Apple hiring data shows increasingly diverse workforce

Apple has provided updated data suggesting that internal initiatives are slowly increasing the diversity of its workforce.

The Cupertino tech giant on Thursday provided a new diversity and inclusion report, updating numbers that were released in 2018.

According to Apple, the number of employees from underrepresented communities has increased by 64%. Currently, URC employees make up about half of the company's workforce.

The company says it has made efforts toward inclusive leadership by both bringing new employees to Apple and hiring from within. In 2020, it filled 43% of open leadership roles and 29% of research & development roles with people from underrepresented communities.

Credit: Apple

The share of Asian people in Apple's workforce also increased to 27% in 2020, up from 23% in 2018. Other races and ethnicities maintained their share, although the share of white employees dropped by 3% since 2018.

Apple is also making progress on gender diversity. Women now represent 34% of all employees at Apple, up from 33% in 2018 and 30% in 2014. Among employees under 30, the share of women has risen from 31% to 40% since 2014.

In the two years since 2018, Apple says that 42% of new hires have been women. Since January 2020, women have filled 49% of retail leadership positions at the company.

"Inclusion and diversity are cornerstones of the global Apple community. We're proud of the foundation we've built and clear-eyed about the challenges that remain. Together, we're committed to continuing this journey with humility and resolve," said Barbara Whye, Apple's vice president of Inclusion & Diversity.

7 Comments

elijahg 2822 comments · 18 Years

About 3 years ago

So is the goal 0% white people? Because 60% of the US is white, and only 6% is Asian. So how is it remotely “equality” if Asian people are so overrepresented (and increasing, that particular inequality is apparently celebrated) at the expense of other races, be they black, Hispanic, or white?

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

elijahg said:

So is the goal 0% white people? Because 60% of the US is white, and only 6% is Asian. So how is it remotely “equality” if Asian people are so overrepresented (and increasing, that particular inequality is apparently celebrated) at the expense of other races, be they black, Hispanic, or white?

I think the goal has always been to hire the best people for the job by making sure people aren’t overlooked because of their race.

Once folk get on board with this idea the you have to ask are the skewed numbers because of an anti-white policy, or because Asians come across better at interviews/make better candidates?

And let’s face it, large sections the white US population isn’t exactly covering itself in glory right now, so it’s hardly surprising that the centre/less-right-wing majority might feel more inclined to take on ethnic minorities.

The other point is that Apple’s workforce is made up of engineers, managers, retail staff, cooks, cleaners, doctors, exercise gurus and film producers. So it’s not just a question of being employed; it’s also a question of what jobs they’re actually doing. How many Asians are in senior positions at Apple? If you look at those figures you may find that white dominance is closer to what you’re looking for.

bluefire1 1310 comments · 10 Years

As long as Apple continues to hire the best and the brightest, they’ll be unbeatable.

zone 73 comments · 10 Years

You hire the best person for the job and this is not complicated or unfair to anyone. Apple MUST do this for the people who own the company. Apple MUST look for the best talent no matter what their background. I am a shareholder, and I don't care who this person is or what their background is. It's Apple's job to hire and retain the best talent that can help the company compete and bring more value to its shareholders. It's not Apple's job to fix or change society's flaws of perceived unfairness on the currently available employee pool. If someone is amazing then go get them and hire them now, it's simple. However, do not hire someone based on their race or sex. If Apple or any other company is doing this then that is illegal. If Apple hires based on diversity alone then they will fail as they will not have a large enough pool of talent to hire from. Apple must have the best and brightest working for them and so does everyone else. Possible another thing to consider If every company hires solely on diversity and not talent and experience would this not bring wages down in the long run? Thoughts?

blastdoor 3565 comments · 15 Years

zone said:

You hire the best person for the job and this is not complicated or unfair to anyone. Apple MUST do this for the people who own the company. Apple MUST look for the best talent no matter what their background. I am a shareholder, and I don't care who this person is or what their background is. It's Apple's job to hire and retain the best talent that can help the company compete and bring more value to its shareholders. It's not Apple's job to fix or change society's flaws of perceived unfairness on the currently available employee pool. If someone is amazing then go get them and hire them now, it's simple. However, do not hire someone based on their race or sex. If Apple or any other company is doing this then that is illegal. If Apple hires based on diversity alone then they will fail as they will not have a large enough pool of talent to hire from. Apple must have the best and brightest working for them and so does everyone else. Possible another thing to consider If every company hires solely on diversity and not talent and experience would this not bring wages down in the long run? Thoughts?

Unconscious bias favoring one group (typically favoring whites, but not always) leads to the hiring of people from that group who are inferior.

Notice that smart, accomplished, productive white people don’t get too upset about diversity initiatives. It’s the white people who have nothing going for them other than being white who complain the loudest.