Story at a glance
- A Glassdoor survey conducted by the Harris Poll found that job seekers are very concerned about diversity in potential workplaces.
- Glassdoor allows current and former employees to anonymously review companies and has now introduced a diversity and inclusion rating.
- The website has also introduced tools for employers to show their diversity and inclusion programs, initiatives and goals.
Since the police killing of George Floyd reignited a national conversation over racism, companies have been scrutinized over their own racial makeup and environment. But while companies make commitments to diversity and inclusion left and right, those on the outside are left to wonder, how do I know if they really mean it?
It helps to have someone on the inside.
“It’s not a surprise to see that the most trustworthy source of information around the state of [diversity and inclusion] at a company is its employees,” said Glassdoor Chief People Officer Carina Cortez, in a report. “It’s important to listen to employee feedback, the good and the bad, to drive change that creates a workplace where everyone feels equally valued and respected.”
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Two out of three people in a Glassdoor survey conducted by the Harris Poll said they trust employees on diversity and inclusion, more than the company’s website or even its leaders.
More than 3 in 4 employees and job seekers — and about 4 in 5 Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ respondents — said a diverse workplace is important to them when considering companies and job offers. About 1 in 3 employees and job seekers would simply not apply to a job at a company that lacks diversity, according to the survey, a number that was higher among Black and LGBTQ+ respondents.
“Job seekers and employees today really care about equity, and for too long they’ve lacked access to the information needed to make informed decisions about the companies that are or are not, truly inclusive,” said Glassdoor Chief Executive Officer Christian Sutherland-Wong in a release. “We have a responsibility as a platform and employer to bridge the information gap that’s blocking the path to equity in and out of the workplace. By increasing transparency around diversity and inclusion within companies, we can help create more equitable companies and more equitable society, too.”
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But 71 percent of employees also said they would be more likely to share experiences and opinions on diversity and inclusion at their company if they could do so anonymously. So Glassdoor, a website where current and former employees anonymously review companies, is debuting a “Diversity & Inclusion Rating” calculated on a 5-point scale, in addition to demographic information from anonymous employees and answers to frequently asked questions. “Great company culture that fosters inclusivity” was listed as a positive in 267 reviews of Salesforce, which at 4.6 had the highest diversity and inclusion score of 12 companies with an initial rating. Walmart, where “you have to put up with rude customers” was mentioned in 624 reviews, had the lowest rating of the group at 3.7 — the same as Glassdoor itself, which had 6 individual scores as of Thursday morning.
“Glassdoor is extremely late to the diversity and inclusion space. What makes it worse is that there are employees within the company who are not on board with expanding diversity initiatives and will openly make it known,” said a Black employee in an anonymous review. Still, the employee wrote, “the executive team truly cared and got behind the message. They want to learn and do better.”
The company has publicly acknowledged a lack of diversity in its own employee base and recently released a Diversity & Inclusion Transparency Report, which revealed that just 4 percent of the company’s employees are Black, compared to the 13 percent general population average. In terms of gender, 23 percent of tech roles are held by women and 37 percent of leaders are women — but the company has set its sights higher.
“Transparency can be uncomfortable, but so is every seismic change that has disrupted society or industry. We fully acknowledge that we’re not satisfied with where we are today and know we still have progress to make,” said Sutherland-Wong in a statement.
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