Most Employees Would Quit Over Lack of Company Commitment to DE&I Efforts, Says New GoodHire Survey

81% of workers said they would leave their job if their employer lacked a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, while 54% said they would take a pay cut to improve DE&I at work.

GoodHire, a leading provider of employment background screening services,  released “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Work: Do Americans Really Care?” The survey asked 3,000 U.S. workers to share their opinions about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) at work. Results revealed positive feelings around DE&I efforts in the workplace as 75% of all respondents agreed that their employers prioritized making their workplace diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and 72% of workers were convinced that their employers showed a commitment to hiring employees from diverse backgrounds with differing abilities and skill sets.

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However, many employees feel more work needs to be done. In fact, 70% of employees in leadership positions want their organizations to invest more time and resources toward DE&I. The survey breaks down the results further, showing more men than women (57% vs. 48%) expressed a desire for their companies to make a stronger commitment to DE&I.

When it comes to issues and concerns around discrimination and/or harassment in the workplace, nearly half of those in leadership positions said they sometimes, often or quite often face these issues. On the other hand, 64% of all respondents said these things rarely or never occurred.

If the volatile jobs market over the last two years has taught us anything, it’s that employees feel more empowered to express their dissatisfaction at work and will do so by quitting. When asked if employees would consider leaving their job if their employer exhibited a lack of commitment to DE&I in the workplace, 81% of all respondents said they would consider it, and 87% of respondents in leadership positions echoed that sentiment.

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GoodHire’s survey also shows workers are serious about their dedication to DE&I, and value diversity over salary. 54% of respondents said they would consider taking a pay cut to ensure a more diverse and inclusive workplace, and 66% of respondents in leadership positions said the same.

“This show of goodwill by survey respondents tracks with what we witnessed early in the pandemic when many workers said they’d rather take a pay cut than see fellow employees lose their jobs. It’s inspiring to know employees and leaders care about DE&I efforts more than one might have expected,” said Max Wesman, Chief Operating Officer at GoodHire. “I’m hopeful this report will give organizations incentive to continue investing, or start investing, in DE&I programs that support hiring for a more diverse and inclusive workforce.”

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