This article explores key insights from our webinar, How to Navigate the Blurring Lines Between HR and DEI to Drive Inclusion, featuring Dan Robertson, Managing Director at FAIRER Consulting, and Annisha Taylor, Group Head of DEI at Ofcom.
For years, HR and DEI have operated as closely connected but distinct functions. HR has typically led workforce planning, talent management and employee experience, while DEI teams have focused on creating fairer, more inclusive workplaces. However, that distinction is becoming increasingly blurred.
As organisations navigate economic uncertainty, changing workforce expectations and rapid advances in technology, neither function can achieve its goals in isolation. Decisions about recruitment, leadership, culture, employee experience and technology all have implications for inclusion, just as DEI strategies must connect with wider organisational priorities.
For HR and DEI professionals, the challenge now is understanding how both functions can work together more effectively as complementary perspectives that help organisations create fairer workplaces and drive better outcomes. As Dan Robertson, Managing Director at FAIRER Consulting, explains, “a focus on diversity and inclusion is a driver that fuels performance”.
DEI is becoming an enterprise-wide responsibility
One of the biggest shifts in recent years has been the way organisations view the role of DEI professionals. Rather than seeing inclusion as something owned solely by a specialist function, organisations are increasingly recognising that creating inclusive workplaces requires involvement from leaders, managers and employees across the business.
Annisha Taylor, Group Head of DEI at Ofcom, describes this shift as one of “integration”. She explains that while organisations may previously have brought in DEI practitioners to do the work on behalf of the organisation, there is now a greater understanding that inclusion needs to become “an embedded system” with an “enterprise-wide view”.
This shift changes the role of the DEI professional. Rather than being solely responsible for delivering initiatives, DEI practitioners now act as facilitators, advisers and critical friends — helping organisations understand challenges, influence decisions and embed inclusive thinking into everyday business activity.
Organisations must also think carefully about how DEI is positioned. Whether DEI sits within HR, reports into senior leadership or operates as a standalone function can influence how it is perceived and how effectively it can support organisational change. For HR professionals, there is an opportunity to view inclusion as a lens through which existing people decisions are made. Recruitment, progression, learning, employee experience and workforce planning all benefit from considering inclusion at every stage.
Culture change starts with understanding, not action
Organisations often move too quickly into action without first creating a shared understanding of what they are trying to achieve. A crucial starting point is helping leaders understand what DEI means within their own organisational context. This begins with asking fundamental questions: What is the purpose of your DEI strategy? What are you trying to achieve? What does inclusion mean within your organisation?
Annisha’s approach is to regularly ask leaders these questions, which are sometimes met with uncertainty. Organisations can have strategies, targets and ambitions in place, but without clarity around the purpose behind them, it becomes harder to create meaningful progress.
Rather than assuming they already know what an organisation needs, DEI professionals must first understand the existing culture, challenges and experiences within the business. This includes exploring what leaders and employees are experiencing, where barriers exist, what is working well and what the available data reveals.
This approach reinforces the importance of involving DEI expertise early. Too often, DEI professionals are brought into conversations after decisions have already been made or once challenges have emerged. Bringing DEI expertise into discussions from the beginning helps organisations identify potential barriers and unintended consequences before they become issues. Early DEI intervention also reinforces that inclusion is not something considered only during moments of difficulty, but something that should influence everyday organisational decisions.
However, meaningful culture change takes time. Organisations cannot expect years of established culture and behaviours to change within a few months. “It took years to create the culture that exists today. What makes you think it’s going to take any shorter amount of time to then change things?” questions Annisha.
Business impact is becoming just as important as inclusion expertise
As HR and DEI become more connected, the skills required across both professions are evolving. While expertise in areas such as equality, employee experience and inclusive leadership remains important, professionals also need to understand the wider business context.
Dan challenges the idea that DEI should sit separately from organisational priorities. Instead, he describes inclusion as a contributor to wider outcomes. “Inclusion is an input to get an outcome. And the outcome is business performance,” he explains, representing an important shift in how DEI is positioned. Rather than viewing inclusion as an initiative that sits separately from the business, organisations need to understand how inclusive approaches support wider organisational objectives.
For DEI professionals, this means developing stronger business acumen — understanding organisational strategy, workforce priorities, financial pressures and commercial goals. Dan highlights that while many practitioners can speak confidently about inclusion, they may find it more challenging to connect their work to wider business priorities.
The same applies to HR professionals. As people functions become increasingly strategic, HR leaders need to combine expertise in talent, culture and employee experience with a deeper understanding of organisational direction. The future relationship between HR and DEI will depend on both functions recognising that they are working towards shared outcomes.
AI, culture and employee experience are reshaping the future of HR and DEI
Looking ahead, Dan highlights several areas where HR and DEI professionals will increasingly need to work together, including workforce strategy and talent planning, people analytics and data, inclusive leadership, culture and employee experience, and the responsible use of AI.
While AI will significantly influence the future of work, organisations need to ensure technology supports fair decision-making rather than unintentionally reinforcing existing barriers. Collaboration between HR, DEI and technology teams will therefore become essential.
More organisations are also creating roles focused on culture and people experience, reflecting how closely these areas now overlap. Culture is shaped by everyday experiences — including how leaders behave, how decisions are made and whether employees feel respected and included. This means inclusion cannot sit separately from organisational culture; it is part of how employees experience the workplace.
Inclusive leadership will also remain an important area of focus. Organisations cannot assume leaders automatically know how to create inclusive environments. Like any leadership capability, inclusive behaviours need to be understood and practised.
Five practical actions HR and DEI leaders can take now
The future of HR and DEI cannot be shaped by one function working alone. Progress will come from closer collaboration, shared responsibility and embedding inclusion into everyday business decisions. Below are five practical next steps for HR and DEI leaders to consider:
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Bring DEI expertise into decisions earlier. Involve DEI professionals at the beginning of projects, policy changes and organisational decisions rather than waiting until challenges emerge.
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Strengthen business understanding. Connect DEI strategies to organisational priorities, workforce needs and business outcomes to strengthen influence with senior stakeholders.
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Use data to inform action. Understand where barriers exist by combining workforce data, employee insight and organisational feedback to identify priorities.
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Build inclusive leadership capability. Support leaders and managers with practical guidance on how to create inclusive environments rather than assuming they already have the skills needed.
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Prepare for responsible AI adoption. Ensure HR, DEI and technology teams work together to understand how AI is being used and consider potential impacts on fairness and decision-making.
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For support in aligning your HR and DEI strategies with wider organisational priorities, explore our inclusive leadership programmes and strategy and culture change support. Whether you are looking to strengthen leadership capability, embed inclusion into your culture or develop a tailored approach to support your people and business goals, our team can help you identify the right solutions for your organisation.
