Randstad US survey reiterates need for top-down commitment to gender equality and inclusion in today's workplace

Less than half of male (47%) and female (45%) employees consider their companies to be a diversity employer of choice

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Mar 06, 2018, 09:00 ET

ATLANTA, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Randstad US today announced the results of a recent survey on the perceptions and experiences of women and men as they relate to gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. According to the data, a majority of employees (78%) say a workplace where people are treated equally — regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, race or religion — is important to them. However, more than half of companies are not meeting this expectation, as 56 percent of female workers and 52 percent of male workers believe their employers could do more to promote gender equality and diversity.

"The gap between how women and men are represented and treated in the workplace is substantial right now, but what many employers do not realize is the underlying factors — like the rise of automation — will only widen the divide. In fact, there is a misconception that women will not be impacted by technology as much as men, but that's simply not true," said Audra Jenkins, chief diversity and inclusion officer, Randstad North America. "In addition to the myriad factors impacting gender inequality, 57 percent of jobs currently filled by women will be at risk from technology between now and 2026, according to the World Economic Forum."

Gender inequality a deal breaker for many women.
From a lack of leadership opportunities to lagging education and mentorship programs to disparities in pay, failure to address inequality issues will drive many women to leave a company.

The vast majority (80%) of women agree they would switch employers if they felt another company had greater gender equality.
A third of women (31%) feel they have as many or more opportunities than men at their current companies.
Over half of the women surveyed (58%) said a lack of promotion to leadership roles was a top reason for gender inequality in the workplace, compared to 34 percent of men.
The majority of companies do not appear to be implementing mentorship or leadership programs geared toward women, as 28 percent of respondents said their employers offer such training.

Employers must provide greater salary transparency.
The pay gap remains a major contributor to gender inequality, and fair compensation will be critical for retaining female employees.

Nearly a quarter of female workers (23%) disagree with the statement: "I believe I am paid fairly, compared to my counterparts."
Two in five employees surveyed (40%) have discussed salary with a coworker before, and nearly half of female workers (49%) would leave a job if they learned a male counterpart was making 25 percent more.

The road to an inclusive workplace is long.
Despite greater awareness of gender issues, there is still progress to be made by employers before the playing field is leveled.

Slightly more than half (54%) of employees strongly or completely agree that their companies have a good representation of female leaders.
Fifty-three percent of employees believe unequal pay is the top factor impacting gender inequality, while 49 percent attribute outdated biases and stereotypes as the second-leading factor.
Just over half (57%) of employees feel confident expressing opinions during meetings, leaving over 40 percent of workers lacking confidence to speak their mind.

"Change doesn't happen overnight. In order to move the needle in a meaningful way, it is the utmost responsibility of corporate leaders to invest in programs that will help retool and empower women for future success," said Jenkins. "For companies that fail to establish an inclusive workplace, attracting and retaining quality talent will be a major challenge in the years ahead."

For more information on creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, check out t hree ways to tackle unconscious bias. If you're a working woman, read advice from some of Randstad's own fearless female leaders.

About the survey
Research findings are based on an OmniPulse survey fielded by national polling firm Research Now on behalf of Randstad US. The survey was fielded during January 8-12, 2018. It included 783 respondents over the age of 18 (with 80% of respondents aged 25-64) and a nationally representative sample balanced on age, gender and region. Fifty-four percent of respondents were male and 46 percent were female. Ninety-one percent were employed as permanent employees at the time of the survey, and the remaining nine percent were contractors or freelancers.

About Randstad
Randstad North America, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a €23.3 billion global provider of flexible work and human resources services. As a trusted human partner in the technology-driven world of talent, we combine the expertise and passion of our employees, with some of the most innovative HR technologies on the market today, to advance the careers and business success of our candidates and clients.

Randstad's North American operations comprise 5,700+ associates and a deployed workforce of more than 100,000 in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to staffing and recruitment, Randstad offers outsourcing, consulting and workforce management solutions for generalist and specialist disciplines, including technology, engineering, finance and accounting, clinical and non-clinical healthcare, human resources, legal, life sciences, manufacturing and logistics, office and administration, sales and marketing. Global concepts available to North American client companies include RPO, MSP, integrated talent solutions, payrolling and independent contractor management, and career transition services. Learn more at www.randstadusa.com or www.randstad.ca.

SOURCE Randstad US