Diversity Under Pressure: What the Data Shows

Diversity and equal opportunity have come under pressure. A representative survey of employees in Germany shows that people with diversity dimensions protected by law under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) continue to experience discrimination in the workplace. Moreover, initial analyses of the second survey wave indicate a worsening situation: growing anti-humanist tendencies appear to be increasingly reflected in employees’ everyday experiences.

The lightning talk presents key findings, current developments, and resulting recommendations for action. It is based on the first two survey waves of the project “Diversity, Inclusion and Mental Health,” funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation.
The lightning talk introduces the topic and addresses the growing backlash against diversity approaches, such as the discontinuation of DEI programs. It then provides a brief overview of the project and the underlying data. The focus is on findings from the first survey wave regarding the importance of diversity in companies and experiences of discrimination along the six diversity dimensions protected under the AGG. These are complemented by current trends from the second wave, which indicate a further intensification. Finally, the talk presents recommendations for action, including DEI measures that employees find particularly helpful or would like to see more of.