Dive Brief:

• There is a direct connection between subpar DEI efforts and employee attrition, according to June 2 survey results from HR firm Buck.
• Employees are more likely to want to leave an organization if they think: diversity in cultures and backgrounds are not respected; their company is not committed to DEI; or their company does not provide diverse offerings for a diverse workforce, according to the firm.
• These findings were especially true for the youngest of the 683 employee respondents: “The younger the employee, the more likely they are to be interested in DE&I,” Buck said.

Dive Insight:

Employers have known for some time that a commitment to DEI may aid in recruiting workers, especially those in the workforce’s youngest generations. Much like Buck’s findings, a recent Randstad survey revealed that workers’ demands for proactive DEI measures are tied to age; nearly half of those under 25 — more than any other age group — said they wouldn’t accept a job at a company that wasn’t working to improve its DEI record.

As the Great Resignation drags on, current employees are keeping the pressure on employers, too, leading some to set public goals and release status reports. Employers may want to ensure DEI efforts are well-received and find ways to ensure accountability, sources previously told HR Dive.

“Today, workers are looking for diversity, equity and inclusion to be a cultural imperative in the workplace,” Johnny C. Taylor, CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, wrote for HR Dive earlier this year. “They want to feel the tangible advantages of an inclusive work culture.”