2 in 3 Belgians say their employer is doing well regarding diversity – but 7 in 10 have already experienced discrimination at work


16.12.2020

While for 7 in 10 employees, diversity is a key topic at work, and for 63% even (very) important when looking for a new job, a stunning 71% of respondents confirmed they have already been discriminated against in the workplace. This and other insights were unveiled in new research with 2400 employees by Belgian job site StepStone. 

With increased awareness on topics like gender equality, racial or age discrimination, and the rise of movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, there is clearly a growing attention for diversity in all facets of life. That is why StepStone wanted to look at this topic in the context of the Belgian professional world.

 

Majority of respondents says their employer is doing (very) well regarding diversity and inclusion

A stunning 2 in 3 (66%) of the surveyed Belgian employees say their company and employer are doing well or very well, when talking about diversity and inclusion. The other third was split up between their employer not doing well (24%) or not doing well at all (10%).

But for what elements are employers being rated the best according to their employees? For 8 in 10 (78%), that would be in terms of a mixed-age workforce at their workplace.

Two other key points scoring well were the incorporation of gender equality (75%) and the promotion of younger workers within the company (75%). Another 65% said they would give their employer a good or very good rating regarding the presence of a multicultural workforce, including diverse ethnicities and nationalities.

There was however one clear topic where companies were being graded remarkably worse. For more than half of respondents (53%), their companies are doing not well (at all) regarding the inclusion of people with disabilities.

 

Diversity and inclusion are important topics for most employees – and can benefit employers

It is undoubtedly good that most employers are in general scoring well, since for most employees, diversity is a key topic. More than 8 in 10 (44% very important and 43% important) said that diversity at work is an important talking point. For 13%, this was not the case. This was split between 9% thinking it was not important and 4% thinking it was not at all.

A whopping 92% would even find it motivational if their employer actively promotes equal career opportunities. Eight in ten would find it motivational as well, if their management were committing to greater diversity in the company.

Worryingly, 31% of all respondents said that diversity is not present in their current company.

Professor of Occupational Medicine at KU Leuven Lode Godderis adds: “With the baby boom generation slowly but surely flowing out, the labor market is getting tight. All talents are needed. In the war for talent not only the salary package makes the difference, but also the organizational culture, what she stands for and what she wants to propagate. Attention to diversity and inclusion can thus be attractive to potential employees.”

 

Recruiting companies must be attentive to diversity issues, according to most Belgian candidates

Even from the very start, diversity is important for most employees. When applying for a job, 63% of the respondents said that they are more likely to apply for jobs in companies that publicly promote themselves as tolerant and diverse.

More than 2 in 3 (68%) also stated that they were more likely to apply for jobs in companies that advertise equal opportunities for men and women. More than 8 in 10 (81%) even explicitly stated that they would want a role in a truly diverse team or company (gender, age & ethnic background).

“It’s not just a matter of writing the job offer accordingly, but also of paying attention to diversity during job interviews for example, where our unconscious can play a role and lead us to unintentional discriminatory attitudes. That’s why it’s important to be aware of this, so that we can adapt,” says Professor Godderis.

Professor Godderis adds: “Take a good look at all the rules and procedures and see if there is no discrimination in this. As well in both internal and external communication, it is important to take diversity into account, so everyone can feel represented.”

 

Yet 7 in 10 have already experienced discrimination at work in their career

Unfortunately, when asked if they have already been discriminated against at work before, 71% confirmed this. The other 29% said they never experienced it during their career.

The main reasons for being discriminated against according to respondents, were the following. Multiple answers were possible:

Discrimination due to age, gender and/or sex, and ethnicity and/or race was also mentioned when the respondents were asked for which characteristics, they could someday experience discrimination.

Here, the scores grew even larger: 65% thinks they could be discriminated against due to age someday, 28% due to gender or sex, and 21% due to ethnicity. The fourth most mentioned characteristic was discrimination due to parental responsibilities (19%).

These cases of (or fears of) discrimination seem confirmed by certain mindsets regarding statements StepStone presented to the respondents:

  • 87% of all respondents said that workers over the age of 50 have fewer chances on the job market today.
  • 69% said that workers with an ethnic minority background are at a disadvantage on the job market, irrelevant of skills or experience.
  • 67% said that men have an advantage over women for promotions at work, even if they have similar qualifications and experience.

 

 

Methodology

With diversity at work, we mean the diversity of employees within one organization. We are not only talking about differences in gender and culture, but also, for example, age and nationality.

With discrimination at work, we mean the unequal treatment of employees and cases, based on age, disability, sex(ual orientation), gender, political or religious beliefs, social customs, ethnicity or nationality.

StepStone completed this survey in November 2020. Our analysts have screened the data to ensure both the representation and the validity of respondents’ answers are accurate. In total, there were 2,394 filled in surveys submitted in Dutch (1243), French (836) and English (315).

 

About StepStone

StepStone is a Job board and the Belgian market leader in candidate delivery. StepStone’s success comes from connecting employers with dream candidates and thousands of people to their dream jobs.

StepStone is present in 23 countries today and is also a founding member of “The Network”, an alliance of more than 50 leading recruitment websites globally.

Results are crucial, but above all StepStone is a people company. Worldwide over 3,000 ‘StepStoners’ go the extra mile day in, day out for each and every customer. This is why StepStone is the go-to destination for employers and talent.

You can find more information on the official website: www.stepstone.be.

For specific inquiries, please contact:
Killian Cramers
+32 2 209 97 44 or +32 472 55 00 97
killian.cramers@stepstone.be