UK workers more likely to leave companies that fail to address diversity problems, survey shows

Although 74 per cent of respondents said they were aware that their organisation had launched diversity programmes, only 33 per cent of the intended beneficiaries said they had gained anything from those initiatives

Gender pay gap reporting put diversity among the UK workforce in the spotlight last year (Getty Images)

Almost half of UK workers say their employer has failed to make any progress on diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the past three years, according to a new report from Boston Consulting Group.

In a survey of 2,000 UK employees, 45 per cent said no progress had been made over that period, rising to 46 per cent of female respondents, 50 per cent for LGBTQ and 52 per cent for BAME.

While 74 per cent of respondents said they were aware that their organisation had launched diversity programmes, only 33 per cent of the intended beneficiaries said they had gained anything from those initiatives.

The research revealed the cost of ignoring D&I, as people who do not believe their company is committed to diversity are three times more likely to leave their job in the next three years than those who do.

“Improving D&I in the workplace is no easy endeavor. Beyond addressing the most basic need - creating an inclusive and bias-free environment - it requires not only structural changes but also a shift in organisational culture. And achieving the intended results is a long-term proposition that can take years, rather than months,” BCG said in its report.

“Clearly, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. As with any strategy, the set of interventions an organisation chooses must be tailored to its particular ethos, the needs of its workforce, and its particular place in the D&I journey.”

Last year, companies were forced to report their gender pay gap for the first time, with the gulf between what male and female employees are paid as wide as 91 per cent for certain roles.

Research carried out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2018 revealed that just 3 per cent of UK employers measure their ethnicity or disability pay gaps.