How CEO Ed Bastian Is Transforming DEI at Delta Air Lines
Feb 12, 2025
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Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill dives into Delta Air Lines' transformative DEI initiatives under CEO Ed Bastian. She discusses the company's bold goal of hiring one million Black Americans by 2030 and how Bastian shifted the focus from degrees to skills, introducing innovative apprenticeship programs. Hill emphasizes the importance of promoting front-line employees and how the murder of George Floyd catalyzed a renewed commitment to inclusivity. The conversation reveals insightful strategies for building a truly equitable workforce.
Ed Bastian's leadership at Delta Airlines emphasizes a skills-first hiring approach, enhancing equitable access to jobs for underrepresented groups.
The commitment to servant leadership and employee well-being fosters an inclusive culture, critical for supporting Delta's DEI initiatives and overall success.
Deep dives
Delta Airlines' Commitment to DEI
Delta Airlines is taking significant steps towards enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within its workforce, particularly focusing on creating equitable opportunities for Black workers. Under CEO Ed Bastian, the company has shifted its talent acquisition strategy to prioritize skills over traditional four-year college degrees, developing new apprenticeship programs aimed at increasing access to stable jobs for underrepresented groups. Bastian aims to ensure that Delta not only reflects the demographic diversity of Atlanta, where it is based, but also supports Black employees' career advancement, addressing the historical wage gap that could take decades to close. This initiative stems from a broader commitment, recognizing that an inclusive culture is essential for organizational success and innovation.
The Importance of a Skills-First Approach
The implementation of a skills-first hiring approach at Delta Airlines is pivotal in reshaping how the company evaluates talent and creates pathways for advancement. By emphasizing competencies over degrees, Delta aims to provide more equitable access to jobs for those from diverse backgrounds. This shift also enables the company to invest in the existing workforce, allowing frontline employees to accumulate experience that is valuable for upward mobility within the organization. This hands-on experience is seen as a vital asset, as knowledgeable employees who understand customer interactions can enhance the overall customer experience, leading to improved operational outcomes.
Ed Bastian's Leadership Philosophy
Ed Bastian's leadership style is characterized by a strong commitment to servant leadership, emphasizing the importance of employee well-being and engagement. He believes in creating a positive culture where employees feel valued and empowered, reinforcing a virtuous cycle that benefits customers and investors alike. Bastian's approach includes active listening and hands-on involvement, embodying the belief that when employees are supported and engaged, they are more likely to ensure customer satisfaction and business success. His leadership philosophy is essential in maintaining the momentum of DEI initiatives, as he not only sets the vision but also models the behaviors that foster an inclusive environment.
Addressing Systemic Inequality
Delta Airlines is proactively addressing systemic inequalities that affect Black workers, recognizing the historical context that has led to underrepresentation in higher-paying job categories. Ed Bastian's leadership team undertook an analysis of the company’s workforce composition, focusing on demographic diversity at all levels, and acknowledged gaps in representation. They are working to dismantle barriers that prevent Black workers from accessing advancement opportunities and benefits typically reserved for full-time employees. By adopting data-driven strategies and transparent goal-setting, Delta aims to create a more equitable workforce that reflects the diversity of the community and cultivates a supportive environment for all employees.
In December 2020, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian and his leadership team were deciding whether or not to commit to recruiting, hiring, training, and advancing one million Black Americans into stable, well-paid jobs over the next decade, as part of the OneTen coalition. But if Delta joined, Bastian faced a key challenge: how could he make the airline truly inclusive and create systemically equal access to career opportunities?
In this episode from 2023, Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill explains how Bastian shifted Delta’s talent architecture to prioritize skills over four-year degrees and how he created new apprenticeship programs to recruit entry-level employees.
Hill studied Bastian’s efforts to transform Delta for a case study. She also explains why Bastian prioritized front-line employees for internal promotions, instead of recruiting new talent externally.
Key episode topics include: leadership, hiring and recruitment, diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, airline industry, talent, recruiting, career.
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