In terms of belongingness and the feeling of value, women feel less compared to their male counterparts, according to a new survey by The Achievers Workforce Institute 2021 Culture Report.
The recently published 2021 Culture Report shows that more than a quarter (26 percent) of global participants reported a strong sense of belonging in the workplace. However, this number increases to almost a third for men (31 percent) while only about one in five (22 percent) for women. There were more than 3,500 employed respondents globally. Additionally, the survey correlated a strong sense of belonging with higher engagement, job commitment, productivity, and a host of other factors.
"The gender gap in belonging was the largest we found in our data analysis, showing that gender equality continues to be one of the biggest challenges for business leaders," explains Dr. Natalie Baumgartner, Achievers Workforce scientist. "Women do not feel the same sense of belonging that men feel and this means they are less likely to be bringing their whole selves to work. This impacts productivity, engagement, commitment and even feeling safe at work."
Women Lag Behind Men in Every Factor Examined
From work-life balance to pay equity to the feeling of being known and included, women respondents consistently reported lower results than the male respondents when asked over the same belonging factors. Women were found to be 25% less likely to say that they felt comfortable expressing a dissenting opinion and were about 20 percent less likely to say that their unique identity and value were valued at the company.
Baumgartner explains that employers need to look into initiatives that make women feel known, included, supported, welcomed, and connected in the workplace. The Achievers Workforce scientist called these the "five pillars of belonging" and explained that all correlates positively with a stronger sense of belonging. When millions of women are leaving the workforce over the last 18 months, plus women's participation in the workplace hitting a 33-year low, employers must focus on moving in these key areas to help women feel a strong sense of belonging as their male counterparts.
One viable option is the use of Employee Resource Groups (ERG), ensuring that employees are given a space that can help them feel known and valued. However, in the survey, women were 24 percent less likely than men to say that their organization had an ERG that made them feel connected. This points to a gap in the organizations' approach to supporting women.
About Achievers
Achievers is a developer of employee voice and recognition solutions, bringing the company's values and strategies to life by elevating employee participation and boosting a performance culture. The company leverages the science behind behavior change, so both the organization and its people can enjoy sustainable and data-driven business results.
The 2021 Culture Report is based on an internet survey conducted by the Achievers Workforce Institute last July 2021. There were 3,582 respondents from different companies of various industries and sizes from different parts of the world. Respondents included those from Canada, the US, the UK, Germany, Irelands, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, and Switzerland.
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