Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) continues to be a major focus in tech hiring, but in 2026 there’s a clear shift happening.
Businesses are moving away from surface-level initiatives and toward more measurable, data-driven approaches. While many organisations have made commitments around diversity and inclusion, the gap between intention and impact is still evident across the tech hiring landscape.
What’s Actually Working
The companies seeing real progress in diversity hiring are those embedding DE&I into every stage of the hiring process. This includes structured interview frameworks, diverse interview panels, and consistent tracking of hiring data across gender, ethnicity, and background. There’s also a growing focus on skills-based hiring, rather than relying solely on traditional experience or academic pathways, opening up access to a broader, more diverse talent pool.
Another key shift is the use of data and analytics in recruitment. Businesses are increasingly measuring conversion rates across the hiring funnel (e.g. application to interview to offer) to identify where diverse candidates may be dropping off. This level of visibility allows for targeted improvements, rather than blanket DE&I statements that lack accountability. This is something we're able to do at Primis for our clients, through data we collect in Bullhorn and DEI surveys for our candidates.
What Isn’t Working
Generic diversity statements and one-off initiatives are no longer enough. Candidates are more informed and expect genuine commitment to inclusion, not just messaging. Companies that fail to back up their DE&I strategy with action risk damaging both their employer brand and their ability to attract top talent.
We’re also seeing that over-reliance on the same talent pools, networks, and referral schemes continues to limit diversity in tech hiring. Without actively expanding sourcing strategies, organisations are often hiring from the same backgrounds, despite good intentions.
Practical Actions for 2026
To drive meaningful change, businesses need to:
Build structured, bias-aware hiring processes
Track and report on diversity metrics across the hiring funnel
Broaden sourcing strategies to reach underrepresented talent pools
Align DE&I goals with overall hiring and business strategy
Ultimately, successful DE&I in tech hiring comes down to consistency, accountability, and action. The organisations that treat diversity and inclusion as a core part of their hiring strategy, not a separate initiative, are the ones that will attract, retain, and build truly high-performing teams.