In the wake of the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, HR leaders are increasingly being tasked with addressing the inequities that exist in their workplaces. This may involve brutal self-reflection and a willingness to admit that their companies are far from the equitable places they once thought they were. On a positive note, experts say, employers appear to be taking diversity, equity and inclusion efforts seriously--and they're getting some help from tech. For instance, some HR technology providers are creating AI-based solutions that shine a light on employers' often decades-old management practices that can allow them to overlook an all-white senior management team and C-suite or to ignore instances where minorities are leaving hostile workplaces. The role of technology should not be underestimated and can be a great enabler of DE&I, says Kay Formanek, founder and CEO of Diversity and Performance, a diversity education company.

A robot from the Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems (AIIS) laboratory of Italy's ... [ ] National Interuniversity Consortium for Computer Science (CINI) is displayed at the 7th edition of the Maker Faire 2019, the greatest European event on innovation, on October 18, 2019 in Rome. The enormous leaps in technology and HR have created many opportunities for companies to rethink how they address processes around human resources. The potential for efficiency and speed is unlike anything considered, and at a time when there is more choice than ever to draw talent from a global pool. Still, there is a greater need to ensure successful recruitment and retention. As organizations grapple with moving towards the next normal after successive lockdowns, they also need to continue a proactive approach to handling diversity challenges in the workplace.