Monthly DEI learnings with Hayley

Hello everyone,

Welcome to this month’s edition!

You’ll find a real range of the latest insights that have us thinking at HTVB, from tackling distrust and misinformation at work through to key data about what the UK public actually perceive EDI work as. Check out the resource shared on trauma-informed content design and our latest HTVB guide.

PS - Our resources are now more easily available on the website here.

Thanks for reading and sharing,

Hayley

This piece looks beyond stereotypes to explore how misinformation and social divides shape perceptions of fairness. The key takeaway is that rebuilding trust starts with curiosity and shared understanding not assumptions.

New research from More in Common the University of Oxford and UCL Policy Lab finds that Britons want a pragmatic respectful approach to EDI grounded in fairness and equal opportunity.

I was drawn to this chart in particular which shows that the public’s understanding of EDI work varies. It’s something we often emphasise with clients. You can’t build engagement around a term people define differently. Start by clarifying what inclusion means in your context and what it doesn’t.

This thoughtful case study on Nia Impact Capital and founder Kristin Hull explores how to keep inclusion work authentic when values are weaponised. It’s a lesson in strategic courage. Knowing when to speak when to listen and how to keep momentum without fuelling division.

A striking 62% of Singaporean employees would leave their job if they didn’t feel a sense of belonging according to Randstad’s 2025 Workmonitor survey. For Gen Z that figure rises to 67%. It’s a clear message that belonging isn’t a bonus it’s a business necessity.

Despite political headwinds 72% of US respondents in the latest GlobeScan poll still believe companies should uphold DEI commitments. That’s not performative optimism, it’s evidence that staying the course matters!

Employees are increasingly using generative AI tools to draft workplace grievances. Each claim must still be reviewed and responded to which creates heavy administrative pressure for HR and legal teams. It’s a glimpse into a near future where technology reshapes the way conflict surfaces and why empathy policy clarity and early intervention matter more than ever.

📄 HTVB Guide: Understanding audiences to plan better EDI interventions

Can I be honest? Your events initiatives and interventions planned to promote inclusion often flop because they’re not designed with your audience in mind.

It’s tempting to try to speak to everyone. But impactful inclusion and wellbeing work is rarely one size fits all. Whether you’re planning a team workshop staff event policy update or leadership programme getting clear on who your work is really for will make it more meaningful and more effective.

Micro mischief is about the small playful moments that make work more human. Bree Groff author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously) describes it as “tiny acts of playful misbehaviour” like stocking the office kitchen with cocktail umbrella picks or adding something unexpected that makes people smile.

Groff explains that “mischief at its core is getting to that very essential human belief that play is funny caring and can make for better days.” These moments of lightness help people build confidence and agency by gently subverting norms. They create connection through shared laughter and spark innovation by encouraging people to think differently.

[Via the 2025 Charter Workplace Summit Playbook]

In our work at HTVB we often remind clients that inclusion does not always come from large programmes or policy changes. It also comes from micro behaviours that show care and humanity. Micro mischief is a reminder that belonging can grow from small moments of play that make people feel part of something shared and real.

“Trauma-informed content design is an approach to creating digital experiences that acknowledges the possibility that users may have experienced trauma. It emphasizes safety, empathy, clarity, and user control, so that content doesn’t unintentionally cause harm or trigger distress.”

Check out the frameworks to review content - especially when talking about topics such as racism and oppression. (I wish that the professional football clubs I have been seeing posting harmful ‘No Room for Racism’ content this week had read this guide 🙅🏽‍♀️)

Get in touch today!