The majority of UK organisations continue to prioritise diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives despite financial constraints, according to a new workplace survey by Culture Amp.
While some high-profile global organisations have scaled back their DEI commitments, UK firms appear to be maintaining investment in workplace diversity, with 26 percent increasing their DEI budgets and 33 percent keeping funding stable.
Conducted by Censuswide across more than 1,000 businesses, the research indicates that 74 percent of companies have an active DEI programme. Resistance to DEI remains limited, with only 13 percent of respondents believing their organisation dedicates excessive time and money to these initiatives. Nearly half (47%) disagree with this view, while 37 percent remain neutral.
The research found that older employees are more likely to support workplace diversity than their younger colleagues. More than half (56%) of workers over 55 and 50 percent of those aged 45-54 disagree with the idea that their organisation is “too woke”. In contrast, only 35 percent of employees aged 25-34 and 27 percent of those aged 16-24 share this view.
Overall, UK workplace culture continues to favour diversity and inclusion. Just 28 percent of survey respondents consider their organisation to be overly focused on DEI, while 41 percent disagree and 27 percent remain neutral.
DEI Budgets and Business Integration
To sustain DEI efforts despite financial constraints, UK firms are integrating diversity considerations into their standard business processes. The survey reports that 40 percent of companies have incorporated DEI-related questions into hiring processes to attract more diverse talent. Additionally, 36 percent have added diversity metrics to employee engagement surveys to capture demographic data.
Aubrey Blanche-Sarellano, VP of Equitable Operations at Culture Amp, said, “At a time when some high-profile global firms are rolling back on DEI commitments, a big majority of UK companies are still committed to building workplaces where people are treated fairly and with respect. It’s also striking that support for diversity and inclusion policies in UK workplaces is strongest among older age groups. These are more likely to be senior management and line managers that see the benefits of more equitable workplaces and can lead systemic change in their organisation.”
Blanche-Sarellano added that while UK firms are facing budget pressures, many are embedding DEI into key operational areas such as recruitment, employee experience assessments, and engagement strategies to ensure continued progress within financial limits.
