Certain Uncertainty

21Deciding Whom to Promote: Beware of “DEIB Debt”

Gorick Ng

When writing my Wall Street Journal bestselling book, The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right,¹ I had a chance to interview a fourth‐year university student from the US who had just returned from an on‐campus information session hosted by one of his dream employers.

“So, what did you think?” I asked the student.

“I've changed my mind,” he replied.

My eyes widened. I thought even the least desirable employers could make themselves look good within a two‐hour period, especially with free food and corporate swag. What happened?

“Because no one looked like me,” the student continued. “This employer had specifically invited members of the Black Student Union to the information session. But not a single person who came to represent the company was Black.”

Intrigued by this student's reactions and how commonly held a view he had, I surveyed 706 professionals across industries and job types. I asked a single question: “How much more or less likely are you to join a team or company if there is no one on the team who shares your identity?”

Survey respondents were told that identity could be expressed in myriad ways, whether through ethnicity, class, gender, disability, or any other attribute one might be able to discern from a photo, biography, or online profile.

The results were astounding: 40% of respondents said that they were either “less likely” or “much less likely” to join the team or company if ...