Though diversity programs may have their advantages in enabling staff members to learn more about other cultures and backgrounds – including those of their fellow colleagues – employees would opt for more training opportunities given the choice between the two, according to a newly released survey.
The poll, which was conducted by public relations agency Finn Partners, asked approximately 1,000 adults across the country to rank where they valued several different workplace initiatives that many business owners implement to strengthen their rank and file, such as diversity initiatives, flexible work environments and recruitment opportunities. Of the six options given, respondents were asked to rank them terms of what they valued most and least. The top vote getter was employee training, with 1 in 3 saying that this was the best opportunity for employers to get behind. Additionally, more than 55 percent placed it in the top two.
Training preferred regardless of race
In just about every subgroup of employees – such as non-whites, and millennials – diversity programs were low on the desirability poll. For instance, among 18- to 35-year-olds, diversity was ranked dead last and for non-whites, diversity was second-to-last.
Christopher Lawrence, Finn Partners director of research, said that this finding is both revealing and surprising, given where many workplaces have placed their focus, both for the social and financial value diversity offers.
"The lower ranking of diversity programs seems to fly in the face of what we believe to know about the value of diversity to businesses' bottom lines," Lawrence explained. "But the fact that this ranking is consistent across all demographic groups may indicate that these programs themselves are not seen as immediately beneficial to individual workers who are hyper-focused on career growth and trajectory."
He added that workers clearly place more weight on training and investment, which allows workers to get ahead when they effectively implement the tools of the trade that training provides.
Employers more willing to deliberate over perks
Human resource experts say that business owners turning to their employee base for assistance on how to more effectively create a beneficial workplace environment does wonders for both recruitment and retention. Similarly, employee benefits provide workers with reasons for wanting to stay on board with the same employer for the long haul. Approximately 40 percent of executives say that they're more willing to negotiate perks with their staff members than they were 12 months ago, according to a separate survey conducted by staffing firm Robert Half. Only 6 percent said they were less open to deliberating over these matters.
