Why DEI is so important to employees in Taiwan

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Commitment to DEI is critical for 96% of people when joining a company in Taiwan, a survey reveals. 

Gender inequality remains at the top of the list of workplace inequalities in Taiwan, according to Womany, as it revealed the results of its 'Taiwan’s 2022 Workplace DEI Survey' for International Women's Day, where 96% of survey respondents cited diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a critical factor for joining an organisation. 

Among DEI topics and workplace inequalities, respondents are most concerned about gender-related issues.

“Womany has been advocating for gender equalities for a decade," said Shulem Chang, Founder and CEO of Womany, in a press release. "We have started to devote our efforts towards raising DEI awareness recently. The time has come where it is not only about gender equality; it is about all-encompassing equality as demonstrated by diversity and inclusion.”

Over 60% of respondents of the survey shared that their current organisations turned a blind eye to teasing related to age, gender, and race. The most common forms of workplace inequalities according to the survey are gender discrimination (57.3%), ageism (50.9%), and ableism/physical appearance (41%). Womany collected 1,962 responses from its readers for this survey. 

Respondents also shared their experiences of gender discrimination. Other than gender stereotypes where women were expected to run errands whereas males were supposed to be decision-makers, women were also being mistreated whilst pregnant or being passed over for promotions as they couldn’t work additional hours due to family commitments.

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"Everyone will have an equal chance of thriving in a diverse and inclusive workplace," added Chang. "No women shall sacrifice their careers due to family needs, and no men shall be judged for wanting to spend time with their families.”

A vast majority (94%) of respondents admitted that they didn’t feel like they belonged due to ageism and marital status discrimination.

The survey further revealed when it comes to psychological safety, respondents reported an average score of 5.28 on a scale from one to ten. Only 7.5% of respondents could share their thoughts and opinions openly at work, and 94% of respondents lost a sense of belonging in the workplace due to ageism and marital status discrimination.

In contrast, only 17.3% of respondents of the survey have DEI-related policies at their organisations. Meanwhile, job openings have outnumbered job seekers in recent years, according to Chang. Compensation alone will not be able to satisfy talent needs. 

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Image / Womany