The progressive DEI policy should be a redline for younger employees

An increasing number of UK workers say they are prepared to quit their jobs if their employers abandon or reduce their efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

According to IRIS Software Group, a provider of HR technology, three out of five workers (60%) said they would quit or seriously think about quitting their job if the employer did not honor its DEI commitments. One in five (20%) of those surveyed said they “certainly” would resign while two in five (39) would “strongly” consider it.

These figures were even more dramatic among younger employees. Nearly seven out of 10 Generation Z respondents (68%) as well as 64% of the millennials would leave an employer who did not uphold DEI, compared to 47% of the generation X.

While 36% of Generation X workers stated that such a rollback wouldn’t have any impact on their decisions about employment,

There was also a significant disparity in terms of race. Only 56% of whites said that they would leave if the situation were to change.

The study found that the language used in FTSE 100 reports is less DEI-related. This decline has been attributed by some to shifting political narratives. Employee expectations are still high despite this.

Stephanie Kelly, Chief People Officer at Iris said: “British companies need to go beyond ticking boxes when it comes DEI. Many employees are willing to leave jobs that do not align with their values if they feel the culture is inclusive.

The majority of workers continue to believe that their organizations are moving towards a more inclusive approach. Nine out of 10 workers (92%) reported that their workplace was inclusive and 62% said DEI policies had improved in the last year. But 45% believe that more needs to be accomplished, while only 3% are in favor of scaling back current initiatives.

Over a quarter of employees (26%) said that their organization lacked a clearly defined DEI policy. Employees were asked to list the factors that made them feel like they belonged in their workplace. They cited equitable pay and recognition (33%) and fair access to promotion opportunities (35%).

The authors of the report argued that, for many employees in their companies, DEI has become a critical factor. Some 68% said that it affected their decision to consider a new employer.

Stephanie Coward is the managing director at IRIS. She said that better data use would help businesses achieve greater inclusion. This is not a quick fix, it requires ongoing commitment. DEI is about more than just fairness. It’s also about good governance. And that’s exactly what top talent wants.”

A US study found that younger employees were frustrated by the lack of knowledge older co-workers displayed when it came to AI.

UKG, an HR tech company, found that 70% of Gen Z employees have taught themselves the majority of AI tools used at work. This compares to 58% of GenX employees (ages 46-60) and only 40% of Boomer employees. gen Z employees are more likely to believe that AI can free up their time to allow them to concentrate on more rewarding or important aspects of their jobs (90%) than generation (73%) or boomer employees (59%).

The study found that nearly half of gen Z employees said their bosses didn’t understand AI.

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