Diversity & Inclusionin the Global Workplace2020 Research Brief

Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

Contents
3Foreword

4Introduction

5

Why D+I matters more than ever

6

The Role of Tech and D&I

7

Lower income groups are less optimistic that tech cancreate diverse workplaces8

China and Brazil lead in optimism for diverse workplaces

9

In the US, working parents value the positive impact oftech more than non-parents

10 Conclusion/Key Takeaways
2Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

Defining Diversity and Inclusionin the Global Workplace
Lenovo and Intel have a rich history of collaboration, from accelerating
discoveries in AI and edge computing, to delivering world-class
innovations and solutions to the market, all with the shared goal ofleveraging the power of technology to improve lives globally.
Because of this mutual commitment, our two companies decided toextend their partnership and conduct a global survey, reaching 5,000
people of varied backgrounds across five key geographic markets –China, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Brazil.
If done correctly, diversity and inclusion (D&I) is a results multiplier.
This is not busy work; this is necessary work for companies to tap
into the diverse backgrounds, viewpoints and capabilities of theiremployees to win in the marketplace and grow.
This joint study, “Diversity and Inclusion in the Global Workplace,”
explores how people around the world view D&I in their personal
and professional lives, and their perspective on the role technology
plays to address systematic inequities, create more access, andenable growth. Just as we apply our engineering mindset to create
the world’s leading technological innovations, we do the same with
our D&I strategies, using data to inform our decisions and sharing it
transparently to encourage more accountability across the industry.
Our findings show a world in which activist citizens, who highly value
their personal brand, courageously call out and stand up to injustices
in a very public way. They are carrying this into everything they
do – including where they choose to work and how they advocate
for or against brands. Results of this study show that over half of
respondents from the five geographies believe that a company’s D&I
policies are “extremely” or “very” important when deciding where to
apply for a job and whether to accept the offer.
Part of the shifting mindset is an evolving definition of inclusion.
While it is still about representation of genders, ethnicities and3orientations, this study illuminates that the concept of inclusion isevolving to include factors such as cognitive disabilities, mental
health, and individuals with physical disabilities.
Tools for achieving inclusion are also evolving, as we observe a demand
for mentors, allies, and sponsorship across the respondents worldwide.
The most consistent strand across all demographics is that people
have higher D&I expectations of their employers than practically anyother aspect of their lives – their friends and families included.
This shift increases the demand for employers to really place a priority
on what their employees value. Employees of today expect theworkplace to conform to them – not the other way around.
They also want employers to respect and accommodate their lives
outside of work, to support their overall health and well-being and allow
them to express themselves. Being heard matters – and technology
plays an important role to create inclusion and belonging.
The corporate values that align to employees’ personal lives revolvearound flexibility, family leave, personal leave, remote work – all ofwhich are highly enabled by technology and connectivity.
Importantly, technology is seen as a positive force for D&I in theworkplace and society in general, bridging cultural divides andpromoting cross culture communication and understanding.
D&I has undergone a seismic shift; one that is holistic, expansive – anddelivers on a fundamental human need to be accepted, supported,and valued. Companies should embrace this new paradigm. Our work
does not stop here. It is critical we continue this research and join
together as a technology and business community to create moreaction and progress faster. Diversity and inclusion are key to thetechnology industry’s evolution and is a driving force for continued
innovation and growth.

Pictured Top Left: Yolanda Lee Conyers, Chief Diversity Officer and President, Lenovo Foundation
Bottom Left: Image of Barbara Whye, Vice President, Human Resources, Chief Diversity andInclusion Officer at Intel Corporation

Introduction
Summary of overall findings
1. People expect the workplace to work for them,not the other way around
2. Inclusion is defined differently than it was before
3. Inclusive workplaces perform better
4. Technology has the potential to be the key enabler

4

Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

Pictured Right:
Close-up image of ayoung Black woman
in sunglasses smilingthrough a shimmeroverlay.

Why D+I mattersmore than ever75%
A company’s D&I policies and performance
have become significant factors inemployees’ decisions about where to apply
for a job and where to accept a job offer.
In fact, more than half of employees acrossall markets say that a company’s D&I

559%

52%

policies are “extremely” or “very” importantwhen deciding where to apply and whether
to accept an offer. This is even higher in theUS, China, and Brazil. Employees today wantto know that people like them can thriveand succeed in the workplace.

Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace88%

89%The Role ofTech and D&I

6Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

Percentage who believe that tech enables
remote working

Lower income groups areless optimistic that tech cancreate diverse workplaces
Overview of findings
Lenovo and Intel’s transnational research uncovers asignificant disparity between income groups in theperceived benefits of technology. These differences
are most notable when exploring views on the role
technology plays in improving D&I in the workplace,and the flexibility tech advancements enable
individuals to have.
Tech plays an important role in
improving D&I in the workplace
While a majority of respondents across both income
groups accept technology products are enhanced
when designed by a diverse team, a larger proportionof higher income earners believe in these benefits
compared to lower income groups (see appendix1). The research also finds a difference between
higher and lower income groups when comparing
the total numbers of ‘tech enthusiasts.’ This is best

60
5228

26

Percentage who believe tech empowers flexible
working hours
524057453939

65445739Percentage who believe tech products are enhanced
when made by diverse teams

Low income

Tech plays ‘extremely large role’ in improving D&I in workplace (low income)Tech plays ‘extremely large role’ in improving D&I in workplace (high income)Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

3629

High income

754

4435

demonstrated in appendix 1, which shows that higher
earners in all countries (except Germany) are more
likely to agree with the statement ‘tech plays an
extremely large role in improving D&I in the workplace.’
Tech enables flexibility
There is a large disparity between income groups,
regarding technology advancements enablingflexibility and remote working. The findings suggestthat lower income groups, across all regions analyzed,
are more pessimistic about the benefits technology
brings than higher income groups (see appendix
2 and appendix 3). Apart from the 6% difference
between income groups in the UK who believe
technology empowers flexible working hours, every
region illustrates a stark reality of the differing viewson the power of tech to enable flexible working. Eachregion also has at least a 10% difference between
income groups.

48

China and Brazil leadin optimism for diverse
workplaces
Overview of findings
Employees today want to know that people like them
can thrive and succeed in the workplace. While Lenovo
and Intel’s research shows employees across all fivegeographies find D&I efforts important in the workplace,
two geographies showcased the strongest desire forincreased D&I initiatives – China and Brazil. These
countries also showcase the strongest optimism fortechnology as an enabler for D&I efforts.
Geographical nuances on the importance of D&I
Respondents in China, Brazil and the US say acompany’s D&I policies are “extremely” or “very”
important when deciding where to apply and whether
to accept an offer, at a higher rate than the UK andGermany (see appendix 4). Additionally, a higher
percentage of Chinese and Brazilian employees feelthat D&I is improving their workplace, that D&I at work

has a positive impact on them personally, and want
their employers to be more proactive in promoting
D&I (see appendix 5).
Optimism for technology’s role inincreasing D&I efforts around the world
Technology’s potential to facilitate human connection,
understanding and empathy does not come without
apprehension – people across all markets consistently
worry about whether technology, including AI, could
potentially silence or leave behind those historicallymarginalized or underrepresented. Although employees
express some concerns over the harmful potential ofAI, those in the emerging markets are more optimistic,
with more than 8-in-10 employees in Brazil and China
agreeing that AI can be used to make the workplace
more diverse and inclusive, compared to about half of
respondents in the US, UK and Germany (see appendix 6).

Employee beliefs on the actions employers shouldtake to proactively advance D&I

9%

46%

45%

8%

51%

41%

15%

55%

30%

7%

26%

67%

6%

29%

65%

Do less

Do about the same

Do morePercentage who believe that technology is playing an“extremely” or “very” large role in cultivating diverse
and inclusive environments

25%
14%

32%
28%

18%

32%
51%

75%

859%

52%

88%

89%

Respondents who say a company’s
D&I policies are “extremely” or “very”
important when deciding where toapply and whether to accept an offer

Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

31%
Extremely large role

34%
52%
Very large role

In the US, working parents
value the positive impact oftech more than non-parents
Overview of findings
During a time when working remote has become thenew normal, reliance on technology and the impact it
has on individuals has become more evident. ThroughLenovo and Intel’s research, it is apparent that while
all employees appreciate the value that comes withadvances in technology, in the US, parents were more
likely to feel positively impacted than non-parents.
Technology’s impact on dynamic flexible work
Respondents who identified as a parent strongly
agreed that advances in technology have allowed
people to work in more dynamic and flexible ways
in recent years compared to their non-parent
counterparts (see appendix 7). When asked which

way technology has empowered them to work inmore dynamic and flexible ways, parents—by a12-point margin—indicated more flexible hours as
one of the top examples compared to non-parents(see appendix 8).
Role of technology advancements in D&I
By a 14-point margin, parents believed thattechnology plays a significant role in cultivating
D&I in the workplace compared to non-parents(see appendix 9). When asked if people developing
technology have a responsibility to create tech thatmakes society more diverse and inclusive, parents
were more inclined to agree/strongly agree whencompared to non-parents (see appendix 10).

In which of the following ways has technology empowered you to workin more dynamic and flexible ways?

Working more flexible hours

9Agree or Disagree: Advances in technology have allowed people towork in more dynamic and flexible ways in recent years?
US Parent

US Non Parent

Strongly agree

56%

48%

Somewhat agree

39%

46%

How big of a role do advances in technology play in cultivating
diverse and inclusive environments in the workplace?
US Overall

US Parent

US Non Parent

Extremely large role

25%

32%

19%

Very large role

32%

32%

32%

Somewhat large role

28%

25%

30%

Not that large of a role

10%

7%

12%

No role at all6%4%7%

People developing technology have a responsibility to createtechnology that makes society more diverse and inclusive.
US Overall

US Parent

US Non Parent

Strongly agree

43%

48%

40%

Somewhat agree

44%

43%

44%

US Parent

US Non Parent

Somewhat disagree

8%

6%

9%

50%

38%

Strongly disagree

5%

3%

7%

Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

Conclusion/Key Takeaways

10•

Technology has the potential to be the great enabler.

•We have learned through the pandemic that tech is anessential resource, helping to create strong, healthy andconnected communities.

•The developing world needs tech more than ever to level
the playing field. And it is here – in countries such as Chinaand Brazil – where we see the highest value placed ontechnology in terms of its D&I impact.

•We can all learn from this – the evidence is unequivocal.

Lenovo Group Limited and Intel Corporation | Diversity & Inclusion in the Global Workplace

Pictured on Right:
Young, Caucasian
girl looks down atsquare blocks she isarranging on a table