A PwC CEO Survey published earlier this revealed a significant disparity between perceptions of diversity and inclusiveness (D&I) across different levels of seniority in UK business.
While the majority of CEOs surveyed (87%) said they were promoting talent diversity and inclusiveness within their own organisation, just two thirds (63%) of ‘young leaders’ agreed this was the case.
HR diversity consultancy, the Clear Company, has advised that business leaders should seek advice from internal networks to ensure that D&I strategies are engaging and effective.
“It’s promising that 87% of leaders have reported that they are actively promoting D&I within their businesses, and these figures are reflective of what we are experiencing in our consultancy work,”said Kate Headley, director the Clear Company, writing in the HR Director.
“Business leaders are generally no longer asking ‘Why?’ they should get on top of the diversity agenda, but ‘How?’ they should go about doing so, which represents a real step-change in attitudes at the top.
“However, the disparity between CEO perceptions and those of their more junior counterparts points to a clear disconnect. Somewhere along the line it seems that messages are being lost.”
Headley also said that PwCs figures suggest a difference in expectations between the professional ‘generations’ – what a CEO could perceive to be ‘enough’ at strategic level may not always hit the bar in the eyes of the wider workforce, but added that this was a ‘relatively easy hurdle to overcome’.
Published earlier this year, the 20th CEO Survey showed that UK CEOs are more upbeat about their own businesses’ growth prospects than 12 months ago, despite voicing declining optimism about the global economic outlook.
They’re also looking to grow their headcount faster than their counterparts elsewhere, and develop existing talent to seize new opportunities.
In terms of risks, they’re switching their focus towards tackling cyber threats, monitoring UK negotiations to leave the EU and addressing skills shortages
