It is worrying that in 2023, such a large part of the population don’t feel they can be open about their identity at work, says the Big Four consultancy.
Organizations are struggling to create the diverse and inclusive workplaces that employees want.
That's according to a survey of 5,000 workers by EY.
Its global vice chair Karyn Twaronite tells UNLEASH how HR leaders must respond.
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Diversity, equity and inclusion are top of mind for employees right now.
A new global survey from EY found that 63% of employees would choose a company that prioritizes diversity and inclusion over one that doesn’t – this rises to 73% for Gen Z and 68% for millennials.
The bad news is that currently only 6% of the 5,000 workers EY surveyed in the US, UK, Germany, Singapore and India said they felt their workplaces were completely equitable.
While actions around equal pay would hugely contribution to feeling of equity (according to 40% of respondents), EY’s latest research really highlights the importance of belonging as part of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Although 41% of workers told EY that work was where they felt the greatest sense of belonging in their lives, a whopping three quarters said they felt excluded in the workplace.
Speaking exclusively to UNLEASH, EY’s global vice chair of diversity, equity and inclusiveness Karyn Twaronite, explains: “As today’s post-COVID-19 world undergoes significant technological changes and economic uncertainty, a belonging disconnect has emerged.
“While workers say they feel like they belong within their workplaces, a key, and somewhat surprising, finding from our…global survey reveals that over half (56%) are not comfortable disclosing aspects of their identities at work for fear of it holding them back.
“This is even more prevalent for Gen Z (64%) and the LGBTQ+ community (77%).
It is worrying that in 2023, such a large part of the population don’t feel they can be open about their identity at work, says the Big Four consultancy.
How to fix the belonging disconnect
This EY data is very concerning for employers across the world. If organizations want to secure their future talent pools, then leaders, and HR teams, must look to resolve the belonging disconnect, and quickly.
Twaronite tells UNLEASH: “To reinforce this, HR leaders can work closely with managers to foster a sense of inclusion and belonging within their teams.”
She added: “Prioritizing inclusive leadership is key to bridging the gap to empower workers to be authentically themselves at work”.
According to EY’s research, this can be as simple as checking in on your teams and asking them about what’s going on in their personal and professional lives.
One in three of respondents said that check-ins were the top contributor to belonging – this rises to 39% in the US.
“Taking an interest in workers’ personal journeys, professional goals and what they’re looking to get out of their experiences at work are good places to start to build connection, comfort, and an open line of communication,” concludes Twaronite.
Another consideration for organizations and HR teams is flexible working – it well-known to have an impact on inclusion and belonging, and 45% of workers told EY that flexibility was their top motivator for instilling diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in their own teams.
The report stated: “This underscores the importance for those in leadership positions to continue to integrate and offer flexible practices in today’s workplace.”
Belonging at UNLEASH World
Diversity, equity and inclusion are going to be front and center at UNLEASH World 2023.
It’s not too late to grab your ticket to learn from HR leaders at Pfizer, Ahold Delhaize and Ubisoft about how to drive business critical belonging in your organization.
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