“Almost two-thirds of staff who undergo diversity training at work say they have had to conceal what they really thought for fear of losing their job, according to a survey by the Free Speech Union.”
It’s great to see details of our latest research briefing, titled The EDI Tax: How Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is Hobbling British Businesses, reported by the Telegraph.
The report is authored by our Director of Data and Impact, Tom Harris, and draws on the results of an FSU survey of a representative sample of 800 UK workers, all of whom had undertaken some form of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Climate (EDIC) training with either a current or former employer.
The Telegraph’s report continues:
Nearly a quarter say they have been compelled to say things they don’t believe after attending the courses.
Members of the minority communities, where the schemes are meant to benefit, were more likely to find the training conflicted with their views, the survey of 800 employees found.
One person surveyed, a white woman in her late 50s, said: “I think everyone is too scared to speak about topics like this any more and certainly free speech doesn’t exist in my company.”
It comes after Kemi Badenoch told the Telegraph that Britain’s diversity push had been “counterproductive” and that many equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives are “snake oil”.
Tom Harris, Director of Data and Impact at the group, said: “We knew already from our casework that EDI training has been suppressing free speech in the workplace, but even we were shocked to discover the extent of the self-censorship going on – 62 per cent of the employees who go on the training have had to conceal what they really think.
“Authoritarian EDI training has become a fiscal drag on the bottom lines of British business. While millions of pounds continue to be spent on these courses, our research demonstrates that the most ambitious employees are leaving companies because of it and, ironically, the training conflicts most with the values held by the minority groups it purports to benefit.”
The employees spoken to by the pollsters attended courses on white privilege, microaggressions, decolonisation, pronoun declarations and gender identity.
Worth reading in full.
