Custom Research Summary: 2021 Viewpoint: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Employer and employee perceptions of DE&I and internal pay equity progress within their organizations
Posted on 11-17-2021, Read Time: Min
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Employers and employees are increasingly aware that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) issues can no longer be given short shrift. However, many employers still do not know how best to improve their DE&I initiatives. To gain a better understanding of trends and best practices, the HR Research Institute partnered with Salary.com, a leading provider of compensation data and software. We collected and compared perceptions about DE&I issues—especially as they pertain to internal pay equity—among employees as well as HR practitioners. For this report, we conducted two surveys: one sent to HR professionals and another similar survey sent to employees.
Below are some key findings from the study:
- HR professionals tend to be a little more optimistic than employees with regard to pay equity in their organization, but both groups indicate pay equity remains a serious concern.
- A little over half of the HR professionals say their organization’s DE&I efforts have recently increased, but fewer employees believe this to be true.
- A concerning percentage of employees and HR professionals say they have witnessed and/or experienced discrimination in their workplace.
- Employees and HR professionals agree that three types of bias are most prevalent when it comes to perceived or experienced discrimination
- Many employees and HR professionals remain less-than-impressed by today’s DE&I efforts and initiatives, but there are a few perceived areas of strength.
Which DE&I Initiatives Are Most Common?
Employees are considerably more likely than HR professionals to say their organization has DE&I-related training initiatives
HR professionals who are men are more likely than HR professionals who are women to say the company celebrates diversity, has a diverse executive team, and offers DE&I-related training to all levels of management.
More than half (60%) of HR professionals at large organizations say their organization structures social events so that all employees feel comfortable taking part. In contrast, 71% of HR professionals at mid-sized and 75% at small organizations say the same.
Interestingly, the larger the organization, the more likely employee respondents are to say that their organization has a diverse board or directors or diverse executive team while the opposite is true for HR professionals.
DE&I-related Internal Mobility and Recruitment Differences Between Employees and HR Professionals36
Employees are less critical than HR professionals when it comes to recruitment and succession planning.
We asked the employees survey group only to indicate if their company encourages employees of a minority identity to climb the ranks and if their organization recruits employees with diversity in mind. More than three-quarters (82%) indicate their organization has a diversity initiative for recruiting employees; however, fewer employees think their organization encourages employees to climb the ranks in the company (72%).
It appears that HR professionals are more pessimistic when it comes to DE&I in recruitment and succession planning. While many employees believe their organization recruits a diverse workforce, just 56% of HR professionals say their organization stresses DE&I in the talent acquisition and recruitment process.
We asked the employees survey group only to indicate if their company encourages employees of a minority identity to climb the ranks and if their organization recruits employees with diversity in mind. More than three-quarters (82%) indicate their organization has a diversity initiative for recruiting employees; however, fewer employees think their organization encourages employees to climb the ranks in the company (72%).
It appears that HR professionals are more pessimistic when it comes to DE&I in recruitment and succession planning. While many employees believe their organization recruits a diverse workforce, just 56% of HR professionals say their organization stresses DE&I in the talent acquisition and recruitment process.
To What Extent Have DE&I Efforts Changed Following Recent Social Injustices?
Nearly one-third (31%) of HR professionals say DE&I efforts have increased a lot over the past year due to recent social injustice. Just 17% of employees say the same. However, another 23% of HR professionals and another 23% of employees indicate efforts have increased a little. That said, 16% of employees indicate that DE&I efforts have decreased a little or a lot. In contrast, just 6% of HR professionals say the same.
What Do Employees and HR Professionals Think About Their Organization’s DE&I Efforts?
Just 17% say their organization goes above and beyond when it comes to DE&I initiatives. However, another 35% say their company is doing a good job, implying that only half of the employees are content with their organization’s DE&I efforts. The remaining 48% indicate their company is doing the bare minimum (21%) or an okay job (27%), suggesting that initiatives are lacklustre or non-existent.
Moreover, fewer than a third of HR professionals either agree or strongly agree that their organization’s DE&I initiatives are adequately funded (22%), measured (24%), or staffed (27%).
Moreover, fewer than a third of HR professionals either agree or strongly agree that their organization’s DE&I initiatives are adequately funded (22%), measured (24%), or staffed (27%).
What Types of Discrimination Experiences Are Most Common?
HR professionals (43%) more often than employees (36%) say they witnessed or experienced age discrimination. Secondly, HR professionals (41%) are also more likely than employees (34%) to indicate they witnessed or experienced race/ethnicity discrimination. Thirdly, employees are slightly more likely than HR professionals to say they witnessed or experienced disability discrimination (11% vs. 7%).
To What Extent Do Employees and HR Professionals Think Pay Is Equitable?
Only about half of employees (53%) think they are paid equitably while slightly more HR professionals (57%) feel the same. HR professionals (66%) also indicate that their peers are paid equitably compared to just 53% of employees who say the same.
About three-fifths of HR professionals agree or strongly agree that pay is equitable among comparable jobs (60%), different genders (62%) and different ethnicities (62%).
HR professionals are also more likely than employees to agree or strongly agree that pay is equitable among comparable jobs (60% vs. 51%), different genders (62% vs. 53%) and different ethnicities (62% vs. 54%).
About three-fifths of HR professionals agree or strongly agree that pay is equitable among comparable jobs (60%), different genders (62%) and different ethnicities (62%).
HR professionals are also more likely than employees to agree or strongly agree that pay is equitable among comparable jobs (60% vs. 51%), different genders (62% vs. 53%) and different ethnicities (62% vs. 54%).
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