42% of CEO/Owners in Staffing Are Women vs. 8.8% in Fortune 500 Companies
The percentage of women who serve as chief executive officers and owners in the staffing industry more than doubled from 2020 to 2022, according to a new survey released by the Women Business Collaborative with support from the American Staffing Association, National Association of Personnel Services, Staffing Industry Analysts, and TechServe Alliance.
The percentage of female CEOs and owners in the staffing industry reached 42% in 2022, up from less than 20% in 2020.
Notable findings include
- Women comprise 66% of staffing’s internal workforce but only 37% of board seats.
- 53% of CEO and owner roles at small agencies are filled by women, compared with 18% at large firms.
- Salary review and equalization jumped from the fourth most common activity to advance women in leadership in 2020 to the most common in 2022.
“Women’s voices continue to grow in the staffing industry and we still have work to do to reach full gender parity,” said Threase Baker, chair of the American Staffing Association.
“I am so proud of the WBC and the four supporting organizations and research firms that helped us with this historic second benchmark survey on gender equity in the staffing industry,” noted Kip Wright, board member with the WBC. “While the survey provides encouraging insight into the progress our industry has made around this critical topic, there is much we can learn from our participants to help further guide us along this journey toward true and lasting gender equity.”
Join thought leaders in the industry for a webinar to discuss the survey results and explore how staffing professionals can continue to elevate and support women in the industry. The webinar, hosted by TechServe Alliance, will take place Thursday, March 16, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time. Register to attend at us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6016757891529/WN_HVCAjbKOQ9q-Zv46IZB3ZQ.
To learn more about the findings of this survey, download the report from Staffing Industry Analysts at staffingindustry.com/Research/Research-Reports/Americas/Insights-on-Gender-Parity-in-the-US-Staffing-Industry. Results can also be accessed on a dynamic dashboard at wbcollaborative.org/insights/results-dashboard-wbc-benchmark-survey-on-gender-equity-in-the-staffing-industry/.
To learn more about ASA diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, visit americanstaffing.net/diversity.
To learn more about the WBC, visit wbcollaborative.org.
The complete list of ASA board members can be found at americanstaffing.net.
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About the American Staffing Association (ASA)
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.
Survey Methodology
This is the second benchmark survey issued in conjunction with the Women Business Collaborative and the four major associations and research firms in the staffing industry—American Staffing Association, National Association of Personnel Services, Staffing Industry Analysts, and TechServe Alliance. The survey, which was distributed widely to senior executives across the staffing sector, included over 600 separate responses. Survey questions ranged from the composition of board, CEO, and executive roles, to the underlying gender related demographics of the business. It was developed to facilitate the publication of the