Australian employees’ perceptions of DEI efforts recover slightly

Australian employee sentiment around workplace culture and inclusion continues to fall, despite the efforts of organizations to bring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into the spotlight, according to Gartner, Inc.

Gartner’s latest Global Talent Monitor survey data, collected between April and June 2023, reveals employee perceptions of their organization’s cultural awareness and behavior has reached a low of 27% in Australia, a decrease from 34% year-on-year. Perceptions of DEI efforts, however, recovered slightly from 62.4% in 1Q23 to 63.5% in 2Q23.

“Workplace culture is a very complex issue, and some organizations are falling short by putting blanket strategies in place, particularly when it comes to return to office mandates,” said Aaron McEwan, Vice President in the Gartner HR practice. “It’s important that leaders are aligned internally and aren’t placing unnecessary pressure on employees or implementing DEI initiatives that simply tick a box.”

Balancing people and innovation
As organizations attempt to fulfil DEI objectives, they must also be open to innovation, or risk being left behind. Gartner’s latest survey data shows employees’ perception of their work environment decreased by 3.1% in the last three months, with agility also sliding by 1.3%.

“To address effort and engagement levels, business leaders must consider implementing technologies of choice as part of their employee value proposition (EVP),” said McEwan. “This means collaborating with staff to test, trial and embrace new solutions. Interest in generative AI, for example, has been heavily led by employees seeking tools that have a positive impact on their productivity and personal performance.”

Employees want respect
According to the Gartner survey, manager quality remained firmly at the top as the key driver of attrition in 2Q23 for a second consecutive quarter. This is followed by respect, which is back in the top three, and people management. When considering a career change, location, work-life balance and respect make up the top three factors employees are seeking in a job.

“Being treated like a person, rather than a number, remains a crucial priority for Australian employees,” said McEwan. “The impact and support from their leader could be the deciding factor that pushes them over the edge.” Gartner