A fifth of Irish workers have turned down a job because of a lack of diversity

Majority of employees want their employers to take a stance on diversity and inclusion issues such as Black Lives Matter

A third of Irish workers said they’d like to see more women in their workplace while a quarter would like to see more individuals over 50 years of age.

The majority of Irish workers want their employers to take a stance on diversity and inclusion issues such as Black Lives Matter, while two in five Irish professionals believe their organisation would benefit from becoming a more ethnically diverse workplace.

That’s according to new research from recruitment firm Hays Ireland, which also found a fifth of Irish workers have turned down a job because they didn’t feel the organisation was a pro-diversity and inclusive employer.

According to the annual Hays Ireland Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report, more than half (53%) of employees in Ireland would like to see their employer have a voice on diversity and inclusion issues, such as Black Lives Matter. Some 18% would like to see their employer take a position on these issues, but would prefer that position was communicated internally only, while 29% do not want to see their employers weigh in on such issues.

Of the 800 surveyed, more than a third (36%) of workers said they would consider changing jobs if their employer did not publicly support campaigns promoting diversity and inclusion. Among the under 25 cohort, the figure rose to 47%.

Diverse workplace 

When employees were asked which demographic groups their organisation would most benefit from attracting and retaining, two in five employees said they would like to see a greater number of colleagues from differing ethnic backgrounds in order to more closely reflect modern society. 

A third said they’d like to see more women in their workplace while a quarter said they’d like to see more individuals with disabilities, individuals from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and individuals over 50 years of age.

Just over a fifth would like to see more members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Just because your organisation’s D&I policies were fit for purpose five years ago, doesn’t mean they will work today according to Maureen Lynch, Director, Hays Ireland.

Maureen Lynch, Director at Hays Ireland, said equality, diversity and inclusion policies have the potential to deliver "powerful, tangible and immediate benefits for an organisation."

"They help employees from all backgrounds feel confident and included within the organisation, while also boosting morale and productivity across the organisation."

Crucially, Ms Lynch said such policies must be treated by employers as "evolving strategies" that are regularly revisited, sense-checked and updated to ensure they reflect the economic, social and cultural conditions of a modern, rapidly evolving society.

"Just because your organisation’s D&I policies were fit for purpose five years ago, it doesn’t mean they will necessarily work today."

Ms Lynch said the research shows that this is particularly important when looking to recruit and retain under-25s. 

"For many employers, this represents a new and uncomfortable departure, however, by neglecting to engage with these issues, they may ultimately undermine their ability to recruit and retain their best talent.”