The % of employees considered highly engaged increased from 40% to 60% when their organization acted on today’s social issues, per a 2020 Gartner study.
That’s because today’s employees have high expectations of employer behavior, and, in this age of CEO activism, not taking a stand poses talent retention risks:
74% of employees in a 2020 Gartner study expect their employer to become more actively involved in the cultural debates of the day.
MLB moving the All-Star game from Atlanta to Denver, after Georgia passed new legislation widely viewed as disenfranchising voters of color. The list of Georgia-based businesses condemning the legislation includes Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Home Depot, Porsche Cars North America and the Atlanta Falcons.
62% of self-described “avid” MLB fans said they supported the All-Star Game move, and sports stars lauded the move on social media. (Note: Black players are still woefully under-represented in the MLB. Only 7.8% of MLB players are Black, and three teams have not a single Black player on their opening day roster.
Employees’ expectations on DEI are high, and most companies are not meeting expectations regarding external DEI initiatives
Nine out of ten employees across all regions believe that companies should engage in external DEI initiatives, such as promoting supply-chain and distribution-channel diversity, pro bono efforts, and cradle-to-career initiatives. But there are meaningful differences across countries.
nearly 100%
83%
80%
77%
65%
Most companies are not meeting employee expectations regarding external DEI initiatives. McKinsey’s executive survey found that only:
41%
47%
50%
In a late 2020 global study. McKinsey found workers across demographic groups reported fairly similar challenges due to COVID-19 (e.g. mental health, work–life balance, workplace health and safety), but that diverse employees reported these concerns in higher numbers and felt them with greater urgency/ impact.
Likelihood of diverse1respondents citing a 'significant' challenge during the COVID-19 crisis vs nondiverse respondents,2 multiple
WOMEN VS MEN Women face disproportionate stress. Across geographies, women are struggling more than men across personal as well as professional fronts. Women are 1.5 times as likely as men to cite challenges pointing to a “double shift”: acute challenges with mental health and increased household responsibilities. Women are 1.2 x as likely to cite acute difficulties with workload increases, connectivity and belonging in the workplace, having a healthy and safe worksite, performance reviews, and physical health.
One of the most profound differences appeared around mental-health issues in the United Kingdom and the United States, where women are 2.9 x and 2.6 x as likely to report acute challenges, respectively, compared with their male counterparts. (McKinsey analysis, as stated in report).
Source: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diverse-employees-are-struggling-the-most-during-covid-19-heres-how-companies-can-respond
LGBTQ+ VS STRAIGHT & CISGENDER For LGBTQ+ employees, fears of isolation and losing ground at work loom.The allyship found in social and work settings is an important source of belonging among many in the LBGTQ+ community. While many straight and cisgender people also feel isolated during the COVID-19 crisis, the negative impact is felt more acutely by LGBTQ+ people who may find themselves even more isolated in the absence of interactions with LGBTQ+ colleagues, their employee resource group, or other support structures. The data showed quite clearly that LGBTQ+ employees across geographies are struggling with work in a pandemic world. Compared with straight and cisgender employees, LGBTQ+ respondents are 1.4 times as likely to cite acute challenges with fair performance reviews and workload increases and are struggling similarly with a loss of workplace connectivity and belonging. It’s perhaps not surprising then that two out of three LGBTQ+ employees report either acute or moderate challenges with mental health. (McKinsey analysis, as stated in report)
PERSON OF COLOR VS WHITE People of color single out work safety and career prospects. For people of color across the survey, acute challenges are more commonly felt across workplace health and safety, career progression, and household responsibilities. Concerns over workplace health and safety are perhaps unsurprising given the disproportionate health impacts experienced by people of color.
These differences in experiences between POC and white people is particularly stark in the United States. While a smaller share of POC report challenges in the United States than in Brazil, for instance, the gap relative to their white counterparts is much greater. POC in the United States are more likely to cite acute challenges than white Americans. Particular pain points include concerns related to career progression (2.2 x as likely) and household responsibilities (2.1 x). (McKinsey analysis, as stated in report)
The share of companies responding to mental-health challenges remains below the share of workers reporting this as a continued challenge, with diverse populations feeling the gap most acutely.
62% of respondents in McKinsey’s global poll consider mental-health issues a challenge, with higher reporting among diverse groups.
However, only 44% of companies have implemented personal well-being and enrichment programs, and 52% offer mental-health/ bereavement counseling.
Supporting employees in their personal lives more effectively enables employees to not only have better lives, but also to perform at a higher level. According to Gartner’s 2020 ReimagineHR Employee Survey, employers that support employees with their life experience see a 23% increase in the number of employees reporting better mental health and a 17% increase in the number of employees reporting better physical health.
There is also a real benefit to employers, who see a 21% increase in the number of high performers compared to organizations that don’t provide the same degree of support to their employees.
Rates of burnout, stress, depression and anxiety are up exponentially in the wake of the ongoing pandemic, and research indicates that employee mental health issues are only worsening as the pandemic drags on.
which researchers say includes symptoms like exhaustion, feeling negative, cynical or detached from work, and reduced work performance. (Per a December 2020 study of US employees by benefits provider Spring Health.)
Sources: https://hrexecutive.com/one-in-4-workers-plans-to-quit-post-pandemic/ https://hrexecutive.com/huffington-dealing-with-stress-is-no-longer-just-a-box-to-check/ https://www.metlife.com/employee-benefit-trends/ebts-mental-health-2020/
Nine out of ten executives report challenges with implementing their DEI initiatives. While there is no specific challenge that derails most businesses, common hindrances include:
26%
25%
This disconnect has consequences. Only one in six diverse employees feels more supported during COVID-19 than they did before the crisis (although the number is similar for employees overall as well).
