New research that offers a snapshot of workplace equity in the U.S. reveals that while 65% of organizations say diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is important, 63% allocate little or no resources to advancing DEI.
The research, by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Boston College, shows that 20% of HR professionals say their organization’s overall policies and practices are not at all fair or are only somewhat fair. What’s more, between 25% and 28% of organizations say their employees have experienced certain types of bias within the past two years:
- About 27% of organizations’ employees have experienced racial bias within the past two years.
- A quarter of organizations (25%) say their employees have experienced bias against older workers within the past two years.
- Twenty-eight percent of organizations say their employees have experienced gender bias within the past two years.
The research also shows that the employment areas that are most equitable involve recruitment and hiring; compensation and benefits; and orientation and onboarding. The least equitable areas include employee resources and supports; job structures; and supervision and mentoring. The results also suggest that organizations are not consistently holding leaders accountable for equity.
The research is based on a survey of 1,062 U.S. organizations by SHRM in August. The full results will be outlined in the National Study of Workplace Equity report, which will be released in the coming months. The study was funded by the Center for Social Innovation at Boston College’s School of Social Work and the Urban Institute’s WorkRise program.
