Equality, diversity,
and inclusion
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
Caroline Fox
Global EDI Strategy Lead
Anderson Frank
As the NetSuite community continues to grow, the hope is that we see professionals that better represent the customers the product serves. At present, despite NetSuite’s own commitment to reflect the world we live in, it’s difficult to escape the fact that that’s not quite the case across every organization that hires tech staff.
This isn’t something that’s difficult to determine within your own organization—does your own team reflect the diverse make-up of your customers? Not just in terms of gender or ethnicity either. There should be a seat at the table for people of all abilities, orientations and backgrounds. Without it, the solutions you produce will only truly help the people that create them.
As we function in an industry that’s undeniably being held back by a major skills crisis, it seems unthinkable that any individual may feel dissuaded from becoming a part of it, but that remains a sad reality that needs to be resolved.
Within Anderson Frank, we’ve done much to help create a fairer playing field for everyone. This guide is just one way of doing that—by offering professionals an anonymized way of reporting on the issues they believe exist, as well as the ways to solve them. Another is our Women in Tech practice, where our dedicated team of NetSuite recruitment specialists are focused on helping to connect businesses with the diverse talent they need, creating opportunities for women in the industry at all levels in the process.
We’re also part of the team that created the Digital Revolution Awards, a program that celebrates those individuals helping to drive change, both as EDI employers and as allies of diverse tech professionals. By shining a light on those truly making a difference, our hope is that others want to become a part of that journey with us.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that leveling up the industry is no short-term project. It will take perseverance and conversations that may be uncomfortable for some, but it’s my belief that those within the NetSuite community do want to be a part of this conversation. I feel confident that we’re at the beginning of an exciting journey.
I hope the following results help to inform you to make better choices as you look to fix something that isn’t just right from a human standpoint, but will also benefit our industry in the long-term too.
Explore detailed insights into the demographic profile of our respondents
What do equality, diversity, and inclusion look like in the NetSuite ecosystem?
Does your employer have a statement or policy on either of the following?
| Yes, there is a clear policy | |
| Yes, but the policy has not been formalized | |
| No | |
| Not sure |
| Yes, there is a clear policy | |
| Yes, but the policy has not been formalized | |
| No | |
| Not sure |
| Equality, diversity, and inclusion | Environmental, social and governance | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, there is a clear policy | ||
| Yes, but the policy has not been formalized | ||
| No | ||
| Not sure |
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives
What are organizations' top EDI priorities?
Are employers providing equal pay for equal work?
| Yes, I believe my employer pays men and women equally | |
| No, I believe men are better rewarded despite being of equal skill and experience | |
| Some of my colleagues who identify as men are paid equally, but not all | |
| Some of my colleagues who identify as women are paid equally, but not all | |
| No, I believe women are better rewarded despite being of equal skill and experience | |
| Not sure |
| Yes, I believe my employer pays men and women equally | |
| No, I believe men are better rewarded despite being of equal skill and experience | |
| Some of my colleagues who identify as men are paid equally, but not all | |
| Some of my colleagues who identify as women are paid equally, but not all | |
| No, I believe women are better rewarded despite being of equal skill and experience | |
| Not sure |
| Yes, I believe my employer pays men and women equally | |
| No, I believe men are better rewarded despite being of equal skill and experience | |
| Some of my colleagues who identify as men are paid equally, but not all | |
| Some of my colleagues who identify as women are paid equally, but not all | |
| No, I believe women are better rewarded despite being of equal skill and experience | |
| Not sure |
Are organizations championing equal rights?
Three-quarters (74%, up slightly from 73% in our last survey) of professionals believe their employer champions equal rights, while 16% (up from 10%) still think more work needs to be done.
“We hired an external organization to review our company’s EDI practices and are now implementing their suggestions.”
Accounts Payable Manager, United States
“We have a diverse workforce. For example, we have a woman President, a minority executive VP, with women, men and multiple ethnic groups represented across the organization.”
VP of Finance, United States
One CEO gave their advice to other organizations:
“Promote creativity and innovation: Employees with diverse backgrounds, skills and experience can contribute a variety of ideas that promote innovation and creativity.”
CEO, United States
“Opportunities should be given to all regardless of their race, gender, or ethnicity.”
Systems Analyst, United States
“Work with employees, lead by example, and personally manage development.”
Developer/Programmer, United States
Diversity in the workplace
| My employer promotes racial and ethnic diversity in their workforce | ||||
| Everyone is able to succeed at my organization, regardless of their background or characteristics | ||||
| My employer recruits and retains older employees | ||||
| There are policies in place to support employees' mental health | ||||
| Promotion decisions are made fairly in my organization* | ||||
| The workforce includes people with disabilities and neurodiversity |
*Why don't you think promotion decisions are made fairly in your organization?
Respondents’ answers can be grouped into the following themes:
- My impression is that promotion-related decisions are more often made based on personal relationships or favoritism rather than qualifications or experience
- I believe that promotions are only given as part of a counteroffer to encourage people to stay
Gender diversity in the workplace
| All Respondents | ||||
| Men | ||||
| Women |
| All Respondents | ||||
| Men | ||||
| Women |
| All Respondents | ||||
| Men | ||||
| Women |
All Respondents
| Agree | |
| Neutral | |
| Disagree | |
| Not Sure |
Men
| Agree | |
| Neutral | |
| Disagree | |
| Not Sure |
Women
| Agree | |
| Neutral | |
| Disagree | |
| Not Sure |
All Respondents
| Agrees | |
| Neutral | |
| Desagree | |
| Not Sure |
Men
| Agrees | |
| Neutral | |
| Desagree | |
| Not Sure |
Women
| Agrees | |
| Neutral | |
| Desagree | |
| Not Sure |
All Respondents
| Agrees | |
| Neutral | |
| Desagree | |
| Not Sure |
Men
| Agrees | |
| Neutral | |
| Desagree | |
| Not Sure |
Women
| Agrees | |
| Neutral | |
| Desagree | |
| Not Sure |
Does gender inequality exist in the tech industry?
Almost two-thirds (65%, up from 50% in our last survey) believe there is an imbalance between the genders working in the tech industry.
Yes, there is gender inequality
58%
Neither agree nor disagree
No, there is no gender inequality
52%
35%
Yes, there is gender inequality
All respondents
12%
13%
8%
Conclusion
While some of the results in this section may seem disheartening, it’s important to remember that EDI is a journey and not a destination. And so, any small steps can still be taken as wins. An immediate, seismic change could potentially be just as worrying as no movement at all. After all, having a truly equitable workplace means a genuine culture change rather than a quick-fix box-ticking exercise—something that takes time and effort.
Some of the issues remain clear, such as the gender split amongst respondents, and only 51% of women believing their organization pays people equally depending on their sex is a concern.
Others, however, may be simpler to create shorter-term fixes for—only 61% of respondents believe their organization has clear policies in place to support people of different genders, so if they do exist then better internal marketing will go a long way to resolving this.
Making a conscious effort to promote these policies will also help organizations stand out as having a genuine commitment to EDI. And when those from different backgrounds can see the efforts being made to be more inclusive, an organization quickly becomes a more attractive environment to work within and goes some way to achieving more meaningful results.
Conclusion
While some of the results in this section may seem disheartening, it’s important to remember that EDI is a journey and not a destination. And so, any small steps can still be taken as wins. An immediate, seismic change could potentially be just as worrying as no movement at all. After all, having a truly equitable workplace means a genuine culture change rather than a quick-fix box-ticking exercise—something that takes time and effort.
Some of the issues remain clear, such as the gender split amongst respondents, and only 51% of women believing their organization pays people equally depending on their sex is a concern. Others, however, may be simpler to create shorter-term fixes for—only 61% of respondents believe their organization has clear policies in place to support people of different genders, so if they do exist then better internal marketing will go a long way to resolving this.
Making a conscious effort to promote these policies will also help organizations stand out as having a genuine commitment to EDI as well. And when those from different backgrounds can see the efforts being made to become more inclusive, it becomes a more attractive environment to work within and goes some way to achieving more meaningful results.
Conclusion
While some of the results in this section may seem disheartening, it’s important to remember that EDI is a journey and not a destination. And so, any small steps can still be taken as wins. An immediate, seismic change could potentially be just as worrying as no movement at all. After all, having a truly equitable workplace means a genuine culture change rather than a quick-fix box-ticking exercise—something that takes time and effort.
Some of the issues remain clear, such as the gender split amongst respondents, and only 51% of women believing their organization pays people equally depending on their sex is a concern. Others, however, may be simpler to create shorter-term fixes for—only 61% of respondents believe their organization has clear policies in place to support people of different genders, so if they do exist then better internal marketing will go a long way to resolving this.
Making a conscious effort to promote these policies will also help organizations stand out as having a genuine commitment to EDI as well. And when those from different backgrounds can see the efforts being made to become more inclusive, it becomes a more attractive environment to work within and goes some way to achieving more meaningful results.
Diverse NetSuite talent at your fingertips
If you’re looking to create a more inclusive workforce to drive innovation and grow your business, our Women in Tech practice can make it happen. We’ll help you to:
- Find the best women in tech through our diverse candidate shortlists
- Elevate your equality, diversity, and inclusion recruitment activities with our first-rate advisory service
- Enhance your onboarding process and retention rates thanks to our post-placement care model
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the NetSuite ecosystem.
