Dive Brief:

• Similar to the pay gap, a gap in workplace culture can be experienced by employees from different backgrounds.
• Combing a wealth of Glassdoor reviews, researchers pulled out data from companies where at least 30 men, 30 women, 30 Asian, Black, Hispanic and White employees had offered ratings for their previous employers and analyzed the data — an effort it dubbed an “equity X-ray.” The Feb. 23 audit suggested significant differences in the employee experiences of men and women are common: At about one in five companies (18%), this was the case.
• Glassdoor’s audit also quantified a gap in EX between talent of different races, with 39% indicating “significant” differences. Glassdoor focused on whether the reviewer felt like their company provided equitable employment, and whether there were equal opportunities for self-development.

Dive Insight:

This data comes amid ongoing conversations about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. What Glassdoor attempted to quantify is inclusion and whether certain groups of talent are more likely to report feeling like learning and development, or fair pay is equally accessible.

Notably, executive and legislative officials in Texas and in Kansas seek to erode DEI commitments made since 2020. The former cautioned some employers against “rebranding” discrimination as DEI, while the latter proposed a bill that would ban Kansas public colleges from using DEI statements in hiring decisions.

Since the first blossoming of summer 2020’s anti-racist renaissance, HR professionals and DEI experts have combated employee resistance. The net gain of chief diversity officers (due to post-Black Lives Matter groundswell and subsequent tapering off of enthusiasm) remains a moving target.

In 2022, CDO turnover became a hot topic. With 2023’s recession-like economy, labor experts have debated whether DEI efforts will end up on the cutting room floor.

Data from Glassdoor and other research firms offer insight into what is shaping up to be a critical era of differentiation for employers regarding inclusion, belonging and workplace culture.

Read the full report here