ResumeTemplates.com, the leading platform for free professional resume templates and examples, has released new findings from a February 2025 survey examining the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs on U.S. workers. The survey of 1,239 full-time employees reveals that half of Americans believe DEI initiatives have positively influenced their careers, while 11% say they have been negatively impacted.
According to the survey, 49% of workers say DEI programs benefited their careers, compared to 39% who report no impact and 11% who say these initiatives hurt them. White men were the least likely to say DEI benefited their careers (39%) and the most likely to say it caused harm (19%). Women (50%) and non-white workers (58%) were more likely to report positive career impacts.
Among those who found DEI beneficial, 64% cited a more inclusive and supportive workplace, 52% noted increased leadership diversity, and 50% felt promotion opportunities became fairer. In contrast, among those who felt DEI hurt their careers, 72% said less qualified candidates were hired over them, 67% felt their promotion opportunities were reduced, and 50% felt excluded from the workplace culture.
Despite concerns from some workers, the majority (62%) believe DEI programs have made their workplace feel more inclusive, while 51% say these initiatives led to fairer hiring practices. Only 24% believe DEI resulted in less qualified hires, and 18% say DEI has divided their workplace.
Following President Trump’s January 2025 executive order banning DEI programs in the federal government, only 34% of workers support the decision, while 53% oppose it. 68% of employees believe DEI policies should continue in hiring and workplace practices, with 20% opposing such policies and the remainder uncertain.
“Some believe Trump’s executive order will lead to more discriminatory hiring and promotion practices, though the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) still exists to address workplace discrimination,” says ResumeTemplates’ Chief Career Strategist Julia Toothacre. “Others argue DEI itself is discriminatory, but many people remain unaware of their own biases that make these programs necessary.”
This survey, conducted in February 2025 via Pollfish, gathered responses from 1,239 U.S. full-time workers.
View the complete report here.
