The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace
We often talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion in terms of the benefits it provides organizations. And although many companies offer inclusive workplaces, many statistics tell a different story.
Whether you’re a hiring manager, a senior leader, or just an employee concerned about workplace diversity, you’ll gain an understanding of the current landscape workers must face. In this article, we explore 40 workplace statistics that cover everything from demographics to gender diversity.
Of course, everyone needs a helping hand now and again. Coach Diversity Institute makes it easy to get the help you need to become a diversity champion through courses designed to make it easy and engaging. Don’t let your workplace become another statistic; let Coach Diversity Institute guide you to a stronger workplace culture!
40 Diversity in the Workplace Statistics
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are a force that is sweeping businesses everywhere. But behind the movement is a slew of statistics highlighting the importance of having a diverse workplace and the struggles plaguing many marginalized workers. Check out the most illuminating workplace statistics as of 2022!
Diverse Demographics in the Workplace Statistics
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that diverse teams help propel innovation, collaboration, and bottom-line profits. Despite the benefits, there is still a disproportionate number of marginalized individuals who are unemployed, especially compared with their white or non-Hispanic counterparts.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 154 million people in the U.S. population have jobs.
- White workers make up about 78% of the working population.
- Twenty-nine million workers identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latina.
- Fifteen million workers are Black.
- 8.8 million Asian Americans find work in the U.S.
Overall, workers come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the importance of diversity deserves a higher priority in workplaces. While these numbers are intriguing, the representation of minority workers is on the rise and will account for a greater percentage of working individuals in the decades to come.
Gender Diversity in the Workplace Statistics
Gender and gender identity are hot-button issues, but several statistics still show that gender disparity, a lack of LGBTQ support, and small CEO representation present a significant area of opportunity.
- As of 2022, women make up 46.6% of the American workforce.
- Only 56.8% of women participate in the workforce compared to 67.9% of male workers.
- A Pew study found that 42% of women felt some kind of discrimination at work.
- 25% of working women report receiving a lower salary for a job than a man.
- Men are twice as likely to land a STEM job than a woman.
- A Mckinsey report found that less than 25% of C-Suite level employees are female.
- That same Mckinsey study found that female senior managers focus on DEI initiatives more often than their male counterparts.
- Blind auditions improved the hiring of female musicians by 50%.
- Women comprise 74.8% of education and health services positions but only 10.3% of construction industry positions.
- Men are more likely to land a promotion 17% more often than women.
In addition to gender, sexual orientation makes up a considerable portion of discrimination in the workplace. Executive teams owe it to their workforces to create a hiring process more receptive to female, gender-neutral, or transitioning employees.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace Statistics
People of color make up a small portion of the labor force, and unfortunately, other statistics support the unconscious biases present. Having an inclusive culture can help improve the outcomes of these workers, and CoachDiversity Institute can help you to start making a difference today!
- Unemployment rates for White workers sit at 3% for the first quarter of 2022.
- In comparison, African American workers faced a 6.5% unemployment rate.
- Hispanic workers experienced a 4.6% unemployment rate.
- Asian workers fared better than Black and Hispanic workers, with a 3.4% unemployment rate.
- In 2021, 4.8 million workers were foreign-born. That represents a 1.6 million person increase.
- Of all the Fortune 500 companies, only 6 have Black CEOs.
- About 134,000 businesses in the United States are Black-owned businesses.
- Only 8% of C-suite and decision-making employees are women of color.
- A Gallup poll found that 25% of people of color reported recent discrimination.
- Distinctly African American sounding names are less likely to move forward in the hiring process.
Ethnicity shouldn’t factor in hiring, promoting, or providing raises. Not only is it illegal, but having diverse teams leads to benefits like better retention rates. Inclusive companies have robust hiring practices, like blind interviews, to improve applicants’ experience.
Diversity and Inclusion Business Impact Statistics
Inclusive and diverse companies enjoy benefits that their non-diverse counterparts don’t. Although the evidence is clear, a variety of statistics still show that companies aren’t as inclusive as they claim.
- Only 22 companies from the Fortune 500 publish DEI information, including internal statistics.
- Inclusive teams are more than 35% more productive than non-inclusive organizations.
- Companies that invest in diversity, equity, and inclusion are 33% more likely to see industry-leading profitability.
- The Harvard Business Review reports that diverse companies are over 70% more likely to capture new markets.
- Diverse management teams experience 19% higher revenue than their non-diverse competitors.
- Diverse companies enjoy 2.5-times higher cash flow.
- Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time than non-diverse teams.
- Advancing inclusion and equity for women can add an estimated $12 trillion to the global GDP.
- 87% of employees claim to feel more comfortable with leaders who embody inclusive traits.
- A Deloitte survey found that 77% of organizations desire to be more diverse and inclusive, but only 12% reach DEI goals.
Diversity and inclusion statistics illuminate the mountain of work we still have to create better workplace cultures. These statistics also support that diverse workforces benefit businesses, from leadership positions to frontline workers.
Importance of Diversity Among Job Seekers and Employees Statistics
Employees are taking note of diversity and inclusion in their workplaces, making it a prime factor in where they decide to apply. Regarding company culture and DEI, workers embrace diversity and expect employers to do the same.
- 48% of Gen Z workers are racial or ethnic minorities.
- According to a Glassdoor report, 61% of the U.S. workforce experienced or witnessed some form of discrimination or harassment.
- 34% of employees leave jobs due to harassment or discrimination that goes unresolved.
- Another Glassdoor survey found that 76% of respondents want a diverse workplace.
- Millennials are 16% more diverse than baby boomers.
As the “Great Resignation” continues to shuffle workplace hiring practices, many organizations are re-evaluating company cultures to curb a lack of diversity and inclusion.
Emphasize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Coach Diversity Institute
The hiring landscape is noticeably different after the pandemic. While marked changes have made many work environments better for diverse employees, several statistics point to a different picture.
Many stats highlight the disparity between workers, from promotion opportunities to breaking into C-Suite level positions. There is much work ahead, but each year businesses make progress in creating inclusive workplaces and improving cultural diversity.
There’s no shortage of benefits you can experience from a diverse workplace. Higher profits, better employee engagement, and stronger communication are just the beginning, and Coach Diversity Institute’s workplace diversity services can help your teams develop an inclusive environment!