How HR Pros and Employees Perceive DE&I Efforts in their Workplace

The world is changing and becoming more intermingled. Many people are leaving their home countries to live in a different place. This commonly happens due to work circumstances. It’s safe to say that a huge percentage of corporations globally have become more diverse because of this.

HR Research Institute surveyed HR professionals and employees to know how each group views diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts at work.

A primary reason why a survey was conducted was to get an idea of the difference in satisfaction levels between HR pros and employees regarding pay equity. It can determine how well an organization is doing in terms of providing for its employees and how well the environment is.

In general, HR pros report pay equity more often, but employees are more likely to suffer the consequences if they say anything. The data indicate a substantial difference of 27% between HR and employees (44% vs. 17%).

Aside from looking at the data, it is essential to factor in other aspects involving the workplace—one of these is discrimination. Discrimination is common in many companies, often becoming the primary issue. It plays a vital role in why employees may be unsatisfied with a company’s pay equity efforts.

Data suggests that employees in rural organizations are five times more likely to suffer consequences if they were to speak out about pay inequity. Some factors contributing to discrimination and certain consequences include age, gender, race, ethnicity, and religion.

To avoid and resolve these issues, some strategies have been suggested. These involve identifying possible pay inequities, verifying performance pay, designing learning programs, determining an appropriate DE&I-related budget, and ensuring there is diversity in the prospects that may be handling future projects.

Despite these strategies, it is vital that every business still evaluates its circumstances. Each will have its own issues regarding employee satisfaction and the workplace environment. The chosen strategy provides a general overview of what appropriate action may be taken to improve the employee experience.

The infographic below discusses these data in more detail, tackling specific data on the differences between how HR pros and employees feel about their company’s pay equity.