The goal of greater diversity in the workplace remains one that is solidly supported by most respondents in a new survey, even if success is sometimes elusive.
The survey conducted by the Pew Research Company shows that 56% of respondents had a positive view of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, while only 16% regarded such initiatives as “a bad thing.”
A somewhat large 28% in the survey indicated no opinion one way or the other, regarding such efforts as “neither good nor bad.”
The push for greater workplace diversity accelerated after the 2020 murder in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an African American man who died due to a lack of oxygen as a white police officer knelt on his neck.
In the immediate aftermath of Floyd’s death, many corporations such as Comcast, Nike Inc., and the Bank of America announced financial support for diversity measures. Noted the Reuters news service just three weeks after Floyd died: “At least a dozen other big companies announced gifts between $1 million and $100 million for similar efforts.”
But according to labor reporter Khorri Atkinson in a story published earlier this year for Bloomberg Law, many of those hired to diversify the workplace “have been let go over the past year amid ongoing layoffs as cost-cutting measures.”
The number of what are called DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) workers laid off, according to the Bloomberg Law report, was in excess of 300 as of the spring of this year.
The Pew survey shows that whatever the fortunes of DEI employees, some 61% of respondents indicated that their companies have in place policies designed to ensure fairness in hiring, pay, and promotions. A smaller 52% said their companies having meetings and training session on DEI.
The survey also shows that 61% of women thought DEI policies were a good thing, compared to just 50% for men. Those aged 18 to 29 expressed the greatest support at 68% for such policies, while those in the 50 to 64 age range revealed the lowest support at 46%.
Noted the Pew narrative that accompanied the survey: “Views also differ by educational attainment, with 68% of workers with a postgraduate degree saying focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, compared with 59% of those with a bachelor’s degree, and only 50% of those with some college or less education.”
By Garry Boulard
