Staffing

Shake Shack providing more opportunities for women, people of color

Provided

April 29, 2021

Women now make up 53% of Shake Shack's overall workforce, and people of color make up 76%, according to the New York-based chain, which Thursday unveiled its annual "Stand for Something Good Summary."

Focused on community support, diversity and inclusion, employee benefits and compensation as well as sustainability, the report included the following 2025 targets:

People of color will will make up 50% of the chain's leadership team (currently 34.7%) and 30% will hold roles home-office leadership roles (currently 19.6%).
The chain will have gender parity between men and women in Shack leadership (currently 23.7%) and home-office leadership roles (currently 49%).

"We're dedicated to doing the work it takes to be a company that values diversity, not only in our words, but in our actions, as we bring our mission to Stand For Something Good to life each and every day," Idris Stover, Shake Shack director of diversity, equity and inclusion, wrote Thursday in a blog. "Ensuring equal opportunity for success, diversity in leadership at all levels and a culture that embraces different backgrounds and ideals has been the focus of our efforts since day one."

One of the ways Shake Shack is getting there is through Shift Up, a development program for entry-level managers that provides training to help improve their skillset and grow their confidence to become senior leaders.

Through classroom-based instruction, experiential learning and peer-to-peer networking, participants develop their skills in professional and business communications, digital literacy, finances, personal life management and leadership. About 75% of Shake Shack's inaugural cohort of shift managers participating in the program are women and people of color, and the next class launches this summer, Stover said.

Below are additional milestones from Shake Shack's Stand for Something Good Summary:

Created more than 1,097 jobs company-wide.
Gave over 1,500 internal promotions, with more than 55% going to women and 76% going to people of color.
Provided over $6 million in additional compensation and bonuses to team members to support them during pandemic struggles.
Established a dedicated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion function to advance commitment to fostering a culture of belonging and equal opportunity for growth.
Earned a 100% score on Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index for the second year in a row further underscoring support of the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace.
Provided paid time off to vote during the general election to ensure team members had the time and support to vote.
Tripled support to team members in need via the HUG Fund, a 501c3 non-profit fund, during the COVID-19 pandemic.