Thailand, 18 Dec 2024 – 27% of working professionals in Thailand felt that their personal diversity factors have limited their career advancement opportunities within their organisation, according to a new Hays report researching current attitudes and the effectiveness of diversity, equity and inclusivity (DE&I) practices in the workplace. 

The report, ‘Building Inclusive Hiring Practices: A Blueprint for Action’, surveyed 966 working professionals and hiring managers across Thailand, China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia in July 2024. 

Respondents were asked how various diversity factors affected their careers within their organisation, and where they felt their companies stood today with DE&I initiatives. Diversity factors taken into account included ethnicity, gender identity, socio economic background, disability, sexual orientation, neurodiversity or status as a caregiver. 

“Professionals in Thailand encompass a diverse range of groups that make up local workforces,” says Yoke Pei Ong, Country Director at Hays Thailand. “Individuals who are made to feel included and treated equitably indicated that they were more likely to be communicative with managers, and contribute increased engagement and participation at work.” 

Among the groups surveyed in Thailand, men felt they were most likely to face barriers to career growth, at 41% compared to 13 per cent of women. 39% of caregivers were also more likely to feel limitations to career progression, compared to non-caregivers at 15 per cent.  

“Creating an inclusive and equitable environment can eliminate bias, promote diversity, and ensure that qualified candidates have equal opportunities to compete for open positions. The more effectively organisations embed DE&I practices into their recruitment processes, the better they will be at attracting professionals from diverse talent pools,” says Yoke Pei. 

When asked what steps organisations could take to make them feel more equitably treated, the most popular actions voted by respondents were transparent inclusive recruitment, progression and promotion processes (53%), followed by clear policies against discrimination and harassment (47%), and diverse representation in all levels of the organisation (32%). 

“Understanding which processes have been put into place and what remains to be implemented is key to addressing inclusivity gaps. Leaders can close these gaps by reviewing existing measures and identifying the most effective practices to support professionals in need of equity,” adds Yoke Pei.