CareerBuilder Study Points to Improvements in Workplace Equality, But Disparity in Pay and Career Advancement Still Exists for Diverse Segments

CHICAGO, June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the last few decades, the makeup of the U.S. civilian labor force has changed significantly with women accounting for half of all workers and companies becoming both racially and ethnically diverse.  

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CareerBuilder surveyed more than 1,300 diverse workers to gauge how their work experience has evolved with their growing proportions in the U.S. workforce.  The study focused on larger economies and workforces, targeting the top 20 markets in the U.S. by population.  The results for six diverse segments - African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, women, workers with disabilities and Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) workers – were compared to non-diverse workers, defined as Caucasian males who are not LGBT, and not disabled.  The national survey was conducted from February 21 to March 10, 2011.

The survey findings point to continued inequalities between diverse and non-diverse segments in pay, career advancement and feelings of discrimination. Women and Hispanic workers were twice as likely to hold an administrative or clerical entry-level job as non-diverse workers. African American workers were nearly twice as likely.  More than half of women, Hispanics and workers with disabilities reported earning less than $50,000 compared to three-in-ten non-diverse workers.  

At the same time, certain diverse segments ranked higher than non-diverse workers in compensation, reflecting a movement toward better equality in the workplace.  LGBT workers were the most likely of all segments to earn six figures, while both Asian and LGBT workers were the most likely to earn $50,000 or more.  

"The U.S. workplace has experienced fundamental shifts over the last two decades that have had a major impact on business, including economic downturns, the introduction of new technology and the strengthening of laws designed to promote equality," said Dr. Sanja Licina, Senior Director, Talent Intelligence & Consulting at CareerBuilder. "While companies have made strides in creating an inclusive workplace for all workers, there is still work to be done, especially in the areas of hiring, compensation, and career advancement."

COMPENSATION

Less than $50,000

Among all segments, workers with disabilities were the most likely to report earning less than $50,000 at 58 percent, followed by women at 52 percent and Hispanics at 51 percent.  Asian workers were the least likely to earn less than $50,000 at 25 percent, followed by 32 percent of LGBT workers and 31 percent of non-diverse workers.  

$50,000 and above

Three-in-five (62 percent) Asian and LGBT workers reported making $50,000 or more, the highest of all diverse segments and two percentage points higher than non-diverse workers.  Disabled workers were the least likely to report a salary of $50,000 or higher at 37 percent, followed by women at 41 percent and Hispanic workers at 43 percent. 

$100,000 and above

In the six figure category, LGBT workers lead all segments at 18 percent, outpacing non-diverse workers by 1 percentage point.  Women were the least likely to report making more than $100,000 at 6 percent along with African Americans and Hispanic workers at 8 percent.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT

When looking at the job levels, higher salaries aren't necessarily involving weightier titles. While Asian workers were the most likely to report salaries of $50,000 or more and were among the highest for earning six figures, they were the least likely to report holding a management position (11 percent).  Most Asian workers (69 percent) fall into the Professional/Technical category and were the most likely of all segments to work in technology-related positions.  Disabled workers also ranked high in the Professional/Technical category at 62 percent, and were the most likely of all segments to work in health-related positions and social assistance.

One-in-four (26 percent) of non-diverse workers reported holding management titles, the highest of all segments, followed by 22 percent of LGBT workers.  In addition to Asian workers, women and African Americans reported the lowest tendency to hold management roles at 15 percent each.    

Nearly half of Hispanic workers (49 percent) and two-out-of-five women (40 percent) reported having an entry-level administrative/clerical position, the highest of all segments.

DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE

When asked about their overall experience as a diverse worker, one-in-four African American workers (25 percent) reported feeling discriminated against in their current job, the highest of all segments.  They were followed by disabled workers (22 percent), Hispanic workers (21 percent), women (19 percent) and LGBT workers (18 percent).  Asian workers (11 percent) were least likely to feel discriminated against in the workplace and trended below non-diverse workers who came in at 14 percent.

PLANS TO CHANGE JOBS

Workers are aware of the improving employment landscape and are making plans to find better earning and advancement opportunities.  Nearly two-in-five diverse workers (38 percent) plan to look for new jobs as the economy improves.

Almost half of Asian workers (47 percent) plan to change jobs in a better economy followed by African American workers (43 percent) and disabled workers (42 percent).  Despite ranking lower in pay and title, women (31 percent) and Hispanic workers (35 percent) are the least likely of diverse workers to pursue new positions.  

More than half (51 percent) of non-diverse workers feel diverse workers have a better chance of landing a new job.  Thirty-four percent of diverse workers agree.  However, two-thirds of diverse workers don't market themselves as diverse when looking for a position.  Of these workers, 25 percent believe marketing themselves as diverse will lessen their chances of getting a job interview.

REPORT AND INFOGRAPHIC

Report link: http://cb.com/cbdivrpt

Infographic link: http://cb.com/cbdiversity

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,527 U.S. workers (employed full-time; not self-employed); ages 18 and over between February 21 and March 10, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset of U.S. Employees, based on their responses to certain questions) working in the top twenty U.S. markets (Austin, TX; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Ft. Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Los Angeles, CA; Memphis, TN; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; and San Jose, CA). With a pure probability sample of 2,527 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.95 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies. 

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 24 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 40 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to recruitment support. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

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SOURCE CareerBuilder