Last month President Trump signed an executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs for federal contractors, sparking debate about their impact. To gauge public opinion, ResumeTemplates surveyed 1,239 employees from companies with DEI initiatives.
The results show that nearly half (49%) of Americans say DEI has positively impacted their careers, with women and minorities seeing the most benefits.
However, 11% felt it hurt their prospects — especially white men — who were more likely to report negative effects. Younger workers were also more likely to support DEI.
Those who saw benefits pointed to a more inclusive workplace (64%), better leadership diversity (52%), and fairer promotions (50%). On the flip side, 72% of those who felt harmed by DEI cited less qualified candidates being hired over them.
Despite criticism, 51% of respondents said DEI improved hiring fairness, and 62% felt it made their workplace more inclusive. However, 24% thought it led to hiring less qualified candidates.
Regarding Trump’s executive order, 68% of workers support continuing DEI programs, fearing that halting them will undo progress. Critics warn that cutting DEI could lead to biased hiring and lost opportunities for those working to create inclusive workplaces.
