If your company is in the beginning stages of building DEI benefits, support is available
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has carved a path to be included as core business strategy for many organisations. In fact, a recent survey from Aon found that 74% of businesses surveyed now have a tailored DEI policy.
Recent years have seen progressive organisations taking a more data-driven approach to their DEI policies and while some are pioneering ahead, others are still catching up.
Aon’s 2022 Global DEI Survey Report explored the extent to which DEI practices inform the approach to employee benefits, culture and the work environment of businesses across the globe.
A special report published by HRD in partnership with Aon delves further into the findings. Read the special report here.
When it comes to fostering DEI, employee benefits are one of the most useful and effective tools a company can use. The report found that support for DEI was strong but when it came to benefits, the level of support varied.
According to Alan Oates, Aon’s head of advisory and specialty, employee benefits have “never been more important in the workplace”, and that’s precisely because of the role they can play in supporting diversity.
According to Oates, the benefits that attract the best talent are the ones that are directly linked to supporting diversity. “I personally know people who have benefitted from fertility programs, for example, and have been able to build a family where they wouldn’t otherwise have had the resources to do so,” he said.
Oates explained that the key message is that benefits can genuinely change lives.
“It’s about taking a closer examination of what the needs of the modern workforce are, tailoring your strategy to your needs, and then marketing that message to strengthen your employee value proposition. That message will then ring true because you have the benefits to support it.”
