Most women worldwide feel less valued at work than men

The majority of working women around the world feel less valued at work; and lag behind men on sense of belonging, revealed a new survey.

Just a quarter (26%) of global employees reported a strong sense of belonging in the workplace, according to 2021 Culture Report on belonging at work, from the Achievers Workforce Institute; the research arm of HR consultancy Achievers. Interestingly, more men reported a sense of belonging than women; in fact, one-third of men (31%) compared to just one in five (22%) for women.

The survey, of more than 3,500 global workers, found that a strong sense of belonging correlated with higher engagement, job commitment, productivity; and more. “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,” stated Achievers Chief Workforce Scientist Dr Natalie Baumgartner. “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.”

CREATING STRONGER SENSE OF BELONGING

According to the report, women trail men on almost every factor of belonging. From work-life balance to pay equity, when it comes to feeling known and being included, women consistently reported lower results than male respondents with respect to these belonging factors. Women were 25% less likely to say they felt comfortable sharing a dissenting opinion. They were also 20% less likely to say that their unique background and identity are valued at their company.

“Employers need to focus their efforts on initiatives that can make women feel welcomed, known, included, supported; and connected at work,” Baumgartner added. “These five pillars of belonging, which all correlate positively and significantly with a stronger sense of belonging, create a clear call to action to business leaders. With millions of women leaving the workforce in the past 18 months, and women’s workplace participation hitting a 33-year low earlier this year, employers must concentrate on moving the needle in these key areas; to ensure women feel as strong a sense of belonging as men and can thrive in the post-pandemic workplace.”

Even tactics known to help encourage belonging can create a gender divide when not implemented equitably. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are an effective way to ensure employees have a space that helps them feel known and valued. However, women were 24% less likely than men to say their company had ERGs that help them feel connected. This points to a gap in organisations’ approach to supporting women.

DIVERSITY & BELONGING LINK

Respondents whose companies are diverse at senior levels are 2.4 times more likely to feel a strong sense of belonging, confirmed the report. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) fosters belonging, but they must be aimed at women and other marginalised groups to be effective. While it may seem that gender equality has been a focus of DE&I programmes for at least two decades, women were 23% less likely than men to say their needs were being met by their company’s DE&I efforts.

Belonging is a key factor for organisational success. It correlates positively with many individual traits that are necessary for organisational success, including engagement, commitment, productivity, resilience and satisfaction. In fact, 40% respondents with a strong sense of belonging rarely think about looking for a job elsewhere; versus just 5% of respondents with a low sense of belonging. Nearly half (45%) of respondents with a strong sense of belonging say they are their most productive self at work; compared to just 6% with a low sense of belonging. Additionally, 51% of respondents with a strong sense of belonging would recommend their company as a great place to work; compared to 4% with a low sense of belonging.

RECOGNITION & BELONGING

The research also found that recognition is a key driver of inclusion and the experience of belonging. Staff who reported being recognised in the last week when surveyed were almost twice as likely (49% versus 26%) to have a strong sense of belonging compared to average; while just 11% of those never recognised feel a strong sense of belonging. Furthermore, 41% of workers with a strong sense of belonging reported their manager regularly recognises them in a way that makes them feel valued; compared to just 5% of respondents with a low sense of belonging.

The data is based on an internet survey conducted by the Achievers Workforce Institute this summer. Respondents came from a range of industries and company sizes, and countries. They include Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States. For more information about the 2021 Culture of Belonging report click here.

Workplaces that integrate D&I into recognition programmes, report higher levels of inclusion, engagement and financial success, confirmed another Achievers’ report. Click here to read more.