The DE&I dichotomy: bridging the gap between C-suite perception and workforce reality 

Recent years have seen diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) become a critical focal point for organisations, with success in this space potentially increasing team performance and seeing improved talent retention.  

However, competing interests in the boardroom, and a reported dialling back on DE&I initiatives, may be threatening the status quo. The C-suite holds an important stake in the direction of DE&I, but a disconnect between perceived effectiveness and the experience of the wider workforce needs to be addressed. 

Drawing from our survey of 500 C-suite professionals, across a variety of industries, we explore leadership’s thoughts on DE&I, and highlight the pivotal role they play in driving inclusive initiatives. 

C-suite’s stance on DE&I 

Our research reveals C-suite’s confidence in their DE&I offering, with the vast majority (92%) believing that DE&I initiatives are being successfully implemented within their organisation. This optimism is reflected by the prevailing sentiment that leadership is representative, with 91% feeling that their senior leadership teams are diverse and inclusive.  

However, this positive perception is not universally shared across all levels of an organisation, and our wider data suggests a disconnect between leadership and wider employee attitudes.  

Is there a dissonance in DE&I attitudes? 

Despite C-suite’s positive outlook on senior representation within their organisation, this may run contrary to the wider DE&I landscape. For example, in their Women in the Workplace 2024 report, McKinsey finds that although more women are in C-suite roles than years prior, momentum is stalling and a gender gap persists – one they predict could take 50 years to bridge. Moreover, Raconteur reports that fewer than a fifth (17.8%) of CEOs have an ethnic background, with this plummeting to 5.4% for women from this group. 

DE&I initiatives may not be quite as effective as senior professionals assume, and their very own careers may be at stake. Well over a third (39%) of C-suite perceive bias as a top barrier to their career progression, highlighting a critical gap between senior leadership’s perception of DE&I effectiveness and their own lived experiences.  

And it’s not just senior professionals who feel their careers prospects could be impeded by perceived bias; when cross-examining our C-suite findings with those of our latest DE&I report, the wider workforce could face even greater barriers to progress. Well over half (56%) of employees believe that their career progression has been limited due to a protected characteristic at least once. 

The discrepancy in DE&I attitudes between leadership and the wider workforce underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding and implementation of DE&I initiatives, bridging the gap between perception and reality. And enacting this shift will require definitive action from the top down. 

C-suite’s stake in DE&I 

A wave of external challenges continue to battle for space on the C-suite agenda, with some reports suggesting that DE&I initiatives have been deprioritised in some instances. According to our research, only 1-in-10 C-suite professionals consider embedding and improving diversity and inclusion initiatives as a top challenge over the next 12 months. While this itself doesn’t point to a scaling back on DE&I initiatives, it’s clear that leaders are forced to contend with a myriad of competing factors, with the temptation being to place DE&I on the wayside. 

However, it remains the case that C-suite’s long-term role in driving DE&I is pivotal – a fact that’s acknowledged, and perhaps even held in faith, by their staff. Our DE&I report revealed that almost a third of employees (32%) believe that leadership commitment is the most important factor for future DE&I success, and over four-in-five (82%) rate C-suite as being supportive of DE&I initiatives.  

Next steps for leaders  

C-suite must take a proactive role in embedding DE&I into organisational cultures, leading from the front and closely aligning these initiatives with wider business goals. 

To make a tangible difference to DE&I, leaders should consider the following recommendations: 

• Level-up your leadership commitment: C-suite professionals must visibly and actively champion DE&I initiatives, setting clear goals, regularly communicating progress, and holding themselves accountable 
• Champion inclusive practices: implement policies that promote inclusivity at all levels, such as unbiased recruitment processes, equitable career development opportunities, and transparent pay 
• Facilitate education and training: provide regular DE&I training for all employees – including leadership teams – to help recognise and mitigate unconscious biases and foster inclusive workplace cultures 
• Take a data-driven approach: capture and harness diversity data to track progress and identify areas for improvement, regularly reviewing DE&I metrics and adjusting your strategies accordingly 
• Bring your people onboard: encourage employee participation across all stages of DE&I initiatives; employee resource groups and DE&I councils can provide valuable insights and help drive grassroots change 
• Seek expert advice: Collaborate with workforce experts, such as Hays and FAIRER Consulting, to stay updated on best practices and emerging trends in DE&I, leveraging resources and support that go beyond your regular HR team’s capabilities 

The commitment to DE&I must be more than a checkbox exercise; it should be an integral part of the organisational strategy, ensuring that all employees feel valued and included. Leaders have a clear role to play in the development of inclusive workplaces, and must make the effort to keep driving DE&I values amid other competing pressures. 

By implementing the above recommendations, C-suite professionals can use their unique influence to support their people and culture, remove barriers to progress, and help create a more equitable future.