UK has fourth most diverse workforce in the world

Two thirds (63%) of employees in the UK say that the companies they work for are actively promoting diversity in the work place, according to a survey by advisory firm CEB.

Their ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ survey ranked the UK fourth internationally for creating a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Asia-Pacific countries including Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore fared the worst in the survey.

Chris Ellehuus, Managing Director CEB, said: "It is encouraging to see UK business lead the way in promoting policies for diversity but they now need to refocus on business solutions concerned with each diversity need. Organisations must recognise that not every need is a global problem – while an aging workforce is a UK challenge, attracting women to business is more prevalent in China – and as such, regional variations must be considered, particularly within global businesses.”

"The changes required to create a truly diverse and productive workforce need to extend beyond regulation and be placed within the core of the business, from the recruitment process to the overall business objectives."

He added: "Our members have also identified organisational barriers to building diversity which needs to be considered, one being a lack of common objectives between promoting diversity and the overall business objectives. They also suggest that there is often a lack of commitment from business leaders to address diversity issues which can severely hinder the creation of more diverse organisations."

"Our research, however, found that recruiting from a diverse talent pool increases an individual employee’s discretionary effort and their commitment to the business. As such, business leaders need to ensure that relevant local objectives form a part of the overall business plan in order to successfully create a diverse workforce that is mutually beneficial to both diversification and the overarching business needs."