Interview with Alison Simpson on the CMA's Recent DEI Research

New research released recently by the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) found that nearly half (44 per cent) of marketers believe that age discrimination is tolerated in their workplaces more than other forms of discrimination.

The report, DEI in the Marketing Profession: Progress and Challenges, found that most Boomers (81 per cent) and Gen Xers (62 per cent) reported feeling disadvantaged by an image-conscious marketing industry. Only half (49 per cent) of Millennials reported feeling the same. This was felt most acutely in agency settings as 13 per cent of marketers in agencies considered employees in their thirties to be “older,” double the rate of client companies.

Alison Simpson, president and CEO, CMA, told Marketing News Canada via email interview that this part of the research surprised her.

”While I'm not surprised that ageism is an issue, it is surprising that so many think it is tolerated more than other forms of discrimination,” she said. “Companies are working to address racism and sexism, and the issue of ageism hasn't been understood and isn't top-of-mind. Hopefully, our survey will raise awareness, so that meaningful conversations on this can begin and this will lead to meaningful change. “

Simpson went on to share a few survey responses that highlight how marketers are feeling about ageism:

• “I am the oldest person at work and it took a while for some younger employees to get the fact that ageism is a form of discrimination.”
• "Older employees probably work harder because they're more expensive and with their age fearful of being the ones cut when companies need to reduce their workforce.”
• “I have witnessed age discrimination in terms of those who have been in the industry for many years and earn higher salaries have been let go to replace them with 3 Juniors.”

The survey also found that a vast majority of respondents agreed that having a leadership team that is well-diversified supports business growth (96 per cent) and offers many benefits (98 per cent). Notably, employees in organizations with diverse leadership feel valued and included and are invested in the organization’s success.

We asked Simpson for a few tips for companies in the marketing industry to improve their leadership diversity to reap these benefits.

“Create a safe space for employees to ask questions, learn and grow. Be an ally. Ensure employees have mentors. Mentorship is key and can provide a lot of value and learning for both the mentee and the mentor,” she said.

“It’s important for organizations to be open-minded about criteria that gets someone to leadership. While some people from diverse backgrounds might not meet all of the traditional criteria, they bring other skills or experience that demonstrate high potential. Newcomers are a great example – they’ve demonstrated adaptability, determination, courage and resilience in uprooting their lives and moving to a new country. Hiring externally could be a quicker way to make early progress.”

The research also found that in workplaces where leadership is not diverse, employee disengagement rates due to discrimination are rising (60 per cent in 2023 compared to 52 per cent in 2022). When these employees feel disengaged, most (65 per cent) will start looking for a new job.

On the other hand, in organizations with well-diversified leadership, a minority (14 per cent) said they feel disengaged at least sometimes, and only a small percentage (17 per cent) said they would look for another job if discriminatory policies or action impacts their level of engagement. Employees in these organizations are much more likely to talk to peers and try to determine how to address the situation (42 per cent) than employees in workplaces where leadership is not diversified (26 per cent).

The research also found that job satisfaction is not felt equally. About two-thirds (67 per cent) of non-marginalized women say they look for employment elsewhere when they feel disengaged due to discrimination and nearly half (48 per cent) of marginalized women say the same. Around one-third (30 per cent) of marginalized men start looking for a new job; however, none (0 per cent) of the non-marginalized men indicated they do so.

So, what steps should be taken to have a meaningful impact on diversity in the workplace for the marketing industry?

While fewer respondents report witnessing discriminatory behaviour than they did last year (78 per cent in 2023 compared to 85 per cent in 2022), the number of people who report experiencing microaggressions in the past 12 months remains high (42 per cent). The press release said the industry is moving in the right direction, but there is still work to be done.

As for how companies can create a culture that eliminates microaggressions and instead fosters inclusivity, Simpson said it begins with understanding.

”It starts with understanding. Providing formal training at all levels of the organizations, so people better understand their biases and what isn’t acceptable behaviour,” she said. “Including performance objectives for all employees related to DEI can help nurture an inclusive and supportive culture.”

Simpson also noted the importance of making consequences clear.

”It’s important to ensure there are consequences for microaggressions. Responding quickly and appropriately to microaggressions and other incidents to demonstrate that they won’t be tolerated will help create an inclusive environment,” she said. “Encouraging people to speak up and create safe spaces is also important.”

The top three steps for implementing an effective DEI strategy that emerged from the research are:

1. Senior leadership support in backing the initiative (77 per cent),
2. Hiring talent from diverse communities (72 per cent), and
3. Formal diversity and inclusivity/unconscious bias training and management programs for all employees including senior management (64 per cent)

The survey found that the value of support and resources from senior leadership has proved crucial in moving DEI initiatives beyond the idea phase.

This research was developed in collaboration with the CMA’s DEI Committee. Approximately 435 marketing professionals across Canada participated in the survey. The research was conducted by independent research firm RKI.