We are pleased to share the initial report of the analysis and findings of the 2023 Workplace Equity Survey from the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications (C4DISC).
Efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and drive cultural change began to coalesce in scholarly communications over the last decade. The establishment of the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications (C4DISC) in 2017 was an important early step, providing a forum to discuss and address these pressing issues among a wide array of global voices and organizations. Another key milestone was the landmark Workplace Equity Survey (WE Survey), which sought to benchmark the state of workplace equity in the global scholarly publishing landscape in 2018. Read Evaluating Equity in Scholarly Publishing with the full 2018 survey findings, published in Learned Publishing (Volume33, Issue 4, DOI: 10.1002/leap.1301) and data and files are available via OPEN ICPSR.
Findings from the 2018 WE Survey showed that the workforce was not demographically representative of the wider population, and that the leadership structure did not reflect the demographic breakdown of its own workforce. Outcomes in career progression and compensation diverged significantly based on a respondent’s age, ethnicity, gender, and geographical location. Respondents with characteristics more reflective of the leadership profile tended to report that they were fairly compensated, had fair opportunities for career progression, and that they were recognized by senior leadership.
The summer of 2020 brought the structural inequities in the U.S. and around the world into stark relief, triggering public commitments from organizations worldwide to root out systemic racism and discrimination. How did those good intentions take shape in the scholarly communications industry and how did they evolve? Did real change, as measured through workplace experiences and perceptions, result from the pandemic’s workplace disruptions and/or public reckoning about social justice?
The following four themes emerged from the Workplace Equity Survey in 2023:
1
Employee satisfaction and recognition of employer commitments to diversity have increased since 2018.
2
Not everyone experienced tangible improvements in workplace culture and workplace equity efforts.
3
Key focus areas for improving equity include mentorship and networking opportunities, promotion structures and processes, and supporting employees who return from career breaks.
4
The future of workplace equity requires organizational and personal accountability.
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