Compensation and benefits are shifting fast, with average pay increases landing at 4.5% in 2023 and mental health benefits now wanted by 78% of workers. At the same time, hiring metrics move under pressure, from a 42 day average time to fill to applicant tracking systems rejecting 75% of resumes before a human sees them. This HR statistics roundup connects the pay, well being, and hiring decisions behind those figures so you can spot what is changing and what still surprises employers.
Key Takeaways
- Average salary increase 4.5% in 2023
- 60% of employees consider benefits in job choice
- Total rewards packages valued 20% higher by millennials
- Women are 45% more likely to leave due to lack of advancement
- Companies in top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform
- Ethnic diversity top quartile firms 36% more profitable
- Employee engagement scores average 23% globally
- Engaged employees are 21% more productive
- 70% of variance in team engagement due to manager
- 75% of resumes are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems before a human sees them
- The average time to fill a job vacancy is 42 days
- 86% of recruiters say AI has increased productivity in hiring
- 80% of employees trained annually
- L&D budgets average 1-5% of payroll
- 94% of employees stay longer with development
Companies that invest in pay transparency, mental health benefits, and training see higher retention and engagement.
Related reading
01 · Category
Compensation and Benefits26 stats
01
Average salary increase 4.5% in 2023
02
60% of employees consider benefits in job choice
03
Total rewards packages valued 20% higher by millennials
04
78% of workers want mental health benefits
05
Pay transparency increases applications by 30%
06
401(k) match participation at 88%
07
Paid parental leave offered by 40% of companies
08
Health insurance costs rose 7% in 2023
09
55% of employees prefer higher pay over perks
10
Bonus payouts average 85% of target
11
Equity compensation in 70% of tech firms
12
Wellness stipends average $1,000/year
13
65% use HSAs
14
Gender pay gap 16% in US
15
42% of companies offer student loan repayment
16
Pet insurance in 25% of benefits packages
17
4-day workweek trials show 71% retention boost
18
Variable pay makes up 15% of total comp
19
90% of Fortune 500 offer EAPs
20
Inflation-adjusted pay lags 3.5%
21
52% offer fertility benefits
22
Executive pay ratios average 272:1
23
68% prioritize pay equity audits
24
Remote work stipend $50/month average
25
75% value PTO over cash
26
Long-term incentives 60% of exec comp
Interpretation
Compensation and Benefits Interpretation
It seems today's workforce is trying to decide if they want a 4.5% raise to afford their 7% more expensive healthcare, a four-day week to enjoy their $1,000 wellness stipend, or simply a company that will finally be transparent about why they need all these benefits while paying them fairly in the first place.
02 · Category
Diversity and Inclusion28 stats
01
Women are 45% more likely to leave due to lack of advancement
02
Companies in top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform
03
Ethnic diversity top quartile firms 36% more profitable
04
67% of job seekers consider diversity important
05
Inclusive teams make better decisions 87% of the time
06
50% of companies have DEI officer roles
07
Black employees face 30% less promotion rates
08
76% believe DEI positively impacts business
09
Women hold 29% of executive positions globally
10
LGBTQ+ inclusion boosts revenue 19%
11
85% of workers experienced microaggressions
12
Diverse management teams 19% more innovative
13
61% of employees want more DEI training
14
Only 25% of companies measure DEI ROI
15
Hispanic representation in management at 9%
16
Neurodiversity hiring up 30% since 2020
17
42% of employees hide disabilities at work
18
Age diversity improves problem-solving by 20%
19
70% of Gen Z prioritize DEI in employers
20
Intersectional employees face 2x bias
21
DEI initiatives reduce lawsuits by 30%
22
56% of leaders say skills gaps hinder DEI
23
Women of color promoted at 1/3 rate of white men
24
Inclusive cultures increase belonging by 56%
25
91% of execs see diverse talent pipelines lacking
26
Allyship training boosts inclusion 40%
27
Global gender pay gap at 20%
28
33% of companies track pay equity
Interpretation
Diversity and Inclusion Interpretation
It's baffling that the data screams 'diversity drives profit and innovation,' yet the persistent promotion gaps and lack of meaningful tracking reveal many companies are still just listening to the music instead of reading the lyrics.
03 · Category
Employee Engagement and Retention28 stats
01
Employee engagement scores average 23% globally
02
Engaged employees are 21% more productive
03
70% of variance in team engagement due to manager
04
Companies with high engagement see 17% higher productivity
05
Turnover costs 1.5-2x salary per employee
06
51% of employees plan to job search in next 12 months
07
Recognition improves engagement by 60%
08
Flexible work boosts retention by 50%
09
Burnout affects 77% of employees
10
Managers account for 70% of engagement variance
11
High engagement reduces absenteeism by 41%
12
80% of employees more engaged with career development
13
Quiet quitting at 50% of workforce
14
Retention rate averages 90% with stay interviews
15
Peer recognition increases engagement 2.5x
16
69% of employees would work more if appreciated
17
Hybrid work improves retention by 15%
18
Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) averages 30
19
87% of employees less likely to leave with good onboarding
20
Wellness programs reduce turnover by 25%
21
Feedback surveys boost engagement by 14.9%
22
41% of employees feel underappreciated
23
High-trust cultures have 50% lower turnover
24
94% of employees stay longer at inclusive companies
25
Mentorship increases retention by 20%
26
60% turnover voluntary due to lack of advancement
27
Pulse surveys improve engagement 30%
28
76% of employees seek purpose in work
Interpretation
Employee Engagement and Retention Interpretation
If managers are the architects of engagement—a shockingly poor one given that only 23% of the workforce is actually building—then their blueprint, which prioritizes appreciation, flexibility, and purpose, is the only thing standing between a company and a costly, half-hearted mutiny by its entire staff.
More related reading
04 · Category
Recruitment and Hiring30 stats
01
75% of resumes are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems before a human sees them
02
The average time to fill a job vacancy is 42 days
03
86% of recruiters say AI has increased productivity in hiring
04
70% of hiring managers report skills gaps in candidates
05
Cost per hire averages $4,700in the US
06
92% of recruiters use LinkedIn for sourcing candidates
07
45% of new hires fail within 18 months
08
Video interviews reduce hiring time by 27%
09
78% of job seekers use mobile devices for applications
10
Referral hires are 4x more likely to be hired
11
55% of recruiters use AI for resume screening
12
Global talent shortage affects 85% of organizations
13
68% of companies plan to increase entry-level hiring
14
Passive candidates make up 70% of the talent pool
15
40% of hires come from internal mobility
16
Hiring mistakes cost 30% of first-year salary
17
94% of recruiters review a LinkedIn profile before interviewing
18
ATS usage is at 99% in Fortune 500 companies
19
76% of female applicants customize resumes for ATS
20
Recruiter response time averages 24 hours for top candidates
21
62% of recruiters prioritize soft skills over experience
22
Campus hiring yields 20% higher retention
23
50% of hires influenced by employer brand
24
Gig economy workers fill 36% of roles
25
89% of bad hires due to poor cultural fit
26
DEI-focused recruiting increases applicant diversity by 30%
27
65% of recruiters use social media daily
28
Time-to-hire dropped 20% with virtual interviews post-COVID
29
73% of companies use skills-based hiring
30
Quality of hire metric used by 82% of talent leaders
Interpretation
Recruitment and Hiring Interpretation
The modern hiring landscape is a paradoxical gauntlet where AI ruthlessly filters out three-quarters of humanity before a human eye blinks, yet we still, somehow, manage to pick candidates who fail nearly half the time, all while desperately scrolling LinkedIn for passive unicorns and hoping our brand is charming enough to avoid a costly $4,700 mistake.
05 · Category
Training and Development29 stats
01
80% of employees trained annually
02
L&D budgets average 1-5% of payroll
03
94% of employees stay longer with development
04
Microlearning boosts retention 17%
05
70% prefer self-directed learning
06
ROI on training averages 4:1
07
40% of skills obsolete every 5 years
08
Upskilling reduces turnover 34%
09
87% say L&D critical for recovery
10
Gamification increases engagement 60%
11
75% use online learning platforms
12
Leadership training ROI 5.9x
13
68% lack formal onboarding
14
VR training cuts time 40%
15
Soft skills training demanded by 92%
16
54% measure training effectiveness
17
Personalized learning improves performance 30%
18
82% of execs prioritize reskilling
19
Mentoring programs yield 5x ROI
20
Compliance training 70% of L&D spend
21
AI in L&D used by 47%
22
Cross-training boosts agility 25%
23
63% want more digital skills training
24
Coaching improves productivity 70%
25
90-day onboarding completion rate 12%
26
Diversity training reduces bias 25%
27
L&D tech spend up 15%
28
Employee-led training 2x more effective
29
Skills assessments used by 77%
Interpretation
Training and Development Interpretation
It seems we've built an entire industry around constantly patching the leaky boat of employee skills, yet the data clearly shouts that if we just consistently invest in meaningful development, people will not only stay aboard but actually row harder, even when half the oars are becoming obsolete every few years.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Human Resources Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/human-resources-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "Human Resources Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/human-resources-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "Human Resources Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/human-resources-statistics.
Sources & references
78 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level