Increasingly Socially Aware Candidates and Consumers Are Accelerating Change in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We are seeing a substantial change in the way people interact with one another and, since the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s, social issues have rarely been such a hot topic as they are now.

While many of the oldest and most insidious forms of discrimination are now prohibited by law, we are still seeing significant challenges for people who don’t fit the demographic of white, male, cisgender, and/or heterosexual. One only has to look back a year to recall the protests and disturbances which occurred after the racially motivated killing of George Floyd to see that there still exists an imbalance in how certain demographics are treated by both the state and society at large.

These factors and more are having a transformative effect on the jobs and roles people are looking for and HR officers need to be aware of and react to these changes if they want to continue to attract the best talent.

A More Socially Conscious Workforce

With the millennial generation now the largest demographic occupying the workforce and GenZ fast bringing up the rear, the pressure being put on employers to meet candidate expectations in regard to social consciousness is growing steadily.

These two generations now also have more spending power than before – especially as, for many of them, asset purchasing such as buying their own homes is sadly out of reach – which means this pressure is also mounting on retailers from the customer facing side of the business.

Millennials and GenZers are often far more attuned and outspoken regarding social issues than previous generations and they are carrying their ethics and beliefs into all other aspects of their lives. Both of these demographics have gone on record and stated they would be willing to pay more for a product if it meant eschewing a cheaper retailer which didn’t meet their expectations of social awareness and ethical practices and supporting a more expensive alternative which was more closely aligned with their own ethos.

This also extends to their behavior when searching for employment opportunities. These demographics are also actively seeking companies which align with their own beliefs to start or continue their careers with.

Retailer Action

This means retailers need to carefully consider their position on hot button social issues such as Black Lives Matter, LGBT+ rights, gender and racial equality, #MeToo, and more.

Some brands choose to announce their support for these movements sporadically, such as by changing their social media picture to a rainbow motif during Pride month but fail to support these causes beyond that – either through direct action or in their HR policies. Millennials and GenZers are incredibly aware of these performative actions and will call out this insincere behavior when they see it.

Remaining silent on these issues is an option that some brands can take, but this may also come around and bite them. As we’ve already discussed, the best young talent is looking to apply for positions with the brands they feel best matches their own worldview and, if they come across a brand which has nothing to say on these issues, they may move on and search for a more outspoken employer.

Whatever stance your brand takes, it must be sincere and backed up with real action. For example, the retail industry has made terrific progress when it comes to closing the gender pay gap. The retail industry significantly narrowed the pay gap by offering similar pay levels for its mainly prevalent junior roles, which are typically well-balanced between men and women.

The Pay Gap in Retail Interim Report 2020-21 by Diversity in Retail found that over 50% of retail employees worked on the shop floor or in distribution, meaning that median pay levels have remained largely stable over the period analyzed by the report.

"It is crucially important to continue to focus on transparency, reporting, and meaningful action to address some of the inequalities that existed prior to the pandemic and have been exacerbated since," said DiR founder, Tea Colaianni. "Every step, however small, can contribute to making a significant difference in closing pay inequalities and advancing the broader diversity and inclusion agenda in retail."

Final Thoughts

Attracting a more socially conscious workforce should be a priority for the retail industry. These generations are the workforce of the present and the future and companies need to sincerely promote and fight for social issues if they want to bring in the best young talent.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion are certain to be hot topics at HR Retail 2022, being held in April at the Hyatt Regency Austin, TX.

Download the agenda today for more information and insights.