A new poll by Diversity Dashboard has found that while many employees believe their organisation is taking meaningful action on inclusion, a significant proportion remain unsure whether those efforts extend beyond words and formal policies.
The poll, conducted between 4 December 2025 and 4 February 2026, asked respondents: “Do you feel your organisation takes meaningful action to support inclusion beyond just words or policies?” A total of 718 people took part.
Nearly half of respondents (48%) said yes, reporting that they see real action and accountability within their organisation. This suggests that for a substantial number of workplaces, inclusion initiatives are translating into visible practices and behaviours.
However, the largest group of respondents (51%) said they were not sure, indicating that they had not seen enough evidence to confidently assess their employer’s approach. This finding points to a widespread lack of visibility around inclusion efforts, rather than outright scepticism or resistance.
Only very small numbers of respondents reported that inclusion efforts felt performative or symbolic, or that initiatives existed but were inconsistent. While these figures are too low to draw firm conclusions, they suggest that overt dissatisfaction is not the dominant sentiment among respondents.
Commenting on the findings, Ian Thomas, founder of Diversity Dashboard, said the results highlight a recurring challenge for employers.
“What stands out here is not a rejection of inclusion, but uncertainty,” Thomas said. “Many organisations may be doing the right things behind the scenes, but if employees can’t see or feel those actions in their day-to-day experience, the impact is diluted.”
He added that visibility and accountability are increasingly central to how inclusion is judged in the workplace.
“Inclusion today isn’t measured by policies alone. People are looking for evidence — in leadership behaviour, decision-making, progression, and how concerns are handled. When those signals aren’t clear, employees understandably hesitate to say inclusion is really happening.”
The findings suggest that employers may need to place greater emphasis not only on implementing inclusion initiatives, but also on communicating them clearly and demonstrating their outcomes. Without transparency, even well-intentioned actions risk going unnoticed by the workforce they are designed to support.
As expectations around workplace fairness, equity and culture continue to evolve, the poll underscores a growing gap between organisational intent and employee perception. Bridging that gap, the results indicate, may be as much about clarity and trust as it is about strategy.