According to InHerSight research, while such DEI visibility and measurability is important during the recruiting process, it later becomes crucial to the retention of employees. From March to May, we surveyed 3,000-plus people on how much an employer’s engagement with DEI matters to them when applying to a company, accepting a job offer, and deciding to stay with an organization. Here are some of our most illustrative findings:

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