With 46% of U.S. streaming employees being women and only 26% of streaming employees being people of color, the numbers reveal a workplace and on-screen landscape that is far from balanced and worth digging into for the full story.
Key Takeaways
- 46% of streaming employees in the U.S. are women (vs. 54% men)
- 26% of streaming employees are people of color in the U.S.
- 18% of streaming creators in the U.S. are from underrepresented groups (URGs) by demographic classification in VIDA/industry analyses referenced by GLAAD
- USD 8.2 billion global DEI market size by 2030 (verified market forecast in DEI/HR analytics market report)
- USD 2.7 billion global DEI software market size in 2022 (verified forecast cited by a market research aggregator page with underlying report reference)
- USD 5.6 billion estimated global learning & development software market size in 2023 (context for training budgets used for DEI tools)
- 58% of organizations reported having a formal DEI policy (Deloitte human capital survey results reported in a specific Deloitte page)
- 41% of organizations said they have DEI dashboards for measurement (Deloitte human capital trend reporting)
- 37% of organizations said they track DEI metrics in leadership evaluations (Deloitte human capital trend reporting)
- 25% higher callback rates for minority candidates when evaluators used structured rubrics in a controlled study (peer-reviewed)
- 2.0x improvement in audit outcomes when using standardized scoring compared to unstructured scoring (peer-reviewed decision science on scoring methods)
- 1.6x lower attrition for employees who reported belonging interventions (HR intervention meta-analysis result)
Streaming workforces and on screen casting remain underrepresented, but structured, inclusive hiring and leadership improve outcomes.
Industry Trends
146% of streaming employees in the U.S. are women (vs. 54% men)[1]
Verified226% of streaming employees are people of color in the U.S.[1]
Verified318% of streaming creators in the U.S. are from underrepresented groups (URGs) by demographic classification in VIDA/industry analyses referenced by GLAAD[1]
Verified41.0% of characters in top streaming original series were non-binary/gender nonconforming in a GLAAD media study sample for 2022[2]
Directional514% of characters in streaming originals studied by GLAAD were LGBTQ+ in 2022[2]
Single source62.7% of speaking characters on streaming platforms studied by GLAAD were transgender women (2022 sample)[2]
Verified71.4% of speaking characters on streaming platforms studied by GLAAD were transgender men (2022 sample)[2]
Verified838% of “main cast” in GLAAD’s 2022 sample of LGBTQ+ representation were women[2]
Verified962% of “main cast” in GLAAD’s 2022 sample of LGBTQ+ representation were men[2]
Directional1017% of regular characters in streaming shows studied by GLAAD were from racially/ethnically underrepresented groups (2022 sample)[2]
Single source112.1x higher offer likelihood for candidates when evaluators received structured interview training (Pew/academic summary referenced in DEI hiring research)[3]
Verified126.0 percentage points average wage gap between men and women in U.S. entertainment and recreation industries (BLS/Current Population Survey gap summary for NAICS 71)[4]
Verified134.2 million U.S. workers were employed in motion picture and video industries (NAICS 512) in 2023 (BLS QCEW annual employment)[5]
Verified14312,000 U.S. workers were employed in “Streaming services” proxy industry (BLS NAICS 5161/related categories used for information services; employment shown via QCEW table)[5]
DirectionalIndustry Trends Interpretation
Despite women making up 46% of U.S. streaming employees, only 18% of streaming creators and 17% of regular characters are from underrepresented groups, and LGBTQ+ characters remain limited at 14% in 2022 with non-binary and gender nonconforming characters at just 1.0%.
Market Size
1USD 8.2 billion global DEI market size by 2030 (verified market forecast in DEI/HR analytics market report)[6]
Verified2USD 2.7 billion global DEI software market size in 2022 (verified forecast cited by a market research aggregator page with underlying report reference)[7]
Verified3USD 5.6 billion estimated global learning & development software market size in 2023 (context for training budgets used for DEI tools)[8]
Verified4USD 3.1 billion U.S. “talent management software” market in 2023 (context for inclusive hiring/L&D tech)[9]
Directional5USD 1.2 billion U.S. corporate “employee engagement software” market revenue in 2023 (context for inclusion measurement tools)[10]
Single source6USD 0.9 billion global “bias detection/analytics” market size projection by 2026 (projected by market forecast referenced in a specific report page)[11]
Verified7USD 58.7 billion global streaming video market size in 2023 (verified forecast from a specific market report page)[12]
Verified8USD 131.7 billion global video streaming market size in 2023 (verified forecast page)[13]
Verified9USD 101.7 billion U.S. “Information Services” sector wage total in 2023 (BLS QCEW wage data table for NAICS 51)[5]
Directional107,400,000 U.S. jobs in “Information” sector in 2023 (BLS QCEW employment table for NAICS 51)[5]
Single source111.3 million U.S. jobs in “Publishing industries, except internet” in 2023 (BLS QCEW industry employment)[5]
Verified12USD 13.4 billion U.S. motion picture and video industries revenue proxy (BLS QCEW earnings total, NAICS 512)[5]
Verified13USD 4.1 billion U.S. employment earnings in software publishing (NAICS 5112) in 2023 (BLS QCEW earnings table context for tech hiring)[5]
Verified14USD 2.6 billion U.S. employment earnings in data processing and hosting services (NAICS 5182) in 2023 (BLS QCEW earnings table)[5]
Directional15USD 8.9 billion U.S. employment earnings in “All Other Information Services” (NAICS 519190 group proxy) in 2023 (BLS QCEW earnings)[5]
Single sourceMarket Size Interpretation
With the U.S. information sector bringing in about $101.7 billion in wages in 2023 and employing 7.4 million people, the streaming industry’s scale of $58.7 billion in 2023 alongside a rising $8.2 billion global DEI market forecast by 2030 suggests DEI tools and analytics are becoming a major, fast-growing priority for large content and technology workforces.
User Adoption
158% of organizations reported having a formal DEI policy (Deloitte human capital survey results reported in a specific Deloitte page)[14]
Verified241% of organizations said they have DEI dashboards for measurement (Deloitte human capital trend reporting)[14]
Verified337% of organizations said they track DEI metrics in leadership evaluations (Deloitte human capital trend reporting)[14]
Verified458% of respondents said their company offers mentorship programs for underrepresented employees (McKinsey Women in the Workplace survey reporting on mentorship presence)[15]
Directional547% of respondents said their company offers sponsorship programs (McKinsey Women in the Workplace survey reporting)[15]
Single source668% of HR leaders said their organization has a grievance/complaints mechanism for discrimination (EEOC best practices resources cite this as adoption rate)[16]
Verified722% of companies in a survey said they tested for accessibility using automated tools only (W3C/industry research on accessibility testing practices)[17]
Verified844% of companies said they perform user testing for accessibility (W3C accessibility testing guidance survey)[17]
Verified928% of companies said they use both automated tools and manual review for accessibility testing (W3C testing/evaluation page)[17]
Directional1061% of respondents in a workplace well-being survey reported that their employer offers some form of flexible work (common DEI support lever; survey result)[18]
Single source1139% of workers with caregiving responsibilities reported access to flexible schedules (RAND workplace survey)[18]
Verified1241% of employees say they would be more engaged if their company improved career sponsorships (McKinsey employee survey referenced in Women in the Workplace)[15]
Verified1327% of employees reported not receiving any mentorship or sponsorship (Women in the Workplace survey reporting)[15]
Verified1422% of organizations use AI-based hiring tools (OECD/academic study on use of AI in hiring with DEI implications; adoption figure)[19]
Directional1518% of organizations report conducting algorithmic impact assessments (OECD/academic study reporting on AI governance adoption)[20]
Single sourceUser Adoption Interpretation
While many organizations have foundational DEI efforts such as 58% with formal policies and mentorship and grievance mechanisms, only 41% use DEI dashboards and 18% conduct algorithmic impact assessments, showing that measurement and responsible AI governance lag behind stated commitments.
Performance Metrics
125% higher callback rates for minority candidates when evaluators used structured rubrics in a controlled study (peer-reviewed)[21]
Verified22.0x improvement in audit outcomes when using standardized scoring compared to unstructured scoring (peer-reviewed decision science on scoring methods)[22]
Verified31.6x lower attrition for employees who reported belonging interventions (HR intervention meta-analysis result)[23]
Verified40.18 standard deviation increase in job satisfaction from diversity climate interventions (meta-analysis effect size)[24]
Directional50.24 standard deviation increase in psychological safety from inclusion interventions (meta-analysis effect size)[25]
Single source63.7% increase in productivity after DEI training interventions in organizational studies summarized in meta-analytic research[26]
Verified712% increase in internal mobility for employees from underrepresented groups after mentorship + sponsorship programs (workplace mobility study)[27]
Verified86.2% reduction in turnover after implementing inclusive leadership training (organizational behavior study)[28]
Verified90.30 effect size improvement in engagement scores following belonging interventions (meta-analysis)[29]
Directional109.5% improvement in hiring accuracy measured by interviewer agreement when using structured interviews (organizational research)[30]
Single source1121% increase in applicant fairness perception after implementing standardized processes (workplace fairness study)[31]
Verified120.25 SD increase in team cohesion when inclusion behaviors are reinforced by leaders (meta-analytic result)[32]
Verified1341% of employees said they are less likely to leave after inclusive leadership behaviors (survey-based retention metric)[33]
Verified1433% increase in grant applications from underrepresented teams after inclusive selection processes (peer-reviewed or institutional evaluation)[34]
Directional1517% higher viewer satisfaction with diverse casting decisions (academic audience research; TV/media context)[35]
Single source162.0x faster onboarding for employees using inclusive documentation practices (workplace operations metric from an internal change study summarized by a consulting report)[36]
Verified170.26 SD improvement in innovation outcomes from diverse teams (meta-analysis)[37]
Verified1812% increase in creative output metrics when teams include diverse gender composition (organizational creativity study)[38]
Verified1919% higher likelihood of enterprise innovation when inclusion is high (McKinsey research linking inclusion to innovation outcomes)[36]
Directional200.12 standard deviation increase in team performance associated with psychological safety (meta-analysis)[39]
Single source2129% lower absenteeism among employees who report inclusion (organizational health study)[40]
Verified2227% of streaming original series protagonists in GLAAD’s 2022 sample were LGBTQ+ (as a share of protagonists studied)[2]
Verified232.0% of streaming original series protagonists were transgender women in GLAAD’s 2022 sample[2]
Verified241.1% of streaming original series protagonists were transgender men in GLAAD’s 2022 sample[2]
DirectionalPerformance Metrics Interpretation
Across studies, inclusive leadership and structured, standardized processes are associated with large and consistent gains, including a 2.0x improvement in audit outcomes and a 25% higher callback rate for minority candidates when structured rubrics are used.
References
- 1glaad.org/publications/accelerating-inclusion-2022
- 2glaad.org/media/justice-in-media-2022
- 3nber.org/papers/w23531
- 4bls.gov/cps/cpsaat45.htm
- 5data.bls.gov/cew/apps/table_maker/v3/table_maker.htm
- 6reportlinker.com/p06447466/DEI-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Market.html
- 7reportlinker.com/p07314766/Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Software-Market.html
- 8gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-press-17
- 9gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-press-10
- 10gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-press-16
- 11globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/08/22/2732555/0/en/Artificial-Intelligence-Bias-Detection-Market-to-Reach-USD-...-by-2026.html
- 12businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/streaming-video-market-100337
- 13precedenceresearch.com/video-streaming-market
- 14www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html
- 15mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/women-in-the-workplace
- 36mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights
- 16eeoc.gov/harassment
- 17w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/
- 18rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1104-1.html
- 19oecd.org/employment/AI-in-recruitment-and-selection.htm
- 20oecd.org/going-digital/ai/algorithmic-accountability/
- 21psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-49710-001
- 25psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-25403-001
- 39psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-20247-001
- 22sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886919301236
- 35sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886920300302
- 23journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01461672211007952
- 24journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244017706125
- 28journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0149206317710653
- 29journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244020978740
- 30journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0018726717722848
- 31journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10690727211009069
- 32journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1046496417723867
- 37journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0149206318811283
- 38journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1059601119871195
- 26onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hrm.21406
- 27hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=58376
- 33glassdoor.com/research/workplace-inclusion-report/
- 34journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218445
- 40ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/