Unlocking Insights — time to act on DEI

A recent survey by foundit highlighted trends and opportunities for diversity and inclusion in Singapore. The survey found a commitment to diversity in principle, but also opportunities to improve the implementation of effective diversity initiatives and to better align organizational intentions and implemented actions regarding diversity initiatives.

Highlights from the survey:

Commitment to Diversity:

36% of employees believe their workplace is highly or extremely committed to diversity hiring.

52% feel their organization is responsive or highly responsive to feedback on diversity issues.

Training Programs:

48% of respondents claim their organizations do not have diversity training programs in place.

26% of respondents are not at all familiar with the concept of diversity hiring.

Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit, suggests that Singapore is at a crucial juncture towards truly inclusive workplaces. He recommends effective training to raise awareness, while training helps to build awareness it shouldn’t stop there.

While a first step might be awareness, our research and work in building inclusive workplace, found that behaviours matter more than awareness and can be measured.

If we take the learning from Foundit’s survey, then here are a few suggestions on how to build inclusive workplaces, starting with a focus on Inclusive Behaviors:

If 36% of respondents believe their workplace is highly or extremely committed to hiring a diverse team, then this is a great starting point to shift from awareness and move towards building behaviours and committed actions.

Research on ‘DEI training’ from The World Economic Forum found that companies across the world spent an estimated $7.5 billion on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-related efforts in 2020, and this figure is projected to more than double to $15.4 billion by 2026. While this demonstrates positive intent and increased discussion and activity, yet progress is slow. Reinforcing my first point, it’s the behaviour’s that matter!

Peer Support and Networking: Foundit’s survey mentions that 20% of respondents state their organizations frequently facilitate peer support and networking opportunities for diverse groups.

Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) research supports this point. Diversity in the workplace is not just about numbers; it’s about creating an environment where diverse talents can thrive. ONA can reveal hidden talent, giving leaders the opportunity to engage and encourage them to stay, thereby maintaining valuable networks. By doing so, organizations can create a more inclusive culture that values and retains diverse talent and contributions. Peer support and networking are critical to building inclusive working relationships. Adopting a network approach breaks down barriers to success, ensuring that underrepresented voices and perspectives are included.

Awareness is the first step, but now it’s time to take the next step. This starts with an inclusion-first mindset, building inclusive behaviours, and creating networks to ensure you have a diverse pipeline of talent in place Look the commitment is there; now it’s time to act on it!