How Diversity Impacts Workplace Safety
By 2045, the US is expected to become a majority-minority country, according to Census Bureau projections. That means that over half of the nation’s population will be made up of people from racial and ethnic minority groups. This trend is already having an impact on our politics, economy, and culture.
But for those of us in the safety industry, it raises another important question: How does diversity impact workplace safety?
Rather than rely on our own instincts to answer this question, we took a look at the current research on diversity and safety performance. First, we’ll define workplace diversity and look at how diverse the workforce is today. Then we’ll look at how diversity impacts safety outcomes. Finally, we’ll explore how companies can address issues of diversity and inclusion in their safety programs.
What is workplace diversity?
Diversity in the workplace means that a company hires people with a wide range of characteristics. These characteristics include race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, age, and physical ability — among other things. (That’s different from inclusion, which means that all people feel welcome, respected, and appreciated.)
The workforce is becoming more diverse
According to the US Department of Labor statistics, the workforce is becoming more diverse. In 2019, most new working-age hires were people of color — a first in our history. Women are now the majority in the workforce, holding 109,000 more jobs than men. As our country becomes more diverse, these trends will only continue.
The health & safety field still lacks diversity
Many of the people who work in manufacturing, construction, food processing, and other industries belong to minorities. And yet, the vast majority of safety managers are white and male.
According to an analysis by Zippia, only one in five health and safety managers are women. Health and safety managers are nearly three times more likely to be white (73.2%) than any other race or ethnicity, followed by Asian (10.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (9.9%). Combined, Black and Indigenous people make up less than 5% of health and safety managers. And despite the growing number of minorities in the workforce, these numbers haven’t changed much over the last decade.
Minority workers fare worse
Diversity among employees directly impacts safety performance. Numerous studies show that racial and ethnic minorities have worse safety outcomes. Differences in language, culture, religion, job security, and prior experience all play a role. Consider the following:
- Workers from racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to be employed in high-risk jobs than white workers.
- Furthermore, minorities are much more likely to suffer injuries or be killed on the job. For example, the injury rate for foreign-born Hispanic workers is 11.6 per 1,000 compared to 9.5 for white non-Hispanic workers.
- However, these numbers are likely an underrepresentation. Studies suggest that minority workers may be less likely to report unsafe conditions for fear of losing their jobs.
- Non-white workers were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Furthermore, Black workers were twice as likely as white workers to report that they or someone at work may have been punished or fired for raising concerns about COVID-19.
Closing the 'safety gap'
Changing the status quo starts with awareness. Leaders must devote themselves to understanding how issues like racial discrimination, language barriers, religious and cultural differences impact how people experience training and heed safety advice.
Safety leaders can help their organizations develop a plan to address these disparities. That includes things like:
- Developing culturally responsive training
- Creating policies that encourage safety engagement, including anonymous reporting
- Working to systematically remove language barriers and other barriers to safety
At the same time, companies must actively promote more diversity in health and safety leadership. Employees need to see themselves represented at all levels — from the shop floor to the boardroom. Investing in recruiting, training, mentoring, and retaining top talent is essential for companies that want to foster a diverse and inclusive culture. Only by doing so will organizations be able to ensure safety for all.