What is your age? How long have you worked here? What is your gender? Which is your ethnic/racial category?

These questions seem innocuous enough, but can make some respondents uncomfortable. The same people that will tell you they have plans to resign from the organization get a little "squeamish when asked some demographic questions (e.g. race/ethnicity). It is important to note that diversity encompasses all of the ways in which someone can differ from someone else. Diversity can include demographic topics such as age, gender, education, socioeconomic status, religion, physical ability, and race/ethnicity. In this article, however, we will focus only on the benefits of including race/ethnicity coding in your next employee survey.

Why race/ethnicity employee survey data matters

Race is still a charged category but that doesn't mean organizations should steer clear of understanding their data through the lens of race/ethnicity. Only through race-based coding can you uncover if employees respond differently to crucial items regarding the quality of service, communication, and their willingness to recommend the organization. For example, race/ethnic coding may uncover that employees that speak Spanish only may respond differently to the communication items possibly indicating the need for alternate communication methods to assure that clear communication reaches all.



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