76% of employees would rather work for an authentically diverse company
You’d be hard pushed to find an aspect of HR that’s undergone quite as much transformation as diversity. Having moved from a ‘buzzword’ to a ‘nice to have’ to a certifiable strategic necessity, a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program represents the new order in today’s organizations. And those that believe they can get away with paying lip service to authentic inclusivity are in for a rude awakening.
HRD’s 5-Star Diversity and Inclusion Employers 2022 awards survey recently looked at Canadian organizations that went above and beyond in their DEI offerings over the past 12 months. The HRD team’s extensive research revealed startling findings on employee and employer sentiment – and uncovered the key areas of concern that HR leaders need to address moving into 2023.
One of the biggest mistakes employers make when it comes to diversity is not following through. A report from Glassdoor found that 76% of employees would rather work for an authentically diverse company, with 80% of workers actively selecting an inclusive organization. It’s clear that candidates prefer DEI-focused businesses – and so many employers have hit upon diversity as a recruitment tactic. However, simply claiming to be inclusive to get talent through the door won’t help companies in the long run.
“A truly diverse workplace is made up of a collective, meaningful effort by both the organization and employees, including diversity of thought and ideas,” says Sada Carman, HR generalist at BlueCat, one of the award winners.
“You only get that when you are being intentional about having a diverse group of people at the organization. This, of course, impacts so many pieces of the employee lifecycle from recruitment, to onboarding, to development and retention. We must ensure that we are looking at all areas of the employee lifecycle and measurable, focused DEI goals around the lifecycle. These efforts promote empathy, compassion, and the principles of equity to support an environment that embraces diversity for our team and community.”
Take a look at our full report and list of winners here.
