ADCOLOR Releases Part One Of

“State of the Workplace Study: Retention Outlook Through a DE&I Lens”

This is the first segment within a new, three-part study examining retention of diverse employees in the creative industries

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2021 – ADCOLOR – the premier organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting professionals of color and diversity in the creative industries – today unveiled part one of its inaugural study, “ADCOLOR State of the Workplace Study: Retention Outlook Through a DE&I Lens.” The three-part study examines reasons why historically excluded individuals in creative industries plan to leave their employers and reasons why they would stay. In this first segment, “Part One: Analysis of Published Information,” ADCOLOR reviewed over 400 sources within the advertising industry and business to uncover common factors that are combating inclusion and retention. The in-depth analysis, now available on the ADCOLOR website, is one of the most comprehensive reviews of advertising DE&I literature to date.

Through the organization of selected statistics, stories, surveys and strategies, ADCOLOR was able to identify five macro factors that impact the inclusion and retention of historically excluded individuals. They are:

• Subjectivity and ambiguity in creative industries breed bias
• Consumer and client-facing nature of the industry encourages performativity
• “Culture fit” criteria promote homogeneity
• Psychologically unsafe work environments create unhealthy workplaces
• Lack of investment signals a lack of dedication

“We have seen a strong shift in recent years towards increasing diversity in creative industries, but there is still much work to be done as we navigate our way towards a more stable, satisfied and inclusive workforce,” said Tiffany R. Warren, Founder and President of ADCOLOR. “The only way we can continue on the path towards inclusivity is by understanding the root causes that have left out diverse professionals for so long. I hope that by examining the macro factors in this report, leaders in the creative industries will better understand the barriers historically-excluded communities face and be inspired to find solutions that best serve their diverse professionals.”

To follow up on Part One, ADCOLOR will be releasing additional segments of the three-part study in 2022. Upcoming parts will feature primary research from the organization, including survey results and interview insights from hundreds of industry professionals, leaders and influencers.

Key findings were originally previewed during a panel session at the ADCOLOR Everywhere 2021 Conference held in New York City from October 5 – 8, 2021. The session brought together leaders from Accenture, Cardinal Change, Coach Marc Consulting, Droga5, Spark Foundry and The Richards Group to discuss insights from the study that can help create and sustain a more stable, satisfied and diverse workforce.

Learn more by viewing the full session online and downloading Part One of the study on www.adcolor.org.

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ABOUT ADCOLOR

ADCOLOR® is a not-for-profit 501(c) (6) organization whose mission is to celebrate and champion diversity in the creative industries. Our process is twofold. First, we help individuals and organizations RISE UP, letting their accomplishments and ideas shine. Then we teach these new leaders and would-be-mentors how to REACH BACK and find others who deserve to be noticed and promoted. Our goal is to create a community of diverse professionals who are here to support and uplift one another.