Jessica O'ConnorThere is strong public support for a range of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in UK workplaces, a poll from Ipsos UK revealed.
However, the research also highlighted a clear gender divide in general attitudes to promoting DEI.
According to the poll, men were much more likely than women to say DEI initiatives in general have gone ‘too far’ and are also more supportive of President Trump’s actions to restrict DEI initiatives in the United States.
The research, conducted online between March 28th and April 2nd, surveyed 1,200 adults aged 16 to 75.
Flexible working arrangements (71%), gender pay gap reporting (65%), and inclusivity training (64%) garnered the highest levels of public support.
Other well-supported initiatives included removing personal details from job applications before screening (sometimes called ‘blind’ screening) (61%) and employee networks for people with different backgrounds or characteristics to support each other (55%).
Support for targeting job adverts (44%) and setting targets to diversify recruitment (43%) and promotions (43%) was more muted.
Around two-thirds (64%) of Britons reported some level of knowledge of initiatives to promote DEI in the workplace, with younger adults (16 to 34) reporting the highest knowledge (74%).
People from ethnic minority backgrounds (70%) also expressed higher levels of knowledge than people from white backgrounds (63%).
When asked how they feel in general about initiatives to promote DEI in workplaces in the UK, rather than about specific policies, overall, 36% of Britons believed they have gone too far, while 19% said they have not gone far enough.
31% believed that they are about right.
The view that DEI initiatives in UK workplaces have gone too far was more common among those aged 55 to 75 (47%), men (43%) and people from white backgrounds (38%).
Around two in five (38%) Britons disapproved of US President Trump’s actions to restrict DEI programs in the United States – more than the quarter (27%) who approved.
Around a third either had no views either way (22%) or didn’t know (13%).
Men (37%) were significantly more likely than women (17%) to approve of Trump’s actions in this area.
Rachel Ormston, research director at Ipsos, said: “This Ipsos research highlights that, while broad public support exists for many individual DEI workplace initiatives, when people are asked about ‘DEI’ in more general terms opinion is more divided.
“Men, those over 55, and those from white ethnic backgrounds are notably more likely to believe efforts to promote DEI in the workplace have gone too far, while women, younger people and those from minority ethnic backgrounds are more likely to say they have not gone far enough.
“These findings underscore the need for employers both to be aware of varied perspectives on DEI and to communicate clearly the aims and impacts of specific DEI actions to foster greater buy-in.”
