SSocial equity affects us all. And we can all make an impact. We all belong to different social groups based on our backgrounds and identities. The groups we belong to can mean deep-seated advantages or disadvantages in terms of access to resources and opportunities, as well as gaps in our perceptions and evaluations.
According to the United Nations, 71% of the world’s population lives in countries where inequality has increased. And inequalities between social groups, including those based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and disability, are prevalent in developed and developing countries alike.
Addressing these underlying inequalities requires careful attention, continuous learning, and recognizing and addressing barriers with consistency and focus.
Inequalities can be rooted in social, structural, and situational dynamics, all of which affect the workplace and society, making people feel like “outsiders” versus “insiders” at work. It may make you feel.
For example, in some societies, people with certain backgrounds or identities may be at risk of discrimination based on historically rooted dynamics. The structures that define how we live, work, and operate within these societies can reinforce these dynamics and make access to opportunities uneven. And through everyday interactions, these power relations can be further reiterated or reinforced, depending on the situation.
In our organizations, we strive to disrupt these dynamics through the way we team up and lead, the culture we create, the way we assign and evaluate work, evaluate performance, and make promotion and appointment decisions. You can work on it. We have an opportunity to listen to the experiences of our employees to better recognize how inequalities are reproduced and reinforced in ways that go unnoticed.
Why we need to act now
The world is witnessing rising social and political tensions and significant disruption. There is also a growing sense of polarization, with people feeling more like outsiders.
The EY Belonging Barometer survey of more than 5,000 working adults in organizations around the world shows that more people feel lonely and lack a sense of belonging, which is impacting their physical and mental health. is given. Among the groups feeling most affected are people with disabilities and the LGBT+ community, further exacerbating the effects of existing inequalities.
Previous EY research (via EY.com US) shows that more than a third of workers feel the greatest sense of belonging at work, second only to home. This highlights the need for organizations to have the opportunity to create inclusive and equitable environments, given the important role they play in people’s lives.
What’s encouraging is that conversations around social equity have increased in recent years. This is a growing expectation among employees, and companies are taking great care to address potential inequalities, for example by applying a fairness lens to processes such as pay and promotions. Masu.
Today, all of us, individuals and businesses alike, have an opportunity to do more to directly address discrimination, prejudice and racism and contribute to building a better society.
What we learned — the power of storytelling
Social equity is about removing barriers, creating a more inclusive environment, and enabling access to resources and opportunities so that everyone can thrive.