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Social Mobility and Socio Economic Questions

Social Mobility and Socio-Economic Questions in Diversity and Inclusion Surveys

22^nd July 2024 by Mark Holt

While traditional DEI surveys focus on areas such as gender, racial, and LGBTQIA+ diversity, at Divrsity, we believe that it's import to include all aspects of diversity in your surveys.

We've already written about neurodivrsity, menopause, generational diversity, and mental health in Diversity and Inclusion Surveys so this article is about another oft-ofterlooked characteristic: Social Mobility.

Socio-economic background continues to be a significant factor in shaping life outcomes, and its influence persists into the workplace. By including questions about social mobility and class in D&I surveys, organisations can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their workforce and identify areas where bias may be inadvertently influencing hiring, promotion, and retention practices.

In this article, we explore why socio-economic questions are essential in D&I surveys, address some common concerns around collecting this data, and provide guidance on interpreting the results to drive meaningful change.

Why Focus on Socio-Economic Diversity?

Socio-economic diversity is an often-overlooked aspect of D&I, yet it plays a pivotal role in shaping an individual's experiences and opportunities throughout their life and career. A person's socio-economic background can influence their education, health, access to resources, and ultimately, their social mobility.

Social mobility refers to the ability of individuals or groups to move up (or down) the social strata relative to their parents or starting position. In an ideal world, everyone should have the opportunity to improve their circumstances regardless of their background. However, social mobility has stagnated in the UK over the last decade, and those from advantaged backgrounds continue to dominate top professions.

The UK government recognises the issue, with the Social Mobility Commission stating:

"Britain has a deep-rooted and long-standing problem with social mobility, which governments of all political stripes have failed to address… We cannot go on tolerating wasted talent and unrealised potential. It is time for concerted action."

Promoting socio-economic diversity demonstrates a commitment to fairness and equality. By creating opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds, organisations can help reduce inequalities and promote social mobility. This not only has a positive impact on society but also enhances employee engagement and retention, as individuals feel their organisation values and supports them.

D&I surveys that include socio-economic questions are an essential tool in addressing this issue as they provide data-driven insights to employers wishing to create more equitable workplaces, promote genuine meritocracy, and enhance social mobility.

Concerns About Collecting Socio-Economic Data

Some organisations and employees may be hesitant to include or answer socio-erior background can be a sensitive topic, and individuals might worry about being stereotyped or judged based on their responses. There are also concerns around privacy and data protection, especially as socio-economic questions can sometimes feel more intrusive than other D&I survey topics.

Additionally, socio-economic diversity is complex, and it isn't easy to categorise. People's backgrounds vary widely, and an individual might move between social classes throughout their life or not fit neatly into a single category. This fluidity can make it challenging to design effective survey questions .

Best Practices for Socio-Economic Questions

One of the key benefits of working with Divrsity is that our questions are constantly evolving based on feedback and experience. Having run thousands of surveys, we have determined that the way companies ask about social mobility is highly context dependent. Consequently, our template question set includes multiple ways to ask about social mobility and we recommend that companies choose the one or two that are most relevant for their workforce:

There are two (ugly) government approved questions that pertain to social mobility:

Which type of school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?
A state-run or state-funded school | Independent or fee-paying school | Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a means tested bursary covering 90% or more of the total cost of attending throughout my time there | Attended school outside the UK

Were you eligible for free school meals at any point during your school years?
Yes | No | Not applicable (finished school before 1980 or went to school overseas) | I don't know

We've also seen the insanely ugly

What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were about aged 14?

*deep breath*
Modern professional i.e: teacher, nurse, social worker, musician, police officer, software designer
Clerical and intermediate occupations such as: secretary, PA, nursery nurse, clerical worker
Senior managers or administrators (usually responsible for planning, organising and co-ordinating)
Technical and craft occupations i.e: motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener
Semi-routine manual and service occupations i.e: postman, security guard, caretaker, sales assistant
Routine manual and service occupations i.e: HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter
Middle or junior managers i.e: office manager, retail manager, bank manager, restaurant manager
Traditional professional occupations: accountant, solicitor, medical practitioner, scientist
Long-term unemployed
Retired
Question does not apply to me
I don't know

This is a great example of how questions can disenfranchise participants and lead to much lower response rates! Come on people... Quality over Quantity!

This one is a very simple approach that, depending on your organisation, might provide the insight you want

Did either or both of your parents attend university and gain a degree (e.g. BA/BSc or equivalent) by the time you were 18?
Yes | No | Do not know / Not sure

But we much prefer the simple options:

Which can be further shortened to:

What class do you consider your parents to be?
Working class | Lower-middle class or Middle-class | Upper middle-class or Upper-class | Not Applicable (e.g. non-UK)

And finally, (probably best of all) the simplest and most explicit:

How would you classify your socio-economic background?
Professional background | Intermediate Background | Lower Socio-Economic Background

N.B. We provide all these options in the personalised template questions, and the platform prompts you to choose one.

Interpreting Results: What Do They Mean?

Socio-economic diversity survey results can provide valuable insights into your organisation's D&I landscape and help identify areas requiring improvement. Here are some scenarios you may encounter and the kinds of changes that might be appropriate:

High Socio-Economic Homogeneity

If your survey reveals that most employees come from similar socio-economic backgrounds, it suggests that social mobility within your organisation is limited. In this case:

Review your recruitment practices to ensure they are accessible and equitable for all candidates, regardless of background. This might include offering internships or removing degree requirements where not essential.
Consider introducing initiatives like mentoring programmes or providing career guidance to young people from less advantaged backgrounds locally. These can help increase social mobility and bring more diversity into your talent pipeline over time.

Real World Example: Property Sector Client Case Study

One of our clients, a large property development firm, discovered through their Divrsity D&I survey that everyone in their team of 40+ employees came from a middle-class or upper background. This realisation prompted several changes:

They adjusted their recruitment strategies to target candidates from less advantaged backgrounds actively. This included advertising roles more broadly and removing unnecessary qualifications for entry-level positions, such as requiring degrees for roles that could offer on-the-job training instead.
The company also introduced work experience placements aimed at students from local schools in low-income areas, providing an insight into the property sector to young people who may not have otherwise considered it a viable career path.

A year after implementing these changes, their follow-up Divrsity survey showed that they had successfully hired several employees from working-class backgrounds and were actively promoting social mobility within their organisation by offering genuine opportunities for advancement regardless of socio-economic starting points.

Low Socio-Economic Homogeneity

If your survey reveals a diverse range of socio-economic backgrounds, this is generally positive and suggests that individuals from all walks of life can succeed in your organisation:

Maintain initiatives that promote accessibility during recruitment while ensuring they are targeted where needed (e.g., towards specific underrepresented groups).
Focus on creating an inclusive culture to ensure employees feel valued regardless of background. This might include promoting open discussions about social mobility and providing training for managers to recognise and mitigate against potential biases related to class or socio-economic status.

Socio-Economic Diversity With Inequality in Progression

We often see surveys where organisations have diverse socio-economic representation, but individuals from less advantaged backgrounds are not progressing into senior roles. The Divrsity results analysis tool automatically highlights ideosyncracies like this, helping to find actionable opportunities such as:

Review progression pathways and promotion processes for potential bias. For example, consider whether there are any 'culture fit' biases during interviews or requirements (such as an expectation of attending social events) that might disadvantage certain employees due to their background.
Ensure managers receive training on recognising and mitigating unconscious biases related to socio-economic status and provide support for employees from less advantWeightsd backgrounds, such as sponsorship programmes or networking opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Including socio-economic questions in D&I surveys is essential for understanding the complexities of your workforce and creating equitable workplaces where everyone has a chance to succeed. While collecting this data raises valid concerns, these can be addressed through careful survey design and transparent communication with employees.

By interpreting results effectively, organisations can identify areas requiring improvement regarding social mobility and take targeted action to create genuinely inclusive cultures that promote diversity in all its forms.