Dive Brief:
- More than half of U.S. respondents to a recent survey said they would exclude a company from their job search if its stance on diversity and inclusion didn't match their own, according to the March 31 results from Boston Consulting Group, The Network and Appcast.
- That sentiment was even higher among those age 30 and younger, especially those in the U.S., "providing an inside look at how younger generations will shape the future of work," according to Appcast.
- "The pandemic and increased focus on important issues like racial equity are reshaping how, where and by whom work gets done," said Heather Salerno, senior vice president of marketing at Appcast, in a statement. "Employers committed to diversity and inclusion and that offer flexible work arrangements are likely to attract top talent and emerge stronger post-pandemic."
Dive Insight:
These latest findings echo earlier research. The majority of job seekers in a 2019 ZipRecruiter survey similarly said they look for employers with DEI commitments. And those in younger generations were the most likely to take that position.
In 2018, half of respondents to a Yello survey said they'd consider asking about a company's D&I efforts in an interview, and more than half said they'd hesitate to accept an offer if they didn't encounter a diverse pool of employees during the hiring process.
So while this interest isn't necessarily new, it's clear D&I efforts can have significant impacts on recruiting and retention efforts. And with broader public interest high following a focus on racial equity in 2020, experts say now is the time for employers to act.
Society seems ready for progress, Haven Cockerham, CEO and founder of consulting firm Cockerham and Associates, previously told HR Dive. This means D&I leaders have a "once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-a-career opportunity to drive change and to drive it quickly," he said. This means going beyond engagement and employee resource groups, he continued, noting that leaders will need analytical skills to determine how to create metrics and assemble them in a meaningful way.
