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April 8 ,2022

Andrew Campbell 

According to a new report on transforming enterprises through diversity and inclusion by the International Labour Organization (ILO), one out of every four employees does not feel appreciated at work, and those who do feel included are in senior positions. This report presents the findings from one of the most comprehensive studies on equality, diversity and inclusion conducted by the ILO during a period of immense disruption as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was felt worldwide. It contributes new understanding and insights to better support enterprises in creating powerful and comprehensive change in eliminating all forms of discrimination within the workplace and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.

The new report “Transforming Enterprises through Diversity and Inclusion” published on April 6, looks at businesses of all kinds in lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income economies and collects data from a varied group of employees, managers, and senior executives. The data for the study was collected from over 12,000 employees in 75 countries across five regions between July and September 2021, during the COVID-19 epidemic. It reflects a wide range of ages, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic/racial/religious groups, disabled people, and HIV-positive individuals.

The new ILO study defines “inclusion” as people's working experiences and how much they feel valued for who they are, the skills and experience they bring and how much they have a strong sense of belonging with others at work. Two-thirds of respondents said their workplace's focus and action on diversity and inclusion had increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO's Conditions of Work and Equality Department, an equal, diverse and inclusive workplace is a key driver of resilience and recovery.