diversity in the workplace: aiming for true acceptance.

Globalization leads to an increasingly diverse workplace. Which is good for business: many experts have argued that diverse teams lead to better performance and higher employee engagement. But what about true acceptance when it comes to colleagues with different ethnic backgrounds, ages, gender, religious beliefs and sexual orientation?



87% of the respondents in the latest Randstad Workmonitor survey values diversity in the workplace and 77% points out that there is an open and inclusive company culture at their current employer. Canada, Denmark and Norway seem the most open minded according to the respondents, while Chile, Poland, Slovakia, Portugal, Turkey, Japan, and Brazil all score well below the global average.



Diversity being valued is one thing - but employees also observe discrimination in the workplace. The numbers still leave plenty of room for improving social acceptance. Globally, respondents have been subject to discrimination in regard to age (26%), gender (21%), race (17%), religion (16%), and sexual orientation (15%). Luxembourg and Slovakia have the lowest scores on all aspects of discrimination, while India and Turkey rank among the countries with higher rates of discrimination in the workplace.

Quarterly recurring items

Mobility Index flat at 110

The Mobility Index, tracking the likelihood of employees expecting to change jobs within the next six months, remains at 110. Underlying, the most striking changes compared to the last quarter are:

- mobility jumps in France (+7), Germany, Spain & India (all +6), and Hungary (+5)

- mobility drops in Canada (-7), Brazil (-6%), Greece & Switzerland (both -4%)

Actual job change remains at 24%

The percentage of employees worldwide that actually changed jobs in the last six months stays flat at 24%. The majority of the actual job changes are people finding a job with a different employer. Underlying, actual job change increased  in Malaysia, Turkey,  India, Hungary, Portugal, and Italy. In Sweden and China job change decreased compared to the last quarter.



Compared to last quarter, the appetite to change jobs (applying and actively looking) increased in Czech Republic, India, and the UK. Canada, Slovakia, Malaysia, and Denmark show a decrease in appetite.

Job satisfaction

Job satisfaction increased slightly in Spain, New Zealand, Denmark, Japan, and Greece. Job satisfaction decreased in Singapore.

 

About the Randstad Workmonitor

The Randstad Workmonitor was launched in 2003, and now covers 34 countries around the world, encompassing Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. The Randstad Workmonitor is published four times a year, making both local and global trends in mobility regularly visible over time.



The Mobility Index, which tracks employee confidence and captures expectations surrounding the likelihood of changing employers within a six-month time frame, provides a comprehensive understanding of job market sentiments and employee trends. In addition to measuring mobility, also employee satisfaction and personal motivation, as well as a rotating set of themed questions are part of the survey.



The quantitative study is conducted via an online questionnaire among a population aged 18-65, working a minimum of 24 hours a week in a paid job (not self-employed). The minimal sample size is 400 interviews per country, using Survey Sampling International. Research for wave 3 was conducted between July 20 and August 4, 2015.