UK business leaders unconvinced by DEI strategies

A new survey of UK business leaders has found that just one quarter of them are convinced by the DEI strategies of their companies, with the majority regarding them as surface level.

This survey was part of a report called The State of Inclusion in the UK, published by Onvero. Most of the companies that took part in it stated they were committed to DEI principles, with nine out of every ten having a strategy in place. Despite that though, 75% of business leaders told the report that those principles were not really embedded at every level of the company. They also said their firms were not reporting on DEI progress with any regularity.

When it comes to the views of employees on the matter, the situation gets even worse for UK companies. According to the report findings, only 15% of them consider DEI to be embedded in the everyday culture of the companies they work for.

Some of the areas they cite as needing improvement are transparency over promotions and hiring, inclusion policies and work flexibility. Those are issues that an employee relations consultant in Bedfordshire could help companies to navigate.

It is certainly worth their while to do so, as DEI brings a number of benefits for companies. Employees working for firms with an inclusive culture remain with them for 3.76 more years, on average.

DEI can also lead to a more productive company, with 68% stating that inclusive companies are more productive. Meanwhile, just 27% said that they thought it reduced productivity levels.