Nearly 50 Percent of Employees Surveyed Have Felt Discriminated Against at Work

While the majority of workers (61 percent) agree that having a diverse workforce makes their organization more successful, almost half of employees (47 percent) have felt discriminated against at the office, with age cited as the top form of workplace discrimination. These are some of the results of a survey conducted by Adecco USA. The survey, entitled Workplace Insights, took a close look at what American workers think about the role of diversity at the office. 

The survey also revealed that workforce diversity is a work in progress. Despite the majority of workers (60 percent) reporting that having a diverse workforce is a top priority for their employer, only one-third (34 percent) believe that corporate America has achieved total workforce diversity. And, of those American workers who have experienced discrimination at the office, age (52 percent) was the most prevalent form followed by gender (43 percent), race (32 percent), religion (nine percent) and disability (seven percent). 

Survey participants also claim companies aren’t practicing what they preach. The vast majority of workers (78 percent) feel that having a diverse workforce is something that most companies publicize more than they actually implement, revealing skepticism among American workers when it comes to their company’s diversity initiatives. It’s too bad, too, because most workers believe a more diverse workforce would be more productive. Not only do the majority of workers think that a diverse workforce makes their organization more successful, half of respondents (53 percent) felt that the more diverse their company, the more productive a worker they’d become. 

“As the idea of a truly diverse workforce continues to evolve, what’s become more and more clear to employers is that achieving this is not only about adhering to regulations or being seen as politically correct, but directly ties to their organization’s success and their ability to be innovative and profitable,” said Lois Cooper, who leads Diversity & Inclusion at Adecco USA. “Building an inclusive culture continues to be a top priority on most company’s strategic agendas, and is certainly attainable with the right amount of commitment, communication and follow-through at all levels of an organization.” 

For employers looking to further strengthen their diverse workforce, Adecco suggests thinking about implementing the following five strategies: 

1. Gain senior management commitment. Building a truly inclusive culture needs to be an initiative that starts at the top, with buy-in and investment from senior management. Without their endorsement and support, any culture shift or implementation will be unsuccessful. 
2. Engage employees in the process. The best way to know how successful your diversity initiatives are or where there needs to be improvement is by asking your staff. As your best and most effective focus group, your employees should be engaged from the onset and your program should be tailored to their needs and feedback. 
3. Support local/community diversity groups. Looking to your local community is an effective and easy way to start putting action behind your diversity plans. Employers can consider donating their time and/or resources to a wide range of organizations like the Urban League or AARP which help to support and give back to local communities. 
4. Provide diversity training. What is diversity? What does an inclusive culture mean? What are the laws associated with ensuring discrimination is not present in the office? These are important questions whose answers should be top of mind and consistent from employee to employee. The only way for this to happen is through implementing an effective diversity training program - from online tutorials to in-person training, there are many options for employers to consider. 
5. Promote open communication. Both encouraging and delivering open and honest communication is essential to creating an inclusive culture. All levels of the organization should know that they’re working in a safe environment where they can voice their diversity concerns without consequence and employers should be transparent about what is happening in the company to address potential issues/areas of concern. 

Source: Adecco USA.

Reprinted with permission. © CCH

Although the majority of workers (60 percent) reporting that having a diverse workforce is a top priority for their employer, 47 percent have felt discriminated against at the office.