Audeliss brings you the latest insights and trends surrounding executive search and diversity, equity, and inclusion in business across the world for July 2023.
Targeted action needed to address the disparities faced by Black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women
A new report released by McKinsey, Race in the UK workplace: The intersectional experience, looks into the challenges that Black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani women face at work and found that the group were the furthest behind on pay and labor force participation. The research also found that they were at the greatest disadvantage on key metrics of workplace equality compared with other ethnicity and gender combinations.
Source: https://www.mckinsey.com/bem/our-insights/race-in-the-uk-workplace-the-intersectional-experience
Guidance on improving hiring for underrepresented groups released by UK Government
The UK House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee released the Plan for Jobs and Employment Support report as guidance on how employers can improve the representation of people with disabilities, over 50s and young workers in the workplace. The recommendations include improvements to flexible working arrangements, challenging ageist and ableist behaviors at work, and better health and mental health support for employees.
Source: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/40930/documents/199499/default/
The US high court has struck down affirmative action in college admissions
This could mean a decline in college graduates from under represented backgrounds and the loss of a pipeline of highly qualified future workers. The judgement may also lead to future challenges to some corporate DEI and hiring initiatives which target ethnically diverse and other employees.
Source: https://hbr.org/2023/07/what-scotuss-affirmative-action-decision-means-for-corporate-dei
Executives in the U.S. are ‘out of touch’ when it comes to racial progress in their organization
The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Business and Social Justice has highlighted that despite concerns about racial injustice growing among American employees, executives are more likely to think that their organization has made improvements when it comes to addressing racism in the workplace. This results in workers not trusting that their employers are actively addressing racial justice within the company.
Source: https://www.edelman.com/trust/2023/trust-barometer/special-report-business-racial-justice
Regulation against AI bias in hiring comes into effect
Last year we reported on how New York City is restricting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during the recruitment process in order to eradicate bias in the algorithm. Starting this month, regulations from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection will require transparency from companies that use AI in hiring decisions and will also require organizations to carry out audits annually to spot any potential bias in the process. This is the first step in protecting workers from the interference of AI as systems become more advanced.
Source: https://qz.com/americas-first-law-regulating-ai-bias-in-hiring-takes-e-1850602243
Candidate expectations falling short
55% of UK employees have left a job because the role did not live up to their expectations. This is the data from ThriveMap’s Market Report 2023: Mind the Candidate Expectation Gap report, which surveyed 1,000 people on the state of modern recruitment and selection process. The report found that respondents left a job when they felt they were mis-sold the responsibilities of the role. The annual report conducted the same research in 2019 and found that candidate unsatisfaction has become worse through the years; four years ago 48% of respondents said they left a job because it did not meet their expectations.
Source: https://thrivemap.io/candidate-expectations-gap-report/
Emotional intelligence is key to employee attraction
Priorities when attracting and retaining employees have changed in the last few years. A study from the Integrated Benefits Institute found that prioritizing workers’ satisfaction and wellbeing is the key to improving job hiring.
Companies that have reported improvements said that they’ve implemented flexible work options, focused on DEI, and increased communication.
