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Dec 27, 2023

More Workers Are Quitting Due To Subtle Racism

Racism is driving employees away from their jobs. An August 2023 DEI report from research firm Savanta highlights that gaps in DEI and high levels of discrimination were linked as reported in new

Racism is driving employees away from their jobs.

An August 2023 DEI report from research firm Savanta highlights that gaps in DEI and high levels of discrimination were linked as reported in new survey results.

The employees that shared the most discomfort identified as LGBTQ+, Black people, Indigenous people and other workers of color. Specifically, transgender, genderqueer and non-binary workers were among the largest groups that shared they experienced workplace discrimination.

As the report points out, it’s likely that the uptick in racial discrimination reports could be linked to waning DEI efforts in companies.

As previously reported by ESSENCE, just three years after the collective corporate promise to prioritize Black sensitivity, a massive pullback has happened, and a slew of inclusion practitioners have been let go. It even seems that a collective “diversity fatigue” has befallen on a large number of companies, in which the zest for diversity, equity and inclusion work has significantly decreased.

For instance, as Hue, a workplace culture platform, released a report in 2022 that found 82% of HR professionals they surveyed said their industry does a decent job of carrying out diversity-related initiatives while 84% of workers shared they felt there was “a lack of meaningful progress” for equity work over that past year.

The report pointed out that another 40% of Black workers said they experienced workplace discrimination connected with their race and subsequently don’t feel empowered to speak up about the mistreatment.

“Inequity in corporate environments continue to penalize BIPOC and obstruct their access to health and wealth,” the report said. “Such hardship has worsened with persistent economic threats and a fluctuating employment market. Still, employees are motivated to demand more supportive and inclusive workplaces.”