More than half of decision-makers at enterprise firms characterize their diversity, equity and inclusion policies as advanced or mature, according to a survey released by TEKsystems. A majority said DE&I made their company a better place to work and better equipped it for recruiting and retaining diverse talent. In addition, 68% of enterprise decision-makers expect to increase their DE&I spending and hiring in 2024.

“We’re seeing companies increasingly recognize that a diverse workforce is a critical factor in fueling innovation with creativity and problem-solving,” Faith Rottmann Johnson, VP of human resources, talent acquisition and corporate social responsibility at TEKsystems, said in a press release.

“Leaders are putting more intentional time and resources behind their policies, and that impact is being felt companywide,” Johnson said. “For example, more women are reporting that DEI programs have positively impacted their career development and opportunities for job growth.”

Other findings in the report included:

• Nearly half of organizations’ senior-most DE&I leaders are C-level or executive-level management. Meanwhile, one in four IT employees do not know the level of their senior-most DE&I officer.
• IT decision-makers are more likely to say DE&I is critical for an inclusive IT workplace (89%) versus 61% of employees who agree.
• Twenty-five percent of employees say parental leave is the most valued DE&I policy, which is the second-highest percentage. In comparison, only 14% of decision-makers think parental leave is the most effective for creating an effective DEI policy.
• HR leaders put the most value on recruitment and retention, while IT leaders and employees focus more on training and development.

The survey for TEKsystems’ report took place in November 2023 and included 820 IT and HR professionals.