Report: Women’s Representation in Staffing Leadership Grew Slightly in 2022
45% of CEO/Owners in Staffing are Women vs. 8.8% in Fortune 500 Companies
Mountain View, California – February 28, 2023 – The percentage of women who serve as chief executive officers and owners in the staffing industry showed moderate improvement from 2020 to 2022 despite setbacks that occurred during the COVID pandemic. This is according to data from an extensive study led by the Women Business Collaborative (WBC) with support from the American Staffing Association, National Association of Personnel Services, Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), and TechServe Alliance.
The study data with SIA analysis is available on SIA’s website as a complimentary report, “Insights on Gender Parity in the US Staffing Industry.” The WBC also created a dynamic dashboard to view survey results, WBC Benchmark Survey On Gender Equity In The Staffing Industry. This research provides a detailed snapshot of the representation of women in leadership at staffing companies.
“This benchmark study and SIA’s report are gamechangers in the staffing industry in addition to being a very clear call-to-action for all leaders,” said Ursula Williams, chief operating officer for SIA, the global research and advisory firm focused on staffing and workforce solutions. “Using the data and analysis in this report, industry professionals see the degree of gender parity as well as gain a greater understanding of the key strategies for supporting and advancing women. This will change our industry – and our workforce – for the better.”
The number of women chief executive officers and owners in the staffing industry reached 45% in 2022, up only slightly from 44% in 2020. This is compared to the national average of 21%, as reported by the US Census Bureau in 2019. More notable findings include:
- Women comprise 66% of staffing’s internal workforce, but only 37% of board seats.
- 53% of CEO and owner roles at small agencies are women, compared to 18% at large firms.
- Salary review and equalization jumped from the fourth most common activity to advance women in leadership in 2020 to the top of the list in 2022.
"I am so proud of the WBC and the four supporting organizations and research firms who helped us with this historic second benchmark survey on gender equity in the staffing industry,” said Kip Wright, board member with the WBC. “While the survey provides encouraging insight into the progress our industry has made around this critical topic, there is much we can learn from our participants to help further guide us along this journey toward true and lasting gender equity.”
Dive into the research by joining thought leaders in the industry for a webinar, Gender Equity Progress in the Staffing Industry, hosted by TechServe Alliance. On Thursday, March 16 at 12:30 pm ET, panelists discuss the survey results and how we can continue to elevate and support women in the industry. Register today.
Additionally, SIA will host a special session focused on gender equity during its 2023 Executive Forum North America conference in Miami Beach. Taking place on Thursday, March 9 at 9:00 am ET, “Together We Rise: The Next Generation of Women in Staffing Leadership” is an executive deep dive on the progress made, the changes still needed, and the path forward for women in staffing through the next decade.
About the Women Business Collaborative (WBC)
The Women Business Collaborative is an alliance of businesswomen’s organizations working together to achieve equal position, pay and power for all women in business. We are a social movement consisting of millions of diverse, professional women and men, business organizations, public and private companies and the media leveraging the power of collaboration to accelerate change.
To propel women forward, WBC has united more than 70+ leading women’s organizations, activating our vast alliance to attain immediate and long-term results around nine essential action initiatives – more women as CEOs, in the C-Suite and on Boards; a demand for gender pay and parity; increasing capital for women entrepreneurs; driving more women as controllers of capital allocation; parity for women in underrepresented business sectors such as technology; and leveraging learning and development to drive pipeline promotions. Interwoven across every initiative is our call for inclusivity, diversity and equality for all women, including women of color, the LGBTQIA community and other disenfranchised women.
About Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA)
SIA is the Global Advisor on Staffing and Workforce Solutions
Elevating the Workforce Solutions Ecosystem
Founded in 1989, SIA is the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. Our proprietary research covers all categories of employed and non-employed work including temporary staffing, independent contracting and other types of contingent labor. SIA’s independent and objective analysis provides insights into the services and suppliers operating in the workforce solutions ecosystem including staffing firms, managed service providers, recruitment process outsourcers, payrolling/compliance firms and talent acquisition technology specialists such as vendor management systems, online staffing platforms, crowdsourcing and online work services. We also provide training and accreditation with our unique Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP) program.
Known for our award-winning content, data, support tools, publications, executive conferences and events, we help both suppliers and buyers of workforce solutions make better-informed decisions that improve business results and minimize risk. As a division of the international business media company, Crain Communications Inc., SIA is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in London, England.
Media Contact
Lindsey McKee, Marketing Communications Manager, Staffing Industry Analysts
Lindsey.McKee@staffingindustry.com | 650.390.6224 | www.staffingindustry.com
