The PRSA Foundation launched the results of a recent survey that found while 85 percent of communications professionals believe diversity is important, only 27 percent believe their organization is diverse.
According to the report, increased pressure on organizations to take stances on social issues is making them reevaluate how they incorporate conversations about diversity and inclusion practices into the workplace.
The survey of 162 public relations practitioners, academics, and students at the 2018 PRSA and PRSSA International Conferences and Diverse Voices book launch wanted to see the results of these conversations in action.
Some of the key takeaways include:
- 85% of communications professionals believe diversity in the workplace is either important or very important to them
- 27% believe that they currently work at an organization that is meaningfully or very diverse
- 45% said their organization has implemented actions related to diversity and inclusion as a result of these conversations
- 30% said conversations are happening but no internal actions have been put in place
Based on the results, the PRSA Foundation recommends the next steps:
- Advocate for educational programming about diversity and inclusion in the workplace
- Create a dialogue loop for employees to give feedback about improving diversity and support an inclusive mindset in the organization
- Audit hiring and retention practices to reflect best practices
- Champion diverse talent by mentoring young, multicultural students and professionals
“The data reinforces the need to accelerate our efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace that better reflects the demographics of the stakeholders we serve,” said PRSA Foundation President, Judith Harrison. “Candid dialogue initiated through efforts like the PRSA Foundation and the Museum of Public Relations’ Diverse Voices book and awareness program lays critical groundwork for faster, measurable progress on recruitment results and increasing overall engagement in diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The survey was commissioned as part of the PRSA Foundation’s Diverse Voices: Profiles in Leadership initiative and accompanying book, launched in 2018. For more information, visit: www.diverseleadership.net.
Nicole Graney is a Communications Assistant for the Institute for Public Relations. She is a senior majoring in public relations at the University of Florida. Follow her on Twitter @nicole_graney.
