GITNUXREPORT 2025

Hr In The Garment Industry Statistics

Garment industry faces gender disparity, poor wages, and HR management challenges worldwide.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

The average tenure of HR managers in the garment sector is approximately 3 years

Statistic 2

Approximately 20% of garment factories have implemented formal HR policies addressing worker safety and rights

Statistic 3

Over 90% of apparel brands have sourcing policies that impact HR practices in factories

Statistic 4

Most garment factories do not have dedicated HR departments, with estimates suggesting only 40% do

Statistic 5

Approximately 50% of garment factories face difficulties recruiting skilled HR personnel

Statistic 6

65% of garment factories lack formal HR policies on diversity and inclusion

Statistic 7

Less than 25% of garment factories conduct regular audits on HR compliance

Statistic 8

Approximately 90% of garment factories in low-income countries operate without formal HR policies

Statistic 9

The number of garment factories with digital HR management systems has increased by 30% over the past five years

Statistic 10

40% of garment factories do not have formal onboarding processes for new HR staff

Statistic 11

Nearly 60% of garment factories in some regions report difficulty in retaining HR staff

Statistic 12

Over 50% of garment factory HR managers have no formal succession planning in place

Statistic 13

Only approximately 25% of garment factories conduct exit interviews with departing employees

Statistic 14

65% of garment industry HR managers believe that automation will significantly impact HR practices in the next five years

Statistic 15

Less than 20% of garment factories currently use HR analytics tools to improve workforce management

Statistic 16

Around 30% of garment factories have implemented workplace gender policies

Statistic 17

Only 15% of garment sector HR managers report having comprehensive training on labor rights and compliance

Statistic 18

Over 80% of garment factories lack systematic HR data management practices, reducing data-driven decision making

Statistic 19

Only about 25% of garment factories have sustainability metrics linked to HR performance

Statistic 20

The ratio of HR staff to workers in garment factories often exceeds 1:500, indicating staff shortages

Statistic 21

40% of garment factories do not have a dedicated compliance officer to oversee HR regulations

Statistic 22

Approximately 60-70% of garment industry workers are women

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Approximately 80% of garment factory workers are migrant women

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The garment industry employs around 60 million people worldwide

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Over 75% of garment workers in developing countries earn less than the living wage

Statistic 26

About 65% of garment factories worldwide are located in Asia

Statistic 27

The garment industry has a global labor force with an approximate female participation rate of 70%

Statistic 28

The average age of garment workers in developing countries is around 25-30 years old

Statistic 29

The average salary of garment workers in Bangladesh is around $96 per month

Statistic 30

The employment rate of women in the garment industry is higher in rural areas compared to urban centers

Statistic 31

The turnover rate for HR personnel in the garment industry is roughly 15-20% annually

Statistic 32

Only about 30% of garment workers are covered by social security benefits

Statistic 33

The number of migrant garment workers has increased by 25% in the last decade

Statistic 34

The percentage of garment workers participating in voluntary training programs is around 35%

Statistic 35

About 70% of HR-related complaints in garment factories are related to salary disputes

Statistic 36

The average wage gap between male and female garment workers in some countries is approximately 20%

Statistic 37

The global garment industry is responsible for nearly 3% of global carbon emissions

Statistic 38

The majority of garment HR managers report challenges with compliance due to constantly changing regulations

Statistic 39

70% of garment factories in Bangladesh are unaware of key international labor standards

Statistic 40

Globally, only 20% of garments are produced under sustainable and fair labor conditions

Statistic 41

Nearly 50% of garment workers in some regions lack access to formal HR training programs

Statistic 42

15-20% of garment workers experience workplace harassment or abuse

Statistic 43

Nearly 50% of the garment workforce in some countries is below the national minimum wage

Statistic 44

25% of garment workers globally do not have access to formal healthcare

Statistic 45

About 40% of garment workers have experienced unpaid wages or delayed salary payments

Statistic 46

Only around 35% of garment factories have formal grievance redressal mechanisms for workers

Statistic 47

Around 40% of garment factories lack training programs on workplace safety

Statistic 48

In regions like Southeast Asia, over 70% of young women working in garments report high levels of job dissatisfaction

Statistic 49

Around 55% of HR managers in the garment industry believe labor rights issues are the biggest challenge they face

Statistic 50

About 25% of garment factories experience high absenteeism rates among workers, affecting HR planning

Statistic 51

The percentage of HR managers reporting burnout due to high workload is roughly 45%

Statistic 52

The average time to resolve worker grievances in garment factories is around 45 days

Statistic 53

45% of HR professionals in garment factories experience high stress levels regularly, affecting productivity

Statistic 54

The percentage of garment workers who have access to legal aid for workplace issues is under 10%

Statistic 55

50% of garment factory workers report lack of participation in decision-making processes affecting their labor rights

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Key Highlights

Approximately 60-70% of garment industry workers are women
The garment industry employs around 60 million people worldwide
Over 75% of garment workers in developing countries earn less than the living wage
The average tenure of HR managers in the garment sector is approximately 3 years
Approximately 80% of garment factory workers are migrant women
About 65% of garment factories worldwide are located in Asia
The garment industry has a global labor force with an approximate female participation rate of 70%
Nearly 50% of garment workers in some regions lack access to formal HR training programs
The average age of garment workers in developing countries is around 25-30 years old
Approximately 20% of garment factories have implemented formal HR policies addressing worker safety and rights
The global garment industry is responsible for nearly 3% of global carbon emissions
Over 90% of apparel brands have sourcing policies that impact HR practices in factories
15-20% of garment workers experience workplace harassment or abuse

With over 70% of the global workforce in the garment industry being women and nearly half earning below living wages, the human resources landscape in this billion-dollar sector faces critical challenges—from high turnover and workplace harassment to inadequate training and minimal adherence to labor standards—that demand urgent attention for sustainable and fair labor practices worldwide.

Corporate Policies and Human Resources Management

The average tenure of HR managers in the garment sector is approximately 3 years
Approximately 20% of garment factories have implemented formal HR policies addressing worker safety and rights
Over 90% of apparel brands have sourcing policies that impact HR practices in factories
Most garment factories do not have dedicated HR departments, with estimates suggesting only 40% do
Approximately 50% of garment factories face difficulties recruiting skilled HR personnel
65% of garment factories lack formal HR policies on diversity and inclusion
Less than 25% of garment factories conduct regular audits on HR compliance
Approximately 90% of garment factories in low-income countries operate without formal HR policies
The number of garment factories with digital HR management systems has increased by 30% over the past five years
40% of garment factories do not have formal onboarding processes for new HR staff
Nearly 60% of garment factories in some regions report difficulty in retaining HR staff
Over 50% of garment factory HR managers have no formal succession planning in place
Only approximately 25% of garment factories conduct exit interviews with departing employees
65% of garment industry HR managers believe that automation will significantly impact HR practices in the next five years
Less than 20% of garment factories currently use HR analytics tools to improve workforce management
Around 30% of garment factories have implemented workplace gender policies
Only 15% of garment sector HR managers report having comprehensive training on labor rights and compliance
Over 80% of garment factories lack systematic HR data management practices, reducing data-driven decision making
Only about 25% of garment factories have sustainability metrics linked to HR performance
The ratio of HR staff to workers in garment factories often exceeds 1:500, indicating staff shortages
40% of garment factories do not have a dedicated compliance officer to oversee HR regulations

Corporate Policies and Human Resources Management Interpretation

Despite a modest surge in digital HR systems, the garment industry still wrestles with fleeting HR tenures, sparse formal policies, and a daunting scarcity of dedicated staff—highlighting that behind the seams of fast fashion, worker rights and HR integrity remain largely stitched together with improvisation rather than innovation.

Demographics

Approximately 60-70% of garment industry workers are women
Approximately 80% of garment factory workers are migrant women

Demographics Interpretation

With women constituting the majority of garment industry workers—and most of them being migrant women—these statistics not only highlight gender and migration disparities but also underscore the urgent need for equitable workplace policies and protections in the global fashion supply chain.

Labor Force and Demographics

The garment industry employs around 60 million people worldwide
Over 75% of garment workers in developing countries earn less than the living wage
About 65% of garment factories worldwide are located in Asia
The garment industry has a global labor force with an approximate female participation rate of 70%
The average age of garment workers in developing countries is around 25-30 years old
The average salary of garment workers in Bangladesh is around $96 per month
The employment rate of women in the garment industry is higher in rural areas compared to urban centers
The turnover rate for HR personnel in the garment industry is roughly 15-20% annually
Only about 30% of garment workers are covered by social security benefits
The number of migrant garment workers has increased by 25% in the last decade
The percentage of garment workers participating in voluntary training programs is around 35%
About 70% of HR-related complaints in garment factories are related to salary disputes
The average wage gap between male and female garment workers in some countries is approximately 20%

Labor Force and Demographics Interpretation

With a global workforce of 60 million predominantly young women earning less than a living wage, mostly in Asia and often unprotected by social security, the garment industry's thriving yet overlooked human capital highlights both economic dependence and the urgent need for fair labor reforms.

Sustainability and Compliance in the Garment Industry

The global garment industry is responsible for nearly 3% of global carbon emissions
The majority of garment HR managers report challenges with compliance due to constantly changing regulations
70% of garment factories in Bangladesh are unaware of key international labor standards
Globally, only 20% of garments are produced under sustainable and fair labor conditions

Sustainability and Compliance in the Garment Industry Interpretation

With the garment industry contributing nearly 3% of global carbon emissions and an alarming lack of awareness and compliance with fair labor standards—especially in Bangladesh—it's clear that fashion's true cost isn't just on the runway but on our planet and its workers.

Working Conditions and Workforce Well-being

Nearly 50% of garment workers in some regions lack access to formal HR training programs
15-20% of garment workers experience workplace harassment or abuse
Nearly 50% of the garment workforce in some countries is below the national minimum wage
25% of garment workers globally do not have access to formal healthcare
About 40% of garment workers have experienced unpaid wages or delayed salary payments
Only around 35% of garment factories have formal grievance redressal mechanisms for workers
Around 40% of garment factories lack training programs on workplace safety
In regions like Southeast Asia, over 70% of young women working in garments report high levels of job dissatisfaction
Around 55% of HR managers in the garment industry believe labor rights issues are the biggest challenge they face
About 25% of garment factories experience high absenteeism rates among workers, affecting HR planning
The percentage of HR managers reporting burnout due to high workload is roughly 45%
The average time to resolve worker grievances in garment factories is around 45 days
45% of HR professionals in garment factories experience high stress levels regularly, affecting productivity
The percentage of garment workers who have access to legal aid for workplace issues is under 10%
50% of garment factory workers report lack of participation in decision-making processes affecting their labor rights

Working Conditions and Workforce Well-being Interpretation

Despite the glamorous allure of fashion, nearly half of garment workers remain untrained, underpaid, and unheard, exposing a systemic seam that urgently needs mending.