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"focus on EDI has led to bloating non-jobs in HR"

28 replies

IwantToRetire · 25/02/2026 19:42

Countering the rise of EDI in the workplace

The number of people working in HR roles increased by 83% between
2011 and 2023.19 This growth significantly outpaced the overall growth of people in employment, which increased by only 13.5% over a similar period

‘This detailed new report by Policy Exchange demonstrates how a wide array of pressures - from government regulation, to activist groups, to staff networks - have been hijacked to undermine business autonomy and impose burdensome EDI obligations across whole sectors. It sets out with precision the legislative reforms that will be needed to curb the worst excesses of this burden and free up businesses to deliver growth.

https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/putting-business-back-in-the-driving-seat/

(Personally I don think there had been an organised move to undermine business autonomy, but do wonder how this aspect of employment has ballooned - see graph below)

"focus on EDI has led to bloating non-jobs in HR"
OP posts:
HildegardP · 25/02/2026 23:04

Igmum · 25/02/2026 22:16

Haven’t read the report yet but from the introduction it looks as though they’re conflating a number of things - some internal, some regulatory.

Interesting to see this massive growth. Suspect a decline is fast approaching. Unfortunately many of the things EDI was set up to achieve are still desperately needed (equal rights for women in work anyone?) but the whole agenda has been so thoroughly captured I can’t see it being rescued.

Do you follow Tonya de Grunwald's This Isn't Working podcast? The back catalogue of interviews is interesting & she prompted me to look a bit more at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, which appears to be in receipt of rather a lot of money in return for old rope. I wonder if we'd be in this mess if the CIPD hadn't let its head be turned by mere fashion.

Igmum · 25/02/2026 22:16

Haven’t read the report yet but from the introduction it looks as though they’re conflating a number of things - some internal, some regulatory.

Interesting to see this massive growth. Suspect a decline is fast approaching. Unfortunately many of the things EDI was set up to achieve are still desperately needed (equal rights for women in work anyone?) but the whole agenda has been so thoroughly captured I can’t see it being rescued.

HildegardP · 25/02/2026 19:54

AFAICS, the chief result of EDI has been to accelerate the promotion of a lot of privately-schooled individuals who've been to Oxbridge & the upper echelons of the Russell Group, but who happen to be from minority ethnic groups.

It's only funny that the foreword of that report was penned by one of the incompetent ninnies who for 14 years allowed the Civil Service, NHS, & others to outsource core functions like training to external campaign groups & "consultants".

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