📌 DEI Metrics That Matter, 50+ HR Policy Templates, Hiring Surge - Oct 6, 2025

Hello there, People Champions! 💪 It’s National Diversity Week—time to swap buzzwords for benchmarks. Let’s talk about DEI metrics that actually matter (and not just the ones that look good on a slide).

On today’s agenda:

📌 DEI metrics that matter

📘 50+ HR policy templates

📈 Incoming hiring surge

🩺 Women’s health law update

THE HR SPOTLIGHT

 📌 DEI Metrics Under Fire? Here’s What Still Matters

This National Diversity Week, we’re going beyond vanity metrics. Let’s talk about meaningful DEI metrics that can stand strong despite pushbacks.

😬 The Situation: It’s crunch time

• Many U.S. firms are softening or dropping DEI disclosures: in 2025, fewer S&P 500 and Russell 3000 companies reported on women in management or minority representation in leadership.

• Mentions of “DEI” in Fortune 100 corporate reports dropped 72％ year-on-year.

• Cost pressures, layoffs, and RTO mandates are intensifying strain—especially for marginalized folks who often feel the first ripples.

At a time when the DEI narrative is under fire, the metrics you do choose — and how you interpret them — matter more than ever.

✅ Reinforcing metrics with backbone

Here are “safe but meaningful” metrics to track, share intelligently, and lean into:

• Pay parity & adjusted pay gaps (gender, race/ethnicity) over time, not just a snapshot

• Promotion & retention rates by demographic group

• Voluntary exit rates + exit feedback by demographic

• Accommodation request ratio & fulfillment rate (accessibility in practice)

• Inclusion / belonging survey scores disaggregated by group

• Board/leadership oversight metrics: % of leaders with DEI goals, formal board DEI committee existence

When you share results, keep these in mind:

• Tell narratives, not just numbers

• Use aggregated or anonymized data to protect privacy

• Focus on internal reporting if external disclosure feels risky

These metrics help you stay credible—and resilient—even if public DEI posturing fades.

📘 Stay Compliant & Consistent: 50+ Ready-to-Use HR Policy Templates

Streamline your HR game with this all-in-one HR Policies Bundle — built to save you time, cut compliance risks, and keep your workplace running like clockwork. Perfect for forward-thinking teams who’d rather lead than play catch-up.

What’s Inside:

• 🧾 Up-to-Date Policies — From employee conduct to performance and everything in between.

• ⚖️ Legal Peace of Mind — Crafted to align with the latest HR and labor standards.

• ✏️ Fully Customizable — Edit and adapt each document to match your company’s culture.

• 🤝 Fair & Transparent — Promote consistency, clarity, and trust across your workforce.

Get your HR Policies Bundle now and stay ahead of compliance curve.

Promo ends October 10 midnight EST

🏆 MSI’s Top Workplace Hat-Trick - MSI

• What’s unfolding: MSI has been named one of USA Today’s 2025 Top Workplaces for the third year running, based entirely on verified employee feedback.

• Why it matters: Culture and employee voice aren’t just nice extras—they’re powerful retention levers. HR leaders should dig into what’s working and double down.

• What’s unfolding: Latinos now contribute over $4.1T to the U.S. economy, accounting for ~30.6％ of national GDP growth.

• Why it matters: Latino talent is central to the future workforce—but structural gaps remain. HR must build inclusive pipelines and equity policies to tap this engine sustainably.

• What’s unfolding: In a 10-country survey of 8,200 frontline workers, those using AI tools reported lower burnout compared to those who don’t.

• Why it matters: Smart tech, when used well, can reduce friction. HR should pilot AI augmentation in high-stress roles and monitor impact on wellbeing and productivity.

COMPLIANCE CORNER

• What’s unfolding: States like California are extending protections around reproductive health, fertility treatment, and pregnancy loss, going past traditional maternity leave.

• HR implications: HR leaders must audit and update policies, leave rules, and accommodations to align with expanding protections or risk legal gaps and prepare for staggered state rules.

• What’s unfolding: The U.S. government shutdown continues, furloughing ~750,000 workers and stirring debate over back pay.

• HR implications: For federal contractors or partner organizations, this may ripple into compliance, workforce planning, and morale; review your contingency plans and communications to protect your teams.

• What’s unfolding: New York and California are pushing state-level labor law changes that could undercut long-standing federal labor frameworks.

• HR implications: Local standards may diverge sharply from federal norms. Monitor emerging rulings, update local compliance playbooks, and consult legal counsel before applying across states.

BREAKROOM

📬 Missed Monday’s issue ‘Key Regulatory Updates’? Read it »