Disability and age discrimination are top concerns for UK employees

More than half of employees say the inclusion of disabled people is an area that requires the greatest improvement within their organisation; with the diversity of age groups coming in a close second at just under half. This is according to the latest findings from Wildgoose’s Diversity and Inclusivity in the Workplace survey. The results suggest a shift in the areas that employees prioritise when it comes to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and raises the concern that dual discrimination based on disability AND age is common practice in the workplace. Other significant findings from the research show that nearly half (47 percent) of male employees don’t consider the gender pay gap to be a major issue, in comparison to the three quarters of females that do; a statistic that is particularly concerning given the recent publication of major organisations’ gender pay gaps and continued media coverage of the issue. Interestingly, the gap between men and women narrows when it comes to equal promotional opportunities.

Commenting on the survey findings Jim Alexander, Head of Learning & Development at Wildgoose said “The findings from our survey highlight that despite organisations making headway in relation to diversity and inclusion policy, there is still a long way to go before we achieve inclusivity across all cross-sections of the workforce.

“Creating an inclusive culture can only happen when people throughout all tiers of organisations (from entry to c-suite level) fully understand the importance and benefits of Diversity and Inclusion to both business and people – and take meaningful action towards long-lasting change.”

Wildgoose’s latest survey follows on from the organisation’s two previous successful insights surveys ‘Friends in the Workplace’ & ‘Mental Health in the Workplace’, with the aim of gathering insights from employees across a range of industries and seniority levels.

See the full survey findings here