Each episode we chat with experts and industry leaders on the research, strategies and tools they're using to drive change and create high performing inclusive organisations. We also share our own learnings and perspectives from our work with thousands of leaders across some of the world's most impactful organisations.
The DEI Questions Leaders Ask Behind Closed Doors With Lily Zheng
In private, many leaders share the same underlying concerns: Is DEI at odds with merit? Are we lowering our standards to hit a quota? How do we handle the "woke" labels and internal pushback?
In this episode of the Inclusion at Work Podcast, we sit down with Lily Zheng, strategist and author of Fixing Fairness. We move past the buzzwords to answer the tough, "spicy" questions that conventional DEI training often misses.
What we discuss in this episode:
Winning Over the Sceptics: How to show detractors that inclusion can solve their problems too.
Universal Benefits: How fixing a problem for one specific group, like sending meeting agendas in advance for accessibility, actually improves the experience for every employee.
The Cost of Silence: Why the common practice of avoiding difficult topics creates a backlog of unresolved issues that eventually hurt the business.
Moving Past "Identity Politics": How to stop debating which group to prioritise and start solving the most broken parts of your business processes.
Links:
Lily Zheng (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilyzheng308/)
Fixing Fair (https://www.booktopia.com.au/fixing-fairness-lily-zheng/book/9798890571410.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqYPkV3lnxXu-NT-VgIkHFn1KLSqQ60kWpXXn0h887Ksolpr2cD)
10 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Big Ideas to Elevate your 2026 DEI Strategy
How do you feel about DEI going into 2026?
This year, we are challenging the "doom-and-gloom" narrative by reminding ourselves and others that inclusion is something to be positive and excited about, as well as a proven driver of performance.
In our latest episode, we break down four actionable ‘big ideas’ you can use to kick start your 2026:
Communications-First Strategy: Pivoting from compliance-heavy jargon to positive, values-driven messaging that activates the "ambivalent middle."
ERGs as High-Performance Teams: Shifting ERGs from informal social groups to structured, accountable units aligned with business goals.
Meetings as Culture Drivers: Transforming daily "micro-moments" to improve inclusion while slashing low-value meeting time by up to 32%.
AI as a Strategic Partner: Using AI as a "devil’s advocate" to challenge bias and stress-test People & Culture strategies.
Listen now for ideas on how to elevate your 2026 strategy.
22 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT
The Surprising Benefits of Generational Inclusion
Is your organisation considering generational inclusion?
When most of us think about diversity and inclusion, we go to commonly discussed dimensions such as gender, race, sexual orientation, and disability.
But there’s another dimension—one that is often not considered yet is relevant to every person: generation.
The more work we do in this area, the more we realise the huge and unique benefits of focussing on generational inclusion.
In this podcast we explore why generational inclusion is so powerful—and so often overlooked. Plus, 3 key questions to reflect on for your whether you should be considering generational inclusion in your workplace.
Inside a recent episode
The DEI Questions Leaders Ask Behind Closed Doors With Lily Zheng
Published 5 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] You know who else that benefits people using strollers people wearing roller skates people who who ride bites delivery drivers people with suitcases and roller luggage right so when we design for the most marginalized we actually help everybody and this is this is intersectionality in action right it's not just enough to say oh look we recognize that there are people who are most marginalized we then have to follow through and say. By fixing the environment by designing for their needs we actually help all of us right another example who is most disadvantaged for meetings right when we have virtual meetings usually introverted people who don't speak up as much women people with disabilities parents right and so what tends to be a really good fix for these people to meet their needs sending out meeting notes and agendas before the fact now. […]
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