Diversity & Inclusion in the Digital Industry: Is Progress Being Made?

As the digital industry evolves, diversity and inclusion remain crucial to long-term innovation, growth, and employee satisfaction. But are digital employers doing enough to build inclusive environments? According to the 2025 Digital Salary Survey, the majority of respondents feel their organisation is making a positive effort, though the data reveals areas where improvement is still needed.

Diversity & Inclusion: A Positive Outlook?

When asked whether their organisation actively promotes diversity and inclusion, 77% of respondents said yes. This is a reassuring figure that points to a growing awareness of how vital inclusive hiring and workplace practices are within the digital space. With that being said, this is a 3% decrease from 2024, indicating that some people perhaps don’t recognise the efforts as much as their colleagues.

However, when respondents were asked to score workforce diversity in their company on a scale of 1–10, the average score was just 6.2. While this suggests that businesses are moving in the right direction, it also shows there’s a noticeable gap between intent and impact.

For hiring managers, this is a clear call to action. Internal diversity policies are essential, but so is execution. If employees perceive only moderate success, companies risk falling short of their own goals. A consistent review of hiring pipelines, inclusive onboarding practices and team development strategies is essential to drive this score upward.

Gender Disparity: Are All Voices Heard?

When asked where gender disparity is most visible in their role, digital professionals identified the following top three areas:

• Leadership Opportunities – 22%
• Salary – 16%
• Career Progression – 16%

Notably, responses citing leadership disparity increased by 5% since 2024, suggesting this remains a persistent barrier for many. That said, there has also been a 6% rise in respondents who believe there is no gender disparity at all, with 63% selecting that response.

While progress is evident, we cannot ignore the challenges that still exist, especially at senior levels.

TechNET Digital Tip: Hiring managers should actively build inclusive leadership pathways. Ensure gender-diverse shortlists for senior positions and provide leadership mentoring across all levels. Highlighting internal success stories can also help candidates see a future with your organisation.

Pay Transparency: Still a Work in Progress

When asked if they felt fairly compensated in comparison to other genders:

• Yes – 53%
• No – 13%
• Not sure – 34%

While more than half feel confident in pay equality, the fact that a third are unsure highlights a worrying lack of transparency. If employees don’t understand how pay is determined or feel it’s inconsistent, it can quickly erode trust and retention.

TechNET Digital Tip: A clear salary framework is a powerful retention and attraction tool. Outline pay bands for each role and be transparent about the criteria used for pay reviews. During the recruitment process, openly discussing salary structures can help build early trust with candidates and ensure you attract top talent.

Digital Recruitment Success Requires Focus

It’s encouraging to see progress in the digital industry’s approach to diversity and inclusion. But the average diversity score and lingering issues around gender equality and pay fairness show there’s still ground to cover.

At TechNET Digital, we believe inclusive hiring is more than a trend – it’s a strategic priority. From creating inclusive job specs to ensuring diverse talent pipelines, we’re here to support companies that want to build better teams. Contact the team today and let’s discuss your hiring needs and challenges. Be sure to keep up with us on LinkedIn, too!