70+ Diversity and Inclusion (DEI) Statistics in the Workplace

The conversation around Diversity and Inclusion (DEI) has shifted from a mere discussion to a pressing need. Did you know that in 2017, 69% of executives saw DEI as crucial to their success, a significant leap from previous years? But, with Microsoft recently laying off its DEI team and DEI investment falling to 27% in 2023, many organizations are grappling with how to keep this important issue at the forefront. 

In this post, I will show you 70 compelling DEI statistics, that shed light on why making diversity and inclusion a priority is more important than ever. 

70+ DEI Statistics

General Population Demographics:

1. The 2020 census showed there’s no majority racial group under age 18, and the white population in the U.S. has declined, while Hispanic and Asian populations have surged. (Apnews)

2. People of two or more races are projected to be the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the coming decades, followed by Asians and Hispanics. (Census Library Publications)

“The human heart is too grand to be wasted in the gutter of cultural exclusivity.” — Abhijit Naskar, “Making Britain Civilized: How to Gain Readmission to The Human Race”

Gen Z Demographics and Workforce:

3. Gen Z constitutes 30% of the world’s population today and will form 27% of the workforce by 2025. (What’s the Big data)

4. The majority of Gen Z supports an inclusive society. (What’s the Big data)

5. Nearly half, or 48%, of Gen Zers belong to racial and ethnic minorities. (Pew Research)

6. Roughly 62% of Gen Z individuals believe that enhancing diversity is a positive force for society, reflecting a growing awareness of inclusivity and its broader societal benefits. (Pew Research)

7. The Black Lives Matter movement received immense support from 4 out of 5 Gen Zers. (Yubo)

Unemployment and Employment Rates:

8. Among racial groups, unemployment rates are higher for Black individuals (5.6%) and Hispanic or Latine individuals (5%), while rates for white individuals and Asians stand at 3.4% each. (Bureau of Labour Statistics)

9. In 2023, the employment rate for individuals with disabilities reached 22.5%, marking the highest level since 2008 when data collection began. This represents a 1.2% point increase from the previous year. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics)

10. The employment rate for individuals without disabilities was 65.8% in 2023, up by 0.4% points from the prior year. This highlights a significant disparity between the employment rates of those with and without disabilities. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics)

11. Nearly 29% of workers with disabilities were employed part-time in 2023, compared to approximately 16% of workers without disabilities. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics)

“If we want to include everyone, we have to help everyone develop their talents and use their gifts for the good of the community. That’s what inclusion means– everyone contributes”.–Melinda Gates

12. In 2023, 8.4% of individuals with disabilities were self-employed, compared to 5.9% of those without disabilities. (U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics)

13. In 2023, the unemployment rate for foreign-born workers in the U.S. rose slightly to 3.6%, matching the jobless rate for native-born workers. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

14. Foreign-born workers made up 18.6% of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2023, up from 18.1% in 2022.

15. Nearly half of the foreign-born labor force (47.6%) in 2023 were Hispanic, and a quarter were Asian.

16. Foreign-born men had a higher labor force participation rate at 77.5%, compared to 66.1% for native-born men.

17. The median usual weekly earnings for foreign-born full-time workers in 2023 were $987, while native-born workers earned $1,140.

Education and Income: 

18. Women aged 25-34 with a bachelor’s degree earn $52,500, while men earn $63,300. High school graduates earn $29,800 and $39,800, respectively. (College board)

19. People who hold bachelor’s degrees can expect to earn $400,000 more over their lifetimes compared to individuals with only high school diplomas. (College board)

20. From 2016 to 2018, young Black women with a bachelor’s degree earned around $42,100, while Asian men earned about $72,300. (College board)

21. In 2018, women with a 4-year college degree earned a median of $56,700, but men earned about $75,200. (College board)

22. Attending a top college can significantly increase your income; About 68% of kids from low-income families who went to the best schools ended up in the top income brackets as adults. (College board)

Impact of Education on Diverse Populations:

23. Women are increasingly earning higher education degrees, which makes them more competitive in the job market compared to men without such qualifications. (Pew Research)

24. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 52% of Black Americans and 50% of Latinos changed or cancelled their education plans, compared to 26% of White Americans. (Strada)

25. The majority of business leaders (92%) agree that a well-planned workforce education program is essential for meeting diversity and inclusion goals. (Instride)

    

Gender Employment and Income Disparities:

26. Women make up 39% of global employment but account for 54% of overall job losses. (McKinsey & Company)

27. Women are responsible for 75% of the world’s unpaid care work, a burden that has increased due to the pandemic. This increased responsibility contributes significantly to the higher job loss rates experienced by women. (McKinsey & Company)

28. Conversely, taking steps now to promote gender equality could potentially boost global GDP by $13 trillion by 2030. (McKinsey & Company)

Gender Representation in Leadership:

29. Just 6.6% of Fortune 500 companies are currently headed by women serving as CEOs. (Fortune)

30. About 25% of C-suite leaders are women, while women of color make up only about 6% of these positions. (McKinsey & Company)

31. Women in senior management roles are twice as likely as their male counterparts to prioritize DEI efforts, including supporting employee resource groups, beyond their standard job duties. (McKinsey & Company)

32. Approximately 80% of women report that their employer has not provided information, staff training, or implemented a policy addressing menopause-related absences. (Fawcett Society)

“Equality is not a concept. It’s not something we should be striving for. It’s a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women, and the misogyny that is in every culture is not a true part of the human condition. It is life out of balance, and that imbalance is sucking something out of the soul of every man and woman who’s confronted with it. We need equality. Kinda now”. — Joss Whedon

Gender in the Workforce and Job Satisfaction:

33. In 2022, 59% of women experienced non-inclusive behaviours at work, up from 52% in 2021. Only 23% of microaggressions were reported to employers, while 66% of harassment incidents were reported. (UPL)

34. Women employed by “gender equality leaders” report significantly higher job satisfaction and well-being. Only 3% of women at these organizations feel burned out, contrasting with higher rates found elsewhere. (UPL)

35. Women are noticeably hesitant to express opinions. Only about 67% of women believe they can voice contrary opinions without facing negative consequences, whereas approximately 80% of men feel similarly empowered to express differing views. (CultureAmp)

36. 44% of women reported they had opted not to pursue or accept a job because they felt the organization lacked inclusivity. (McKinsey & Company)

Racial Representation and Leadership:

37. In terms of racial demographics in managerial roles, more than three-quarters of managers are of Caucasian descent. Specifically, at the senior manager level, 83% are white, and at the executive level, the figure rises to 85%. (US Census Bureau)

38. As of 2024, only 8 companies on the Fortune 500 list are led by Black CEOs. (Fortune)

Racial Discrimination and Employment:

39. Approximately 40% of Black employees have faced discrimination in hiring, pay, or promotions based on their race or ethnicity, whereas 25% of Asian workers and 20% of Hispanic or Latinx workers have reported similar experiences. (Pew Research)

40. Researchers discovered that job applicants with names perceived as distinctively Black are less likely to receive callbacks from employers compared to those with names perceived as distinctively White. (NBER)

“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need”. — Rick Riordan, “The Red Pyramid”

Business Outcomes and Racial Diversity:

41. In a 2021 survey, 60% of respondents reported that having a diverse sales team has played a key role in their team’s success. (Forrester)

42. Businesses that prioritize racial and ethnic diversity in their workforce are 35% more likely to achieve financial returns above their industry’s national median. (McKinsey & Company)

43. Similarly, companies that emphasize gender diversity in their teams are 15% more likely to exceed their industry’s national median financial returns. (McKinsey & Company)

44. Companies with a diverse workforce are significantly more likely to experience growth: 45% reported increased market share from the previous year, and 70% successfully entered new markets. (Harvard Business Review)

45. In contrast, without diverse leadership, women face a 20% lower chance of getting endorsement for their ideas compared to straight white men, while people of color experience a 24% lower chance, and LGBT individuals face a 21% lower chance. (Harvard Business Review)

46. Businesses that indicated higher diversity within their management teams also achieved notably higher innovation revenues, 45% of their total revenue, compared to 26% for companies with less diverse leadership. (BCG)

“Urging an organization to be inclusive is not an attack. It’s progress”. — DaShanne Stokes

Workplace Discrimination and Inclusion:

47. Workers are increasingly prioritizing diverse and inclusive workplaces because 45% of American workers reported experiencing discrimination and/or harassment within the past year. (Gallup)

48. Women employed by “gender equality leaders” report significantly higher job satisfaction and well-being. Only 3% of women at these organizations feel burned out, contrasting with higher rates found elsewhere. (UPL)

“Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day. As leaders, we have to put out the message that we embrace and not just tolerate diversity”. — Nellie Borrero. Managing Director and Senior Strategic Adviser, Global Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture

DEI Strategies and Implementation:

49. In 2023, only 154 Fortune 500 companies published DEI reports, up from 79 in 2022. Despite this progress, most companies did not track data on the hiring of women, people of color, employees with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups. (Purpose Brand)

50. 89% of companies already have a formal DEI strategy, and the remaining 11% plan to implement one within the next 12 months. (Traliant)

51. 57% of organizations have no dedicated DEI resources or budget. (Traliant)

52. 65% of companies conduct DEI training. (Traliant)

53. 58% of organizations have defined and trained teams to identify unconscious bias and microaggressions. (Traliant)

DEI Leadership and Impact

54. 71% of respondents say their executives are involved in decisions about endorsing and advancing DEI, but only 13% claim their executives are proactive and visible in those activities. (Traliant)

55. 61% of respondents consider DEI training “important” (52%) or “very important” (9%) to their organizations. (Traliant)

56. 48% of respondents say their HR teams “own” their DEI strategy, while 44% say their executive team “owns” the strategy. (Traliant)

57. Companies that highlighted diversity in their job postings attracted 26% more female applicants compared to those that did not emphasize diversity. (LinkedIn)

58. Organizations with a DEI team were 22% more likely to be perceived as leaders in their industry with top-tier talent and 12% more likely to be seen as welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds. (LinkedIn)

Public Perception and Engagement

59. 76% of job seekers and employees consider diversity an important factor when evaluating job opportunities. (LinkedIn)

60. In 2020, LinkedIn posts focused on diversity garnered 1.9 times more engagement than other types of posts. (LinkedIn)

61.  In 2022, 45% of learning and development intended to introduce DEI programs, up from 34% in 2021. (LinkedIn)

62.  69% of recruiters and HR professionals stated that their organizations were dedicated to increasing diversity in hiring, but just 47% were actually holding hiring managers responsible. (LinkedIn)

63. 38% of companies admitted they were falling behind as a whole in terms of diversity. (The IN Group)

64. 52% of CEOs felt their organization was falling behind in diversity, compared to only 37% of chief people and chief HR officers who felt the same. (The IN Group)

Age Discrimination and Diversity

65. 63% of tech workers identify the gender pay gap as a concern. (ANSR and Talent500)

66. A significant portion of IT and tech professionals; 41% have reported experiencing workplace discrimination based on age, while 32% express concerns about potentially losing their jobs due to ageism. (CWJobs)

“We live in a time when the focus is so much on young talent that we forget that older talent bring knowledge and experience that is so important to have within your workforce, if we are going to be truly representative of society. What we need to realise is that new ideas and innovation are not only present amongst the younger generations, older generations in the workplace can be just as innovative, especially in the tech space”. –Dr. Asif Sadiq, Chief DEI, Warner Bros. Discovery 

67. Nearly 61% of workers aged 45 and older reported experiencing age discrimination at work. Of those who encountered age bias, 91% indicated they perceived such discrimination as prevalent. (AARP)

68. 16% of survey participants reported missing out on job opportunities they applied for due to age discrimination. 12% noted being passed over for promotions for the same reason. (AARP)

69. Additionally, 7% stated they had experienced job loss or forced termination because of their age. (AARP)

Future Trends and Initiatives

70. By the year 2025, organizations will be presenting a comprehensive range of diversity initiatives as part of their submissions for the DEI Lighthouse cycle. (World Economic Forum)

71. 82% of individuals foresee that maintaining or increasing racial and ethnic diversity in their sales teams will be a priority over the next two years. Additionally, 72% expect that DEI considerations will influence overall business decisions within the same timeframe. (Forrester)

72. Employees are 4.5 times more likely to want to work at a company that actively supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. (Edelman)

73. 76% of respondents felt that their organization had the right strategies in place for recruiting the next generation of technology talent. (The IN Group)

74. 63% of respondents from various generations prioritize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness (DE&I) when selecting an employer, with Gen Z and millennials placing even greater emphasis on these values. (EY)

“Diverse groups are more creative. They feel uncomfortable, and that discomfort motivates them to do extra preparation and share new information”. — Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist and Writer, “Work Life Podcast”

An Interesting DEI Read

Despite the decline in DEI efforts, two agencies are intensifying their DEI efforts in 2024, showing their business value. Ogilvy is helping employees and clients connect by running a program across different offices and countries, focusing on both their differences and similarities. On the other hand, a diverse panel at Fitzco checks all content for inclusivity before it goes public. Awesome!

Final Words

As you’ve seen from the 70 statistics presented, a strong DEI commitment enhances innovation, employee satisfaction, and overall business success. By focusing on these insights, you can take meaningful steps towards building a more inclusive workplace that drives growth and engagement. The future of work depends on how well YOU embrace and implement these DEI principles today.