New Yorkers Prefer Diversity in the Workplace.

A majority of job seekers in the New York area prefer to work in a diverse environment, according to new research findings released by The New York Times Job Market.

These findings highlight the second of a three-part series of reports on workplace diversity from The Times Job Market Research, an ongoing original research study on employment trends and practices in the New York area.

Following are the responses of job seekers surveyed:

— 94% would rather work in a diverse workplace, while only 6% would rather not,

— 77% are looking for a diverse workplace in their next job,

— 76% say diversity improves the work environment, while only 7% say it worsens the environment, and

— 55% say a diverse workplace is extremely or very important to them in their job search. African American (68%) and Hispanic (67%) job seekers are more likely than Caucasian job seekers (46%) to say this.

Both hiring managers and job seekers agree that workplace diversity benefits business performance. The percentages of those who think workplace diversity helps performance are as follows:

— 71% of job seekers

— 66% of hiring managers from mid- to large-sized companies (100+ employees)

— 54% of hiring managers from small companies (fewer than 100 employees)

Nearly half (46%) of hiring managers at mid- to large-sized companies and 31% of hiring managers at small companies say increasing the level of diversity at their company would benefit business performance even more. As one hiring manager describes it, “The people who are working for us go into the communities with the same background or culture of that community.” The hiring manager pointed out that employees who share the same language, culture or ethnic identity of their potential customers have a strong advantage within that community, which ultimately helps the company’s bottom line. Conversely, only two percent of hiring managers and nine percent of job seekers say that workplace diversity hinders business performance.

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