Almost Half of Workers Hit by Workplace Discrimination

July 23, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - While the majority of workers surveyed (61%) agree that having a diverse workforce makes their organization more successful, almost half (47%) have felt office discrimination - with age bias being the most common type.

The Workplace Insights survey by staffing company Adecco USA found the majority of workers (60%) report that having a diverse workforce is a top priority for their employer, but only a third (34%) contend that corporate America has achieved workforce diversity, according to an Adeco news release.

Other survey results include:

  • Of those American workers who have experienced discrimination at the office, age (52%) was the most prevalent form, followed by gender (43%), race (32%), religion (9%), and disability (7%).
  • Not only do the majority of workers think that a diverse workforce makes their organization more successful, half of respondents (53%) felt that the more diverse their company, the more productive a worker they would become.

“As the idea of a truly diverse workforce continues to evolve, what’s become more and more clear to employers is that achieving this is not only about adhering to regulations or being seen as politically correct, but directly ties to their organization’s success and their ability to be innovative and profitable,” said Lois Cooper, who leads Diversity & Inclusion at Adecco USA, in the announcement. “Building an inclusive culture continues to be a top priority on most company’s strategic agendas, and is certainly attainable with the right amount of commitment, communication, and follow-through at all levels of an organization.”

The poll was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Adecco between June 16 and June 18, 2008, among 2,206 adults ages 18 or older, of whom 1,282 are employed full-time and/or part-time.

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