75% of Americans believe diverse workforces are more profitable

Public sentiment toward DEI waned in the lead-up to and aftermath of the 2024 presidential election, but the pendulum may be swinging back, according to a recent survey from Bentley University and Gallup.

By the numbers. Roughly three-quarters (72%) of Americans believe that promoting DEI is “a somewhat or extremely important” business priority, although they are largely split along party lines: 95% of Democrats believe that DEI is important, while 71% of Independents and just 37% of Republicans agree.

However, when asked if companies do a good job of promoting DEI, the sentiment was reversed. Nearly half (49%) of Republicans believe companies are doing a “good or excellent job,” just 34% of Independents and 24% of Democrats feel the same.

The survey also found that 71% of Americans believe diverse workforces are more profitable, and more innovative (75%), up from 61% and 64%, respectively, from last year.

While many conservative activists and leaders have criticized DEI, 41% of Republicans surveyed view diverse companies as more profitable, up 11 percentage points from 2025, and 46% said that diverse workforces make more innovative products, up from 35%. However, the sentiment among Republicans is still in stark contrast to that among Democrats and Independents, who are still more likely to think diverse businesses are more profitable (92% and 70%) and innovative (94% and 75%).

Despite workers still believing that DEI is good for business, many companies walked back DEI programs due to “downward pressure” from the Trump administration, Cynthia Clark, governance professor at Bentley University, told HR Brew.

“A lot of the downward pressure is not empirical; it’s political,” she said. “Our experience on the ground is that this (diversity) is positive.”

What it means for employers. Clark said HR leaders should focus on the data instead of the political divide. “I would also ask myself, as an HR person, what do I really want to focus on?” she said. “Do I want to focus on the political timeframe of the moment, or should I focus on what I see year over year from surveys like Bentley-Gallup?”

She also noted that it’s important for employers to convey consistent messaging and not abandon corporate values because of “political winds.”

“I think a really astute CEO is always looking for data like this so that they can have a read on the way things are going,” Clark told HR Brew. “Especially if they have historically had a pretty proactive approach toward diversity, and especially diversity in hiring practices and the benefits of diversity. So, the astute CEO is going to look at data like this to help them lead.”