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Brodhead Center

Newsweek Ranks Duke Among “America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity”

University earns highest-possible rating for creating a supportive climate for a diverse workforce

The list was compiled by Plant-A Insights for Newsweek and used public data, interviews with human resources professionals about the most important drivers of employee satisfaction for 2023, and anonymous surveys of a diverse pool of employees from companies with 1,000-or-more employees. The employees surveyed represented a variety of racial and ethnic groups as well as parents, single parents, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT community. 

Participants evaluated a series of statements pertaining to the employee's experience regarding company image, corporate culture, working environment, work-life balance, training and career progression, compensation and benefits, sustainability awareness, and proactive management of the diverse workforce. 

In all, the process yielded feedback on around 350,000 companies. Duke’s five-star rating represented the best-possible score.

The 1,000 highest-scoring employers were included in the list, which appears in the magazine when it hits stands around January 27.

From robust lactation support services to giving staff and faculty the option to select their gender identity and pronouns in Duke’s personnel database, Duke Human Resources has taken steps to meet the needs of its diverse workforce. As part of its ongoing work, the Office for Institutional Equity has created several resources to help community members understand and confront racism. And since its formation in 2021, Duke’s Racial Equity Advisory Council has guided and evaluated the institution’s efforts to become a more equitable and inclusive space. 

“When it comes to recruiting or retaining the best people, you have to be an organization where people feel seen, heard and valued,” Lofton said. “We want Duke to be a place where our employees feel that they can be themselves.”

Duke University and Duke University Health System were honored by Forbes as among the top employers in the stateand in the nation in 2022 and as among the best employers for women in 2021.

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