Company culture has become one of the most important factors shaping the modern workplace. In 2024 and 2025, job seekers, employees, and even executives are putting culture front and center – often ranking it above salary or perks. From engagement and productivity to retention and business growth, culture directly impacts how organizations perform.
Yet, toxic environments and burnout remain widespread, pushing talent away and costing companies billions. In this article, we’ll explore the latest company culture statistics in the US, with global comparisons where relevant, to highlight why culture isn’t just an HR buzzword – it’s a business necessity.
10 most interesting company culture statistics in the US (2024/2025)
- Just 32% of U.S. employees are “fully engaged” at work in Q2 2024, even though 51% report being “extremely satisfied” with their roles – highlighting a major gap between satisfaction and actual engagement.
- Culture drives hiring decisions: 88% of job seekers say company culture matters when choosing an employer, and 86% would avoid companies with a bad reputation.
- Retention is harder than recruitment: 62% of U.S. companies report that retaining employees is now more challenging than finding new hires – underscoring culture’s role in turnover.
- Culture links directly to business results: Organizations with healthy cultures see an 18% increase in productivity and up to an 85% revenue boost.
- Disengagement costs billions: Globally, disengaged workers cost the economy an estimated $438 billion in 2024.
- Only 21% of employees strongly agree that their manager explains how culture impacts their role, signaling a failure of leadership communication.
- Toxic leadership drives exit decisions: In unhealthy cultures, 54% of employees cite poor managers or unfair treatment, and 47% point to lack of empathetic leadership as reasons for leaving.
- DEI matters – especially to younger generations: 63% of U.S. employees prioritize diversity and inclusion when choosing a company, with 73% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials emphasizing DEI.
- Inclusive companies outperform: Companies that emphasize inclusion are 39% more likely to outperform competitors, and 83% of employees in inclusive cultures report high engagement.
- Burnout drops when care culture exists: Employees who feel their organization genuinely cares are 71% less likely to burn out and are three times more likely to be highly engaged.
Stats on employee engagement and satisfaction
Only 32% of U.S. employees were “fully engaged” at work in Q2 2024 (up from 30% in Q1 2024).
Source: Gallup
By contrast, 51% of U.S. workers are “extremely satisfied” in their role, showing engagement remains low.
Source: Pew Research Center
Fully remote U.S. workers saw the biggest engagement gains in early 2024 (+5 percentage points), reflecting the culture benefits of flexibility for some employees.
Source: Gallup
Stats on culture’s impact on recruitment and retention
Company culture strongly influences hiring: 88% of job seekers say culture is important in choosing an employer, and 86% avoid companies with a bad reputation.
Source: People Plus Inc.
Correspondingly, 62% of U.S. companies report that retaining employees is harder than hiring, underscoring culture’s role in turnover.
Source: Gallagher
Great workplaces are proven to attract talent: job seekers are 15x more likely to accept a role at a company recognized as a “Great Place to Work”.
Source: Great Place to Work
Likewise, over 80% of employees in positive-culture organizations say they would recommend their company to others (versus only 4% in negative cultures).
Source: SHRM
Stats on company culture and performance
Strong culture drives results. Highly engaged companies report an 18% boost in productivity, and organizations with good culture see up to an 85% increase in revenues.
Conversely, disengagement is costly: disengaged workers cost the world economy $438 billion in 2024. Positive culture also builds resilience. 96% of managers agree that a healthy workplace leads to stronger, more resilient teams, and 69% of employees say they would work harder if they received more recognition.
Source: Gallup, Deloitte, Great Place to Work
Stats on leadership and management’s influence
Leadership quality is pivotal: only 21% of employees strongly agree that their manager explains how the company’s culture impacts their work.
Source: Gallup
Poor leadership drives turnover: in toxic cultures, 54% of employees cite a “poor manager” or “unfair treatment” as a reason for leaving, and 47% point to lack of empathetic leadership or care. Improving manager support is therefore key to strengthening culture.
Source: SHRM
Stats on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
DEI is a major cultural factor: about 63% of U.S. employees say diversity and inclusion are a priority when choosing a company (with 73% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials prioritizing DEI). 74% of millennial employees believe an inclusive culture makes a company more innovative.
Source: EY
The business case for inclusion is strong: diverse companies are 39% more likely to outperform competitors. Culturally, employees at inclusive companies are also far more engaged (e.g., 83% of workers say they are engaged in inclusive cultures).
Stats on remote and hybrid work culture
Hybrid models are favored: 68% of U.S. workers say the ideal workplace is a mix of remote and on-site work. Reflecting this, 87% of business leaders agree that designing the right hybrid/remote model is key to success. Yet 29% of U.S. executives still believe employees should be in the office ~3 days/week to build culture, showing some tension.
Source: American Staffing Association, Deloitte, Statista
Employee engagement has improved among remote workers: Gallup reports engagement for fully remote employees climbed by +5 points in 2024. Maintaining connection and trust in hybrid teams will remain a cultural challenge in 2025.
Source: Gallup
Stats on work–life balance, well-being & burnout
A culture of care dramatically lowers burnout: employees who feel their organization cares (i.e., they can thrive at work) are 71% less likely to burn out and 3× more likely to be highly engaged.
Source: Gallup
Burnout and disengagement are leading turnover drivers: among workers in poor cultures, 47% say their employer’s insufficient regard for well-being motivated them to leave. Conversely, healthy cultures that support work–life balance (e.g., flexible hours, mental health benefits) boost retention and performance.
Source: SHRM
Stats on company values, mission, and transparency
Core values shape culture: 6 out of 10 employees believe the company lives its purpose. 53% cite recognition and celebrations as key cultural elements that motivate them to stay at their jobs. This underscores the importance of clearly communicating purpose and reward.
Source: Harvard Business Review, O.C. Tanner
Stats on company culture as a competitive advantage
Culture guides hiring: 31% of job seekers consider culture when evaluating employers, and companies with a recognized great culture attract more high-caliber talent.
Source: Jobvite
Certified great workplaces have an edge – for example, job candidates are 15× more likely to accept an offer from a Great Place to Work®–certified company. Strong culture also helps stock performance – one study found “Best Companies to Work For” awards beat the market average by a factor of 3.50×.
Source: Great Place to Work, Great Place to Work
Predictions and trends for company culture in 2025
Trust and AI in culture: Only 51% of employees are excited about using AI at work, and just 45% trust their company will use AI to their benefit. This gap suggests leaders must focus on transparency and training as AI redefines work.
Source: Great Place to Work
Reskilling and growth: Globally, 1 billion workers will need new skills by 2030, yet only 35% of companies invest in AI training, despite 75% of companies adopting AI. Upskilling employees will be a culture imperative in 2025.
Source: World Economic Forum, Randstad
Employee “care” becoming central: Future culture will prioritize well-being. When organizations show genuine care, employees’ odds of thriving increase by ~378%, which corresponds to far lower turnover. For example, employees who thrive are 40% less likely to leave.
Companies that align total rewards and benefits with employees’ needs (financial, mental, and purpose) will create a competitive advantage in 2025.
Source: O.C. Tanner, EY
Demographic breakdowns of company culture
Gen Z: Emerging workers overwhelmingly seek purpose and flexibility. For example, 89% of Gen Z say having a sense of purpose is important to job satisfaction, and 65% cite flexible hours/remote-work options as their top priority when job hunting. These figures highlight Gen Z’s demand for meaningful work and work–life flexibility.
Millennials: Like Gen Z, nearly all millennials prioritize purpose at work (92% say it’s important), and many also value diversity and growth. In fact, 68% of U.S. millennials consider a prospective employer’s DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) policies when deciding whether to accept a job. This shows millennials’ strong emphasis on inclusive culture and career development.
Gen X and Boomers: Older generations tend to emphasize stability and loyalty. 52% of surveyed Gen Xers prefer exciting tasks over stable employment. Baby Boomers are notably loyal – the average Boomer now stays about 8.25 years at one job, reflecting their long-term commitment to employers. These trends suggest Gen X and Boomers value job security.
Source: Bamboo HR, Career Builder
Men vs. Women (Experience): Men and women report workplace culture differently. For example, 4 in 10 senior-level women have observed gender-biased comments or microaggressions in the workplace, versus only 1 in 10 senior-level men.
This disparity indicates women experience more frequent cultural bias, highlighting a divide in day-to-day workplace interactions.
Source: Lean In
Gender Gaps (Leadership & Inclusion): Women still lag in leadership roles. Women hold just 29% of U.S. C-suite positions in 2024. Accordingly, only 55% of senior-level women (versus 79% of men) feel that women are well represented in leadership. These gaps underscore persistent barriers for women in advancement and recognition.
Source: Lean In
Race/Ethnicity (Representation): Minority employees often face cultural challenges. Over half of Black U.S. workers (53%) say racial diversity is very important in the workplace, and 51% of Black employees (vs. 18% of White employees) report that being Black makes it harder to succeed at work.
Black and other minority workers are also much more likely than White workers to feel employers neglect DEI: 28% of Black vs 11% of White employees say their company pays too little attention to inclusion. These statistics illustrate the equity concerns and unequal experiences faced by minority employees.
Source: Pew Research Center
Frontline vs. Knowledge Workers: Frontline workers often feel less supported. Globally, about 80% of employees are “frontline” workers (in roles without a traditional office desk). Alarmingly, 50% of frontline employees report feeling “expendable” at work.
In contrast, corporate or knowledge workers tend to have more access and support. This gap highlights how cultural perceptions differ between frontline staff and office-based employees.
Source: Microsoft, O.C. Tanner
Executives vs. Employees (Trust & Alignment): There is a growing trust gap between leaders and their teams. Only 67% of U.S. employees say they trust their employer, but 86% of executives (incorrectly) believe employee trust is higher.
In other words, many leaders overestimate how much employees feel valued. This 18-percentage-point gap underscores misalignment in how executives and workers perceive culture and trust in the organization.
Source: PwC
Regional differences in US company culture
State/Regional Flexibility: Hybrid and flexible cultures vary sharply by region. For example, 89% of companies in Massachusetts offer location-flexible work options, and West Coast/Northeast states like Washington, Oregon, California, Connecticut, and New York all report 84–88% of firms with hybrid-friendly policies.
In contrast, many Southern states have far lower flexibility: only 32% of companies in Mississippi and 25% in Alabama offer flexible work policies. This suggests a cultural divide, with coastal and some urban regions embracing flexibility much more than parts of the rural/Southern U.S.
| Flexible work adoption by the state | Percentage |
| Massachusetts | 89% |
| Washington | 88% |
| Oregon | 88% |
| Colorado | 87% |
| California | 86% |
| Connecticut | 86% |
| New York | 86% |
| Utah | 84% |
| Illinois | 84% |
| New Hampshire | 84% |
| Mississippi | 32% |
| Alabama | 25% |
Hybrid Adoption: U.S. companies are rapidly adopting hybrid models. As of late 2024, 62% of large U.S. firms (with 25,000+ employees) have formal hybrid work policies. However, a significant minority still require full-time in-office attendance – about one-third (33%) of firms mandate on-site work for corporate staff.
Overall, flexible models dominate in many regions, but some companies (especially in less urban areas) retain traditional on-site cultures.
Source: Flex Index
US vs. Global company culture statistics
Engagement (US vs Global): North American workers report higher engagement than the global average. Only 21% of employees worldwide say they feel engaged at work.
In contrast, the U.S. and Canada lead with 31% employee engagement. Nonetheless, even 31% means nearly 70% of North American workers are disengaged, indicating ample room for cultural improvement globally and in the U.S.
Source: Gallup
DEI Priorities: Attitudes toward DEI initiatives differ across regions. In the U.S., surveys show 76% of employees and job seekers consider a company’s DEI policies important when choosing a job. Many U.S. firms voluntarily pursue DEI (e.g., ERGs and training).
Europe, by comparison, often enforces diversity through regulation: the EU, for example, mandates gender pay reporting and boardroom quotas, creating firm compliance standards. Asia-Pacific cultures vary widely, but in many markets, DEI programs are still emerging.
Overall, U.S. workers (especially minorities) often demand proactive DEI efforts, whereas Europe emphasizes regulatory equity and Asia ramps up inclusion initiatives.
Source: LinkedIn
Hybrid Work (US vs Global): Hybrid work is prominent in the U.S.: by Q1 2025, about 66% of new U.S. job postings required on-site work, 24% were hybrid, and 13% fully remote.
Globally, European countries dominate remote-work infrastructure – Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany top the World Economic Forum’s Global Remote Work Index. In general, U.S. companies have embraced hybrid faster than many regions, but the highest remote-work quality tends to be in Northern Europe.
Source: Robert Half, World Economic Forum
Future Outlook: Cultural trends are shifting fast. By 2030, some 170 million new jobs will be created globally (a 14% increase), and 39% of all job skills will change, driven by technology and sustainability.
Employers are responding: they identified 2025 priorities like balancing AI-driven productivity with employee well-being (“human-centric productivity”), anchoring cultures in trust and equity, building resilience, and designing digital-first workplaces. These forecasts suggest company cultures will need to evolve toward greater flexibility, inclusion, and digital fluency worldwide.
Source: World Economic Forum, Mercer
Conclusion
The data is clear: company culture is no longer optional – it’s essential. Employees demand environments that foster inclusion, recognition, flexibility, and balance. Leaders set the tone, but everyone contributes to shaping workplace values. Organizations that invest in building positive cultures see higher engagement, stronger retention, and faster growth. Those who ignore culture risk burnout, turnover, and lost competitiveness. As we move into 2025, one truth stands out: great culture equals great business.
FAQ
What is company culture?
The shared values, behaviors, and working environment guiding how people collaborate and succeed.
