In the middle of the first ‘normal’ year post-COVID, a new report by the Diversity Council Australia (DCA) reveals that Australians are feeling less connected, valued and included at work.
Data from the 2023-2024 Inclusion@Work Index shows that 19 per cent of Australian workers didn’t feel valued, respected or able to contribute and progress at work in 2023, a figure that has nearly doubled since 2019.
Similarly, more workers feel their manager does not behave in an inclusive manner, with 27 per cent reporting their managers did not value differences, treat everyone fairly or deal with inappropriate behaviour, a nine per cent increase from 18 per cent in 2021 and up six per cent from 21 per cent in 2019.
Worse, incidences of discrimination, harassment and other forms of workplace exclusion which have eased off for many workers during the pandemic have increased anew in post-pandemic workplaces as per the Index. A total of 30 per cent of workers stated that they experienced discrimination and/or harassment at work in 2023, up by eight per cent from 22 per cent in 2021, and four per cent higher than the pre-pandemic figure of 26 per cent in 2019.
However, the report also points out that despite these trends, organisations that are focused on diversity and inclusion have been able to avoid it. In particular, it found that workers who indicated their organisation is taking action to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace were twice as likely to belong to an inclusive team and have an inclusive manager and nearly twice as likely to report their work has a positive effect on their mental health.
On top of this, inclusive organisations are found to be more than twice as likely to provide excellent customer service, collaborate effectively, solve problems in an innovative way, and work extra hard.
“While many behave as though the global pandemic is firmly behind us, Australians are still recovering from the shared trauma of these past few years,” DCA CEO, Lisa Annese, said. “Workplaces are adjusting to the latest ‘new normal’, grappling with questions around flexible working, AI technology, inflationary pressures, and growing skills shortages.
“Meanwhile, employees are still processing the trauma and disruption of the past few years, fuelling a growing disillusionment with traditional working arrangements,” Annese added. “With all this in mind, it is unsurprising that DCA’s 2023-2024 Inclusion@Work Index finds workers feeling less connected, valued and included post-pandemic.
“In a time of so much disruption and division, a focus on diversity and inclusion is more important than ever. This report addresses the unique problems of the post-pandemic workforce and lays out a case for D&I action as a proven solution,” Annese concluded.
