Not long ago, diversity, equity, and inclusion language was nearly everywhere in corporate communications. From annual reports to job postings, DEI was incorporated into every material. For staffing firms in particular, DEI messaging became a visible part of how they positioned themselves to candidates and clients alike.
But the landscape recently shifted. The question staffing leaders are now wrestling with is not whether the shift happened, but what it means for how they operate going forward.
Here, we’ll draw on recent research to break down what the data shows, the pressures driving the change, and how staffing firms can navigate it without losing the substance behind the language.
The Shift in Staffing Firm Communications
The numbers make the trend hard to dismiss. Corporate mentions of “diversity” and “DEI” dropped 72% in 2025.1 This decline signals something more than a quiet adjustment in tone.
At the same time, a separate report found that 1 in 8 companies said they planned to weaken their DEI commitments in 2025.2 That’s worth pausing on—not because it represents the majority, but because it reflects a real and growing segment of employers making deliberate rollbacks.
Let’s be clear about what the data does and does not show. Most companies reducing DEI language are not eliminating their programs, but are pulling back on how prominently they communicate about them. This distinction matters for staffing firms trying to read what their clients actually want versus what they are willing to say publicly.
Research shows that the drop in word usage is closely related to how quickly corporate language can shift when boards are responding to legal, regulatory, and investor pressure simultaneously.3
Read more: Are Staffing Firms Backing Off ESG? The Real Story
Industry Insights: What Does This Shift Reveal?
The pullback in DEI messaging reflects real pressures from multiple directions that staffing leaders need to understand clearly before deciding how to respond.
1. Client Expectations
Clients are recalibrating too, and staffing firms are responding to what they’re hearing from the organizations they serve.
Several dynamics are at play:
- Many large enterprise clients have reduced or restructured their own internal DEI programs following political and legal pressure. This directly affects what they ask from their staffing partners.
- Clients in regulated industries are increasingly focused on compliance risk and are cautious about language that could draw scrutiny in the current policy environment.
- There is a growing expectation from some client segments that staffing firms lead with workforce outcomes rather than identity-focused framing.
The result is that staffing firms are reading the room. When clients signal discomfort with certain language, messaging adjusts.
Related article: Manage Client Expectations in 2026
2. Market Priorities
The market is signaling a shift toward outcome-based language over identity-based framing. This is visible in what’s growing—such as the term “inclusion”—versus what’s declining. Firms appear to be moving toward language that describes results and behaviors rather than categories and classifications.
- Terms tied to specific groups or political associations are declining fastest
- Language that emphasizes process, fairness, and measurable outcomes is holding steady or growing
- Investors and boards are applying more scrutiny to DEI commitments, especially where legal exposure exists
The market is not necessarily turning against the intrinsic value of the idea, but against politically loaded vocabulary.
3. Regulatory and Reporting Pressure
The shift is not purely domestic. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires companies with EU operations to report on ESG metrics in a consistent, transparent, and verifiable format4—pushing language away from aspirational statements and toward precise, auditable disclosure.
Staffing firms with international operations or publicly traded status are responding to both U.S. deregulatory pressure and EU disclosure requirements simultaneously—which explains why the tone has become more cautious and precise rather than simply disappearing.
How does your team approach this?
5 Strategies to Manage Changes Without Abandoning Values
Adjusting messaging is not the same as abandoning values, but the risk is that the two become indistinguishable if firms are not intentional about it. Here’s how to manage the communications shift without losing the substance.
1. Lead with outcomes, not identity labels
Frame diversity-related practices around what they produce: broader access to talent, reduced bias in placement, and stronger retention. Avoid terms that have become politically charged. The value doesn’t change even if the language does.
2. Audit your current messaging for consistency
If your external communications have pulled back but your internal practices have not changed, be clear-eyed about that gap. Make sure it’s a conscious choice, not an oversight. Inconsistency between what you say publicly and what you do operationally creates credibility risk.
3. Stay current on legal and regulatory developments
The rules are still evolving. Work with legal counsel to understand what the executive orders restrict versus what remains legally protected. Adjust accordingly rather than overcorrecting out of caution.
4. Keep inclusive sourcing practices intact
Regardless of how you talk about it externally, the operational habits that build diverse pipelines should remain unchanged. This includes sourcing from a wider range of channels, removing unnecessary barriers from applications, and training your people on fair evaluation practices.
5. Be transparent with clients about your approach
Clients who value inclusive hiring still exist. Being clear about how your firm approaches fair and broad-based sourcing keeps those relationships strong without requiring you to plant a flag in a political debate.
Listen to our podcast, Highly Adaptive: Constant Change & Evolution
How is your firm navigating the DEI messaging shift?
The shift in DEI messaging staffing firms are navigating is one of the more nuanced challenges of 2026. Conversations around this topic can help staffing leaders make better decisions in a complicated environment.
Share your perspective in the All Things Staffing community.
References
- Murphy, Connor. “Corporate Mentions Of ‘Diversity’ And ‘DEI’ Dropped 72% In 2025, Analysis Finds.” Forbes, 29 May 2025, www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/05/29/corporate-mentions-of-diversity-and-dei-dropped-72-in-2025-analysis-finds/.
- Crist, Carolyn. “1 in 8 Companies Say They Plan to Weaken DEI Commitments in 2025.” ESGDrive, 29 Jan. 2025, esgdive.com/news/companies-to-weaken-dei-commitments-in-2025/738608/.
- Bannerman, Natalie. “Use of the Word ‘Diversity’ in Corporate Disclosures Drops Sharply in 2025, Research Shows.” IR, 27 Jan. 2026, www.ir-impact.com/2026/01/use-of-the-word-diversity-in-corporate-disclosures-drops-sharply-in-2025-research-shows/.
- “Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.” Carbon Direct, www.carbon-direct.com/climate-policy/corporate-sustainability-reporting-directive. Accessed 14 April 2026.
