From the Globe Business
Desk
Despite promises
to break the “glass ceiling” or eliminate
barriers that keep women from getting job promotions,
much of the business world remains a white man’s
domain.
About 76 percent of U.S. workers
report to a white boss and just 34 percent say their
boss is a woman, according to a new Hudson survey.
At the same time, 43 percent of employees
indicate that there is racial, ethnic and gender diversity
on their company’s executive team.
Yet only
47 percent of all workers are employed by an organization
with a formal diversity initiative. Amajority of
U.S. workers are still unconvinced these programs
provide opportunities for salary increases for women
and minorities. Some 35 percent of those surveyed
believe the programs have no impact, while another
33 percent are unsure.
However, 39 percent of those
polled having a diverse workforce is “very
important,” while another 31 percent said it
was “somewhat important.” Racial and
ethnic considerations also influence point of view,
with 65 percent of African-Americans and 51 percent
of Hispanics calling workplace diversity “very
important.” “Despite the clear need for
more diversity in the workplace, particularly in
supervisory and leadership roles, some employers
continue to struggle with implementing diversity
programs and creating an inclusive environment that
embraces all workers regardless of race, gender,
age, sexual preference or ethnicity,” said
Jessica Priego Lopez, director, Diversity & Inclusion
Practice, Hudson North America. “The global
forces affecting businesses make diversity of talent
and diversity of thought an absolute necessity, and
very soon, companies will have a hard time remaining
competitive if they do not succeed in recruiting,
retaining and developing workers from diverse backgrounds,
she said.” Other highlights of the survey: • One-fifth
(19 percent) of the work force knows someone who
they believe was denied a job, promotion or pay increase
because of that individual’s race or ethnicity.
That figure more than doubles to 46 percent for African-
American workers who believe they know of someone
who has been the victim of this sort of discrimination. • Twenty-two
percent of employees know someone who they think
was denied a job, promotion or pay increase because
of their gender. • Government employees are
among the most likely to have a female boss, as 43
percent report to a woman. • Employees of larger
companies (more than 500 employees) are more likely
to report that their organization has a formal diversity
initiative and a diverse executive team than people
who work for smaller organizations. This year’s
Hudson diversity in the workplace survey was based
on a national poll of 4,825 U.S. workers.
