To understand your organisation's level of socio-economic diversity, you first need to know your starting point.
For a number of reasons, collecting socio-economic background data can often be met with reluctance. Concerns including low engagement, uncertainty about the outcomes, and a lack of understanding about the data’s purpose can deter organisations from taking this crucial step. Let’s address some common concerns and misconceptions…
Concerns about Low Engagement.
Some organisations may experience low response rates when asking employees to declare socio-economic background data. But organisations that have successfully gathered high response rates didn’t get there by luck! Improving response rates takes time and effort, and it can be improved by partnering with an expert, who can develop a social mobility strategy that makes social mobility feel relevant and connected to your workforce.
To improve response rates, consider launching a communication campaign that explains what data will be collected, why it’s being collected reasons for this, and how it will be used. Sharing the purpose behind collecting socio-economic data and the positive impact it can have on employees' experiences can encourage more people to participate. You could also provide multiple opportunities for employees to share their information throughout the year, to mean there’s more than one opportunity to get involved.
The ‘Unknown’ – What if The Data Doesn’t Give us the Answers we Want?
The reality is that whether or not you collect this data, issues related to representation and progression could still persist in your organisation. Gathering socio-economic background data will provide the evidence necessary to drive change. Data-informed findings can help identify areas of improvement and allow you to create targeted strategies for advancing social mobility.
Transparency is key when it comes to advancing social mobility. It helps to acknowledge existing challenges and informs decision-making. By making employee socio-economic data collection a priority, you open the door to meaningful discussions around social mobility, which is a crucial step in your organisation’s social mobility journey.
We Don't Know What to do with the Data Anyway.
First of all, congratulations on gathering this valuable insight into your workforce’s level of socio-economic diversity! Now, it’s time to put that data to work. With the help of experts, you can begin to identify opportunities to create meaningful change. For example, you may uncover opportunities to attract more employees from lower socio-economic backgrounds through targeted early career initiatives. Or, you may see a need to create an internal mentoring programme to pair employees from underrepresented backgrounds with senior leaders to support career progression.
In the end, collecting and using socio-economic data is a critical step toward advancing social mobility in your organisation and fostering a more equitable workplace for everyone.
