Arlington, Va., December 7, 2021 – New research from Eagle Hill Consulting indicates that many healthcare employees say their organization places importance on diversity and inclusion (D&I), but haven’t demonstrated its importance through action. Eighty-seven percent of U.S. healthcare employees say their organizations places importance on D&I in the workplace. But few say that company leaders (36 percent), their colleagues (35 percent), and D&I staff representatives (10 percent) demonstrate the importance of D&I through action.
These findings are detailed in a new research infographic from Eagle Hill Consulting, Workers Say Diversity in Healthcare is a Priority, But More Action is Needed in the Workplace. Read the research here.
“Healthcare business leaders now recognize the importance and value of diversity and inclusion, and many have taken steps to build or strengthen their D&I initiatives,” said Sridhar Karimanal, who leads the Health & Life Sciences practice at Eagle Hill. “But our research finds that healthcare workers believe that employers haven’t yet taken the actions needed to drive meaningful D&I progress.”
“Part of the issue may be related to how D&I staff roles are defined within the healthcare industry. We often see staff assigned to transactional or compliance D&I efforts rather than tackling broader organizational change. Whatever the cause, healthcare leaders must shift their approach, otherwise they risk damaging employee engagement and their reputation while missing the business performance upsides of a diverse and inclusive workplace,” Karimanal said.
The research also indicates that there are generational and gender gaps. Baby Boomers (92 percent) working in healthcare are most likely to agree that their organization places importance on D&I, while only 71 percent Centennial healthcare workers agree. Women (34 percent) are less likely than men (44 percent) to say that company leadership demonstrate the importance of D&I initiatives through action.
The research is based upon the Eagle Hill Consulting Healthcare Employee Experience Survey 2021, which includes more than 500 U.S. healthcare employees from across the U.S. Conducted by Ipsos, the survey polled respondents on aspects of employee experience including technology, diversity, employee engagement, and customer/patient experience.
Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company’s expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, from financial services to healthcare to media & entertainment. Eagle Hill has offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com.
Media Contact: Susan Nealon | 703.229.8600 | snealon@eaglehillconsulting.com | @WeAreEagleHill
