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<\/div>\n?High-profile CEOs’ choices are creating workplace cultures that distance workers and stymie diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts.<\/p>\n
Entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried, for example, fostered a reckless, toxic corporate culture<\/a> at his former cryptocurrency firm, FTX, according to news reports, prior to his arrest for alleged wire fraud and other charges in December.<\/p>\n And Twitter CEO Elon Musk has been castigated by his own employees<\/a> for creating a workplace culture that requires them to work long hours and even sleep in their offices to show their dedication to the company.<\/p>\n About half of employees today do not believe that their business leaders understand what constitutes a strong culture and think CEOs are out of touch with what employees want from their companies, according to a recent report by publishing platform eLearning Industry<\/a>.<\/p>\n “[The survey results] serve as an important reminder that capturing and retaining talent\u2014and therefore, driving business outcomes\u2014requires leaders to forge deeper connections with staff and gain an understanding of employees’ expectations for culture,” said Christopher Pappas, founder of eLearning Industry.<\/p>\n Among 1,200 workers surveyed:<\/p>\n Nearly half of workers say the lack of diversity at the C-suite level creates an outdated culture, Pappas noted.<\/p>\n “This is a huge barrier to creating an inclusive culture, as employees will feel more included and represented if they see diverse perspectives from the top down,” he said. “However, these stats also underscore bigger challenges organizations face today that could impact their DE&I efforts.”<\/p>\n Some businesses have laid off employees to prepare for a potential recession, while others deal with the negative effects of the U.S. labor shortage. These ongoing workforce challenges have hindered DE&I initiatives and progress.<\/p>\n “It’s more important than ever that business leaders and HR teams continue to prioritize diversity and inclusion to align with employee demands and set themselves up for a successful culture in 2023 and beyond,” Pappas said.<\/p>\n DE&I Not a Priority<\/p>\n The report indicated that 41 percent of workers believe their company is not diverse and doesn’t prioritize DE&I. Nearly 33 percent of workers say leadership is prejudiced against women and certain minorities.<\/p>\n “Corporate workers are putting a clear stake in the ground, demanding their employer does better to improve DE&I and even considering this a core part of a solid culture,” Pappas explained. “It’s critical that employers listen to these demands and invest in their DE&I strategy to make sure employees feel satisfied, included and appreciated.”<\/p>\n\n