How to close the gap between DE&I rhetoric and employee engagement

Short for time? Scroll to the bottom to discover the key takeaways.

Despite all the positive rhetoric, industry initiatives, and a wealth of evidence supporting the benefits of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Accessibility (DEIBA) in the workplace, 59% of UK events industry employees don’t feel their organisation values it and 40% question the sincerity of their leaders’ DE&I promises. 

That’s according to a new report from Diversity Alliance, a consultancy that empowers organisations in the events, hospitality and creative industries to achieve DEIBA through education, training, workshops, and events

Driving Success Through Diversity provides a snapshot of the state of DEIBA within event organisations. It reveals critical gaps in DE&I awareness, underscoring the urgent need for organisations to commit to workplace change.

“This report serves as a wake-up call for our industry,” says Gabrielle Austen Browne, Founder of Diversity Alliance. "We must move beyond lip service and commit to meaningful, systemic change, rather than service level activities. By sharing best practices and actionable recommendations, we hope to empower organisations and individuals at all levels to drive success through diversity."

The disconnect between what events companies say their values around DEIBA are and how employees told the report they feel about their company’s actions, can be distilled into three paradoxes.

DEIBA initiatives motivate 37% of employees to stay in their roles, while 32% report DEIBA has no impact on whether or not they choose to remain in an events role. DEIBA may motivate some but overall, as a driver of retention, it falls short. 

64% of participants have attended DEIBA training but only 54% found these programmes effective. Feedback indicates they are often either too basic or too advanced for participants’ needs. 

47% of leaders say they frequently support DEIBA initiatives, although only 37% perceive a positive DEIBA impact on themselves. 59% of employees feel their organisation does not value DEIBA, and 40% doubt their senior leaders’ sincerity towards DEIBA initiatives. Middle managers feel excluded from leadership's DEIBA decision processes. 

Four key success pillars identified through the report are:

• A commitment to workplace change
• Diversty of equal opportunities
• Cultivating inclusion through belonging
• Eliminating barriers and biases to be more equitable

Creating authentic workplace change doesn't only mean amending company values and DEIBA mission statements. It requires a genuine commitment from organisations through actively listening to underrepresented communities, building cultural awareness, providing ongoing education, and implementing and maintaining a dedication to DEIBA.

The study indicates that ‘people managers’ play a pivotal role in the success of DEIBA efforts. 75% of respondents were ‘people managers’, but only 45% reported having decision-making control over DEIBA initiatives.

The research suggests that ‘people managers’ may be less inclined to embrace DEIBA initiatives due to a perceived lack of accountability and authenticity from senior leaders. This lack of buy-in could stem from viewing the leadership's commitment as mere lip service.

35% of respondents are aware of DEBA workplace initiatives. However, 20% are only moderately aware, and 4% are completely unaware. This disparity in awareness highlights the need for organisations to improve communication and education to ensure all employees are well-informed and engaged in initiatives. 

To create equal opportunities, organisations must be open to change, and adopt inclusive and accessible hiring strategies that specifically target and support underrepresented talent throughout the hiring process.

To attract more diversity, inclusive hiring practices should include:

• Utilising diverse candidate sourcing methods
• Sharing inclusive and accessible job descriptions
• Training hiring managers on equitable practices

Venues can also lead the way by promoting supply chain diversity. Currently, reliance on preferred supplier lists and a lack of strategies to engage minority-owned businesses create barriers for diverse suppliers entering the market. 

Some 63% of respondents feel included at work, 21% feel somewhat included, and 14.7% feel excluded, with those in operational roles disproportionately experiencing exclusion (60%).

This highlights the need for targeted inclusivity across all levels. Survey participants suggest addressing bias and widening decision-making to enhance belonging.

However, challenges persist, as one participant shared her experience of feeling like an "outsider" due to being the only team member of colour. This emphasises the ongoing difficulties faced by underrepresented groups and the importance of cultural awareness and cultivating an inclusive environment. 

Survey respondents found that a lack of engagement from leaders and stakeholders in DEIBA efforts is demotivating, resulting in resistance to DEIBA training, initiatives and programmes.

Training requires complete buy-in, ongoing support, and reinforcement to create a lasting impact and avoid frustration and disengagement. It can’t be a ‘one and done’. You must approach DEIBA with a long-term, sustainable mindset, investing in the necessary resources.

Some of this can be trial and error, but it does require ongoing commitment, even in the face of a cost-of-living crisis. Maintaining ongoing commitment is crucial to breaking the cycle of declining enthusiasm and creating truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. 

Although Driving Success Through Diversity highlights a disconnect between the industry's rhetorical commitment to DEIBA and the actual experiences of professionals within the workplace, the findings also emphasise the huge potential for fostering an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity and empowers individuals from all backgrounds to thrive.

Organisations can unlock a wealth of innovation, creativity, and productivity by proactively addressing systemic barriers and ensuring equal opportunities.

To read the full report, download it from the Diversity Alliance website. 

Key takeaways 

• Despite positive initiatives, 59% of UK events industry employees don't feel their organisation values diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility (DEIBA), with 40% doubting their leaders' sincerity.
• Four key success pillars for driving success through diversity include committing to workplace changes, cultivating inclusion through belonging, creating equal opportunities for diversity, and eliminating barriers and biases to promote equity.
•  'People managers' crucially contribute to DEIBA efforts, but genuine, sustained commitment from senior leaders is needed to encourage wider buy-in. 

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