But while many employers are becoming acclimatised to accepting employees from many walks of life as they strive to open new markets and operate within a global context, evidence suggests that diverse candidates continue to struggle to progress to the top levels of UK industry.
But at what organisational level do they typically experience the 'blockages' that stall their progression?
Do they feel they are prey to unconscious bias, or have they experienced genuine discrimination? Working with Mark Winfield, an HR diversity expert, we set out to explore the 'choke points' diverse professionals encounter as they progress in their careers, canvassing the views of some 75 respondents/senior executives from our Diverse Leaders network.
When we asked about the prevalence of discrimination in both direct and indirect forms, seven out of 10 respondents strongly agreed they had experienced some discrimination, with three-quarters indicating they felt disadvantaged in their career progression. But individual comments and the in-depth interviews point to progress in recent years, and positivity around ongoing improvement in spite of the challenging economic environment and employment market. Mayoral programme, Diversity Works for London, states the economic environment is leading to more claims, but the overarching direction is away from diversity as a legal case and toward diversity as a source of competitive advantage.
Perhaps the most interesting was the clear acknowledgement that diverse candidates are held back by their own perceptions. Almost nine out of 10 (86%) feel that there is a 'glass ceiling' the diverse candidates hit as they try to progress. But a similar proportion (88%) believe a 'sticky floor' exists, where diverse candidates are held back by their own perceptions that they are disadvantaged.
As one respondent to the survey put it: "The situation in this country is improving as a wider appreciation of skills replaces discrimination. However, there are still two key factors at play. First, unconscious discrimination where your 'face doesn't fit' or your accent precludes selection. And second, diverse professionals' own prejudices and preconceptions that trigger a negative response from people with whom we interact."
The biggest area of discrimination to emerge from the survey is ageism. Age was consistently listed as a major barrier to progression, with a significant number of respondents indicating they felt directly disadvantaged – often openly – because of their age. A number of respondents had experienced age discrimination in spite of having a previously successful career, even if they considered themselves diverse in other ways prior to becoming diverse by age.
Age was indicated as an issue both in seeking new employment, as well as in continuing to progress within an organisation. Respondents indicating age as a barrier highlighted the strained economic environment, which required them to work harder and longer, compounding the pressure they felt from their external commitments. There was a consistent feeling that diverse candidates, including those of diverse age, have to 'do more' to progress at the same pace as others.
So where do the 'choke points' for diverse professionals manifest themselves? The answer seems to be both during a recruitment process and in the course of a career within a specific organisation.
More than a quarter of those we interviewed felt they were likely to encounter difficulties at CV screening stage, while a further 15% indicated they felt disadvantaged at the initial interview screening stage with an agency. In addition, just less than a quarter felt they would encounter difficulties at the interview stage with an employer, meaning that nearly two-thirds of respondents felt there were fundamental blocks for diverse candidates at 'entry level' as they seek to access new roles.
"Employers are using their agencies to do their discrimination for them," one respondent said. "I believe agencies are preventing me from access to specific roles for which I am perfectly qualified and experienced. I am aged over 60, so I don't even have the chance to compete."
During their career, nearly half of respondents felt there were more significant barriers at executive levels, where nearly half of respondents indicated the move into executive leadership was the most challenging. A further fifth felt gaining their first management position represented the biggest hurdle, while a tenth indicated entry into their first role was the most difficult barrier to overcome. Board and non-executive roles also counted for a tenth.
As for what can be done to address these issues, more than a quarter of diverse professionals felt they had a responsibility to address the choke points themselves, while only 12% felt it was the Government's job to do more.
"Addressing diversity challenges is everyone's responsibility," a respondent told us. "The Government can set legislation (and police it), but to see real change we need to see a genuine appetite for diverse leaders. That change is only going to come when people realise diversity isn't a problem; it is an opportunity to get better ideas and avoid the sorts of mistakes and oversights homogenous groups make."
Raj Tulsiani (pictured), CEO, Green Park Interim & Executive Search
