Workday Podcast: A European Snapshot of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The last 18 months have reshaped the way the world thinks about challenges, such as global health and wellbeing, equity, and social justice. We have arrived at a pivotal moment for equity, diversity, inclusion (ED&I), where societal pressures are high, but so too are the opportunities to seize the moment.   

In this episode of the Workday Podcast, Steve Dunne was joined by Daniela Porr, Workday Solutions Marketing, to discuss the progress being made around ED&I in Europe.

The conversation is centred on recent research from Workday, “The state of ED&I in Europe: from good intentions to lasting change,” which explores regional and cultural differences around ED&I, and also helps us understand how some of the most progressive organisations in the world are embracing equity, diversity and inclusion.

Highlights from this episode of the Workday Podcast include:

• The importance of employee buy-in, and why a focus on ED&I is so important.

  • In the research, 30% of respondents felt that more ‘leadership and commitment from the top’ was needed.

  • 32% believe that greater ‘engagement and buy-in from staff’ was required.

• Despite financial pressures and uncertainty resulting from the pandemic, it’s encouraging that: 

  • 36% of respondents are planning to increase their financial investment in ED&I in the next financial year.

  • 42% will maintain the same level of investment.

• There is evidence of the positive impact of cross- functional teams: 

  • Those with dedicated cross-functional teams outside of HR are more likely to report increasing ED&I budgets.

  • The research suggests a correlation between the existence of a dedicated cross-functional team outside the HR function and increased levels of innovation, business performance and staff engagement.

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