50 Interesting Workplace Statistics You Cannot Ignore in 2023

In a world still reeling from the pandemic and economic struggles, the modern workplace has been turned on its head.

Companies face unprecedented layoffs, and employees feel the weight of increased stress and burnout.

But don't let the chaos fool you! 

Hidden within the turmoil are valuable insights into the current state of the workforce.

We've compiled a list of 50 thought-provoking workplace statistics that will give you a glimpse into the challenges and opportunities of the modern workplace in 2023. 

Get ready to be amazed as we unveil the latest updates on what's happening in organizations across the globe. 

These workplace statistics will leave you surprised and help you make informed decisions for your workplace. From improving productivity to boosting employee engagement, these numbers hold the key to rethinking your business strategy and company culture.

Considering these stats will help you to rethink your business strategy, company's work culture, and environment.

"Over the past year, no area has undergone more rapid transformation than the way we work.

Employee expectations are changing, and we will need to define productivity much more broadly — inclusive of collaboration, learning, and well-being to drive career advancement for every worker, including frontline and knowledge workers, as well as for new graduates and those who are in the workforce today." Satya Nadella, CEO at Microsoft.

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💁‍♀️ Attitude toward the workplace statistics

1. For 80% of organizations, the highest priority for 2022 was maintaining employee morale and engagement. (SHRM)

Higher engagement and morale will result not only in employee satisfaction but also in higher productivity. 

2. Employees who consistently get acknowledgment from their managers for good work are five times happier. (Qualtrics)

Appreciation is a must in the workplace for employee motivation. That's the reason companies conduct rewards and recognition programs to appreciate their employees. 

Tip: Your manager should routinely appreciate and acknowledge deserving employees' efforts. 

💡 Discover 42 meaningful employee recognition ideas to boost engagement in your workplace.

3. Globally, the employee engagement rate is only 21%, and 33% of workers thrive in their overall well-being. (Gallup)

Higher engagement can build good relationships in the workplace. The Gallup study also reveals that employers with highly engaged employees are 23% more profitable than those with miserable workers. 

Another interesting fact is that American employers have the most engaged employees globally.

4. 55% of Millennial workers are not engaged in their work. (Gallup)

A Gallup study points out that Millennials are the highest non-engaged employees at work as compared to other generations: 

• Gen X (50%); 
• Baby Boomers (48%); 
• the Silent Generation (41%).

5. Workers with the highest engagement are 87% less likely to leave their organization. (Zippia)

Good engagement at the workplace brings mental satisfaction and enables good relations among employees. Therefore, it's evident that these employees are more likely to stay at their current job. 

🔍 Is all of the employee engagement talk worth the hype? Discover 46 extra employee engagement statistics and draw your own conclusions. 

👵 Generational change in the workplace statistics 

Employment

5. Gen X has the highest level of full-time employment (63%) among all the generations. (Gallup)

Comparatively, 54% of Millennials have full-time jobs. 

However, both of these generations also have the highest underemployment rate. This study includes people who're jobless or doing part-time but desire a full-time job.   

Flexibility at work

6. 76% of Millennials expect flexibility at their work. (Forbes)

All generations consider flexibility at their work, Millennials being the highest. Comparatively, 64% of Gen X and 69% of Gen Zers expect the same. Furthermore, flexible working benefits are the most critical factor for 38% of Millennials, 33% of Gen X, and 32% of Gen Z.

New job priorities

7. 59% of Millennial job seekers investigate learning and growth before applying to a new job. This number is considerably higher compared to other generations: 41% of baby boomers and 44% of Gen X. (Gallup)

8. 58% of Millennials look out for a great boss and quality manager while considering a new job. (Gallup)

A Gallup study points out that most Millennials consider the "quality of manager" factor before applying for a new job. Comparatively, 50% of Gen X and 60% of Baby Boomers say the same.

Does this ring a bell? Remember the cliche "People don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses"? Maybe it wasn't a cliche after all. 

Top concerns at work

9. 64% of Gen X value job prestige the most at their workplace. (LiveCareer)

This sentiment is also common for other generations:

• 58% of Millennials; 
• 53% of Gen Z; 
• 59% of Baby Boomers. 

10. 46% of Baby boomers and Millennials consider job security the second most important aspect. (LiveCareer)

As for what the different generations value second and third most, the results are somewhat diverging: 

• For Baby Boomers, job security comes second, and flexibility comes third.
• For Gen X, chances for growth come second, and job security comes third.
• Millennials mirror Gen X, so chances for growth come second, and job security comes third.
• For Gen Z, job security comes second, and chances for growth come third.

11. Living costs are the biggest concern for 29% of Gen Z and 36% of Millennials. (Deloitte)

The top concerns among the GenZ and Millennials are: 

• the cost of living; 
• climate change; 
• healthcare; unemployment; 
• crime safety.

🌈 Diversity in the workplace statistics

Unemployment

12. 10.1% of people with disabilities in the U.S. were jobless in 2021. (U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Across all age groups, the unemployment rate is higher in people with disabilities than in those without disabilities. Hence, companies are focusing more on hiring people without disabilities. 

C-suite roles

13. 22% of the C-suites in the software industry are women. (McKinsey)

The same study also found that the number of women holding C-suite levels in the tech hardware industry dropped to 14%. Now, some companies are focusing on increasing the number of women in leadership positions.

14. Women of color hold only 5% of the C-suite level positions. (McKinsey)

Women of color are the most underrepresented demographic in corporate America (compared to white female employees, white male employees, and men of color). 

Additionally, the representation of women of color between entry-level and C-suite levels drops by more than 75%.

Women in the workplace and women leadership statistics

15. 46% of working people are female in the United States. (Zippia)

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted labor force participation among both men and women. Therefore, there has been a 2.2% increase in the women's labor workforce since 2020.

16. Women's wages equal 83.1% of men's wages. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics surveyed full-time men's and women's median weekly earnings. As per the study, the median earnings for women were $912, 83.1% of men's median weekly earnings.

17. For every 100 men promoted to manager positions, only 87 women receive a promotion. (McKinsey)

Significantly, men outnumber women in higher management positions. Hence, very few senior-level female employees occupy high-level managerial positions.

18. The share of women hired into leadership roles (Director, VP, CXO, partner) has increased from 33.3% in 2016 to 36.9% in 2022. (World Economic Forum)

The industries with the highest shares of females hired into leadership are: 

• non-governmental and membership organizations (47%);
• education (46%);
• personal services and well-being (45%);
• healthcare and health services (42%);
• government and public sector (40%). 

Still, only 8% of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies are women. (Fortune)

Women CEOs made up a total of 41 Fortune 500 companies, which is the highest number ever. 

A sad anecdote is that there are more chief executives named Michael and James than women who lead S&P 500 companies.

19. In 2022, the global gender gap was closed by 68.1%. However, at the current rate of progress, it will still take 132 years to reach full parity.

🤹 Workplace skills and competencies statistics 

20. Only 40% of employees said that their employer is helping them upskill. (PWC)

While companies are investing in their people, employees deem these efforts insufficient. 

As per the research, only 40% of employees agreed that they're upskilling at their workplace. 

21. 37% of professionals say that upskilling their employees will help them handle future labor and skills shortages. (Korn Ferry)

Employers can no longer rely only on external sources to fill positions in their workplace. 

👀 Therefore, internal mobility is crucial as it helps fill talent gaps for specific roles and saves employers from attrition. 

Tip: Investing in specialized training, coaching, and development programs can provide access to opportunities for current employees with upskilling.

22. 68% of the organizations say recruiting employees with the necessary skills is their 3rd highest priority. (SHRM)

As per the report, maintaining morale and engagement and retaining top talents are the topmost priority of organizations. 

Tip: Ensuring that your recruiting efforts result in successful hires will save you from attrition and turnover costs.

💡 Zappos has an unusual onboarding strategy to ensure successful hires that match their corporate strategy: paying them to leave. 

📈 Workplace productivity statistics 

23. Office employees are productive for only 31% of their working day. (Zippia)

The productivity of an average employee is 60% of their working day, which equals 4.8 hours of productivity per day. However, the productivity of office employees is less and equals only 2 hours 53 minutes per day. 

24. 86% of workers prefer to work in a private space to reach higher productivity. (Hubspot)

For most employees, a quiet and private space is the best way to complete their tasks and achieve their targets. Working at the office can come with many distractions through colleagues, meetings, a loud environment, etc. A quiet environment free of distractions can help employees focus on their tasks and reach their full potential.

25. An average employee spends 5 hours a week surfing unnecessary websites. (Hubspot)

28% of the average employee's working day is spent on surfing sites unrelated to work. Wasting time on these activities spoils the entire active mind and leaves them in a panic and stressful state of mind.

🤩 Workplace benefits statistics 

26. Paid vacation was available to 92% of the private-industry employees at the largest companies. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Paid vacations are granted to employees once they have met a specific length of service, for instance, 90 days, six months, one year, or three years. 

Paid time off is one of the best ways to maintain a work-life balance. 

This report also indicates that paid vacation was available to 71% of the smallest private companies (2021). 

27. 63% of the workers would reject the job offer if it didn't include paid time off. (Zippia)

Paid time off is a leave granted to employees for any reason, such as sickness, family emergency, vacation, or other personal reasons. Providing paid time off to employees can result in greater flexibility and satisfaction at the workplace. 

28. 67% of employers offered paid time off, 6% offered paid unlimited leave, and 67% provided paid time off. (SHRM)

Most employees use leaves from their PTO to boost mental health, catch up on sleep, enjoy a vacation, and then return to work with a refreshed mind. 

29. 71% of workers in the private sector have access to consolidated leave. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

A consolidated leave plan offers different types of leaves to employees that they can avail of at a single time. For instance, one employee could take a more extended vacation instead of shorter leaves at different times.

30. 92% of employees want a 4-day work week, and every 1 in 3 would accept a 5% or more pay cut in exchange. (Qualtrics)

Employees hold that a 4-day work week will improve their mental health and significantly impact their productivity. 

Plus, 74% of the employees say they can complete the same number of tasks in four days.

However, when asked to choose between greater flexibility and a four-day work week, employees tend to favor flexibility: 

• 50% of employees would prefer increased flexibility to work when they want.
• 47% said they would rather have a four-day workweek.

31. Only 42% of workers say their compensation can keep up with the rising living expenses. (PWC)

PWC conducted an employee financial wellness survey of over 3000 employees across different sectors. 

2 out of 5 full-time workers said their topmost financial concern is inflation, as the cost of everything is rising.

🧘 Workplace well-being statistics 

Employee well-being programs

32. Less than half of American employees feel their companies are empathetic towards them. (Gallup)

A wellness program has a significant positive impact on employees and the company's culture. It comes with numerous benefits, including: 

• employee satisfaction; 
• reduction in elevated risks; 
• financial sustainability; 
• higher productivity; 
• less employee absenteeism, etc. 

33. More than 80% of employees working in companies engaged with employee well-being programs say that they enjoy working. (Zippia)

The same report reveals that 85% of employees intend to continue working at their jobs. 

In comparison, only 40% of their employees enjoy working for employers without wellness programs. Furthermore, only 58% say they'll stay at their current job.

34. Wellness programs can reduce absenteeism by 14 to 19%. (Zippia)

Money spent on employee well-being programs has a clear ROI.

➡️ Do you need extra help pitching employee well-being programs to your executives? Check out some extra employee well-being ROI statistics and get five practical tips to improve employee well-being in your workplace.

Work-related stress and anxiety

35. 40% of the global workforce is worried, 44% stressed, 21% angry, and 23% sad. (Gallup)

Globally, females are more likely to experience these daily negative emotions at work than men. Additionally, age groups less than 40 are more likely to experience these as compared to workers at age more than 40. 

36. Depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion each year. (WHO)

According to the World Health Organization, stress, poor management of work-related stress, and anxiety at the workplace cost $1 trillion per year.

Work can be a good factor for mental health, but in some cases, it can also worsen mental health. 

Hence, work-related stress management is a must-have in every organization.

37. 55% of workers have experienced job stress. (Study finds)

A detailed report from the survey of 2000 American employees also finds out that 38% of workers have experienced symptoms of depression. 

In addition, 37% of the same group lack motivation, 31% deal with anger, and 36% with anxiety. 

These concerns are making it more difficult in the workplace. Also, the three most significant reasons for severe work-related stress are overworking, lack of work-life balance, and being underpaid.

Workplace burnout statistics

38. 49% of workers experience burnout at the workplace. (McKinsey)

Most of the burned-out employees may have already left the job.

39. Employees who do not receive support at the workplace are 70% more likely to experience burnout. (Zippia)

Unfair treatment also employees receive unfair treatment. For example, poor treatment at the workplace leads to 2.3x more likely to experience burnout. 

😟 Workplace concerns statistics 

40. 51% of workers aged over 40 feel that their age would be a hurdle for a new job search. (Senior living)

A survey of 1239 employees over 40 revealed that age discrimination is severe in the workplace. Plus, 9% of employees over 40 have experienced age discrimination in their current job. 

41. 44% of HR professionals reveal political volatility at work. (SHRM)

Political volatility is often common in many organizations. Unfortunately, it can cause major conflict at work. 

42. 16.3% of sexual harassment charges are filed by men in the workplace. (EEOC)

EEOC received 5581 receipts for charges alleging sexual harassment while conducting a survey. Out of which, 721 settlements were concluded. The charges filed by men were stable from 2010 to 2021, ranging from 15.9% to 17.8%.

43. 91% of Fortune 500 companies prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace. (HRC)

Regardless of sexual orientation, gender discrimination has also been a major issue in the workplace. Still, several companies are now taking steps against gender discrimination. As a result, 83% of the Fortune 500 companies prohibit gender discrimination in the workplace compared to 3 in 2000.

😞 Employee turnover statistics 

44. The average tenure of an employee is only 4.1 years. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics )

The median number of years was 4.1 in January 2022 for the wage and salary workers. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reveals that this remains unchanged from 2020.

45. 49% of executives saw higher turnover post-Covid-19 pandemic. (SHRM)

The turnover rate looks more elevated than the normal range. So many companies struggle to keep great employees in the workforce. 

Employers need to work on areas that would help employees to stay and continue working with them. 

For instance, providing greater flexibility or appreciation are great ways to start.

🏆 But if you need more strategies to up your retention game, check out 25 employee retention best practices for keeping your best talents.

46. 82% of the employees consider job quitting because of their manager's behavior. (Goodhire)

Employees across ten countries declared quitting their jobs due to their manager's disrespectful behavior. Some instances of bad manager behavior are: disrespecting their staff's private time, micromanaging, and being dishonest with them. 

Destructive manager behaviors leave a stain on your entire organization. 

💪 Be proactive with training your next generation of leaders. Create effective leadership development plans.

💼 To improve your current leaders, you must share effective feedback to encourage behavioral change. 

47. 48% of people leave jobs and move to a different industry. (McKinsey)

Globally, only 35% of people who quit their job have taken roles in the same industry. 

This trend has affected several industries negatively, as every industry and role requires specific skills and knowledge. 

🖥️ Hybrid and remote work statistics

You may still be on the fence about whether or not you must consider a hybrid work model in your organization. 

Obviously, it depends upon individual needs, but these workplace statistics will help you consider the right decision.

48. 66% of business leaders consider redesigning the office workplace to accommodate hybrid work better. (Microsoft)

The same Microsoft study reveals that 70% of employees prefer to stay flexible as remote workers, whereas 65% prefer in-person time with their team. 

Therefore, business decision-makers consider redesigning office space to enhance the hybrid work environment. In the future, companies are focusing on bringing in more hybrid models. 

49. 72% of employees say their organizations are planning for some amount of permanent remote work in the future. (Buffer)

Compared to 2021, there is a 46% increase in remote work planning at organizations. Furthermore, 38% of people weren't sure if their company had plans for remote work. However, these numbers dropped to 19% in the year 2022.

🖥️ Want to know more eye-opening statistics? Here are 33 hybrid and remote work statistics.

50. Machine learning is among the top 5 fastest-growing industries globally and will continue to grow in the upcoming years. (LinkedIn)

A Linkedin study reveals that machine learning jobs will rise in countries like the U.K., Singapore, Italy, and Egypt. 

🔮 Looking for more future trends? Here we have more eye-opening future of work statistics for you.

➡️ Stay ahead of the curve with Zavvy

To sum up with another well-used cliche: the only constant is change. And perhaps this never held as much value as in today's world of work. But, as we're witnessing the most prominent disruptions in how (and where) we work, communicate and relate to work, you and your organization cannot be passive bystanders. 

Your people expect you to adjust, adapt, and solve their newest challenges.

🙋‍♀️ We're here to help you with this.

Zavvy ensures you go the extra mile to deliver rewarding experiences for your employees:

• You can create a lasting impression on your new hires with our onboarding and preboarding software. We do not leave you in the middle of your journey. We'll walk with you at every step carrying our magic resources (hint: lots of templates and expert knowledge). 
• We have built a learning management system and employee development software to boost your people's and company's performance. Yes, we understand how important it is to analyze performance and professional development and provide valuable feedback to the employees. 
• Creating excellent business leaders can help you improve retention and productivity at your workplace. Therefore, we have introduced performance review and 360 feedback software to shape your employees' skills and prepare them for new and exciting challenges.
• But before you fit them in their specific roles, you'll also need to clarify roles for all positions and bring in fair progression. Our career pathing software will help you make clear career development pathways for your workforce.

Want to see it all in action? Get a demo to answer your queries, or arrange a free trial.

📚 Sources

• SHRM | State of the Workplace Study 2021-2022
• Buffer | 2022 State Of Remote Work
• Gallup | State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report
• Zippia | 22 MUST-KNOW EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT STATISTICS [2022]: TRENDS, BENEFITS, AND MORE
• Gallup | How Millennials Want to Work and Live
• Forbes | What The Generations Want From Work: New Data Offers Surprises
• Deloitte | The Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
• Live Career | Different Generations in the Workplace | 2023 Study
• Bureau of Labor Statistics | Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics - 2021
• McKinsey | Women in the Workplace 2021
• McKinsey | Women in the Workplace 2022
• Zippia | WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE IS FEMALE? [2022]
• Bureau of Labor Statistics | TED: The Economics Daily
• Fortune | This Women’s History Month, here’s a radical idea: Let women lead
• PWC | The Leadership Agenda
• Korn Ferry | Future of Work Trends 2022: A new era of humanity
• SHRM | State of the Workplace 2021-2022
• Hubspot | How to Stop the Most Common Productivity Prohibitors [Infographic]
• Zippia | 20 INCREDIBLE PRODUCTIVITY STATISTICS [2022]: AVERAGE EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN THE U.S.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics | Employee Benefits Survey
• Zippia | 50+ TELLING PAID TIME OFF (PTO) STATISTICS [2022]: AVERAGE PTO IN THE UNITED STATES
• SHRM | 2022 Employee Benefits
• Qualtrics | Most U.S. Employees Want a Four-day Work Week Even if it Means Working Longer Hours
• PWC | 2022 PwC Employee Financial Wellness Survey
• Linchpin SEO | Trends Shaping Corporate Wellness Programs In 2023
• ZIppia | 22 TELLING EMPLOYEE WELLNESS STATISTICS [2022]: HOW MANY COMPANIES HAVE WELLNESS PROGRAMS
• WHO | Mental Health and Substance Use
• Study Finds | American breaking point: 1 in 4 workers have quit their job over mental health
• McKinsey | Employee burnout is ubiquitous, alarming—and still underreported
• Zippia | 20+ ALARMING BURNOUT STATISTICS [2022]: STRESS AND LACK OF MOTIVATION IN THE WORKPLACE
• Senior Living | Though Age Discrimination Charges Are Decreasing, Half of Workers Over 40 Feel Their Age Would Be a Hurdle in Job Search
• SHRM | Managing Workplace Conflict
• EEOC | Charges Alleging Sex-Based Harassment (Charges filed with EEOC) FY 2010 - FY 2021
• HRC | LGBTQ+ Equality at the Fortune 500
• Bureau of Labor Statistics | EMPLOYEE TENURE IN 2022
• SHRM | SHRM Research Highlights Lasting Impact of the ‘Great Resignation’ on Workers Who Choose to Stay
• Good Hire | Warning to Managers: Survey Shows Most Workers Will Quit a Bad Boss
• McKinsey | The Great Attrition is making hiring harder. Are you searching the right talent pools?
• Microsoft | The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work—Are We Ready?
• Linkedin | The Fastest-Growing Jobs Around the World