Inclusion Barometer 2025: 35% of HoReCa and Services employees actively back diversity, but production scores 29%

HoReCa and services become more open and attractive for employees, while Production and Public administration face cultural blocking reducing adaptation HoReCa – share of employees actively promoting inclusion grew from 21% to 35% Services – 30% of employees actively involved in diversity and equity, confirming the sector as an inclusion pole Production – only 29% of employees continue to actively back inclusion Favoritisms and sicrimination among employees divide industries in Romania   In full labor force crisis and under the growing pressure of performance, organizations should create inclusive environments and turn to account diversity in order to keep their people.   However, the study BARES D&I 2025 made by Open Minds – Association for Diversity and Inclusion shows that in many industries in Romania things are different: employees keep silent, they withdraw or leave, but sectors that remain captive in passiveness lose the resource able to bring stability and innovation.   On one hand, industries like HoReCa and Services change rapidly, becoming more open and professional. On the other hand, traditional sectors like Production and even Public Administration remain blocked by a climate of silence and passivity, risking to lose valuable people when they need them most.   “Bares D&I 2025 data show that inclusion is no longer an image topic, but a strategic answer to real labor market challenges. Industries which can create a climate of collaboration and respect attract people with potential, while organizations that remain captive in exlcusion or passiveness lose the very resource their resilience depends on,” says Mirela Tanase, Open Minds vicepresident.   The study identified four big types of employees – Inclusion avant-gardists, People focused on themselves, Social spectators and Socially disconnected – which are distributed differently according to industry.   Avant-gardists, the most active promoters of empathy, collaboration and equity are visible especially in services, HoReCa and public administration, where they frequently occupy management jobs (46%). Self-centered, focussed on individual benefits rather than collective values, they grow in numbers in production and trade, but report drops of emotional satisfaction and equity confidence. Social spectators, although they acknowledge diversity, avoid stepping in and prefer a passive attitude, while the disconnected are most vulnerable, declaring a lack of psychological safety and high stress levels.   In HoReCa and trade, that share of Avangardists has grown from 21% in 2024 to 35% in 2025, which indicates a higher opening to inclusion and a gradual professionalization of the sector. At the same time, the Disconnected dropped drastically, from 15% to 5%, while social Spectators from 33% to 23%. However, the Self-centered grow from 31% to 37%, a sign that the pressure of staff shortage compell employers to adopt more inclusive practices to keep their people, but at the same time individualism is still present.   If we refer to the Service sector, the Avangardist segment went up from 30% to 36%, consolidating this domain as a pole of social inclusion. Their increase is seen in the drop of the Self-centered, from 28% to 25%, which shows an orientation to collective involvement. The Disconnected drop from 14% to 11%, while social Spectators remain constant (28%). These tendencies confirm sector attractivity for the new generations, looking for authentic environments, equitable and open to diversity.   The situation is more complex in Public Administration. Here, the Avangardists represent 34% of employees, a high percentage, but dropping against 36% in 2024. At the same time, the Self-centered grow from 22% to 28%, while Social Spectators drop from 28% to 24%. The Disconnected remain constant at 14%. Data shape the image of a stable sector with a solid base for inclusion, where the drop of Avangardists and growth of Self-centered suggest cultural blocking and difficulties in the real transformation of the organization climate.   In exchange, Production is dominated by passive patterns. Avangardists drop from 36% in 2024 to 29% in 2025, while Self-centered grow from 24% to 27% and Disconnected from 9% to 17%. Social spectators drop slightly from 31% to 27%. This profit shows a slip to disengagement and a higher resistance to change, reflecting both organization pressures and the lack of a consolidated inclusive culture.   “Bares D&I 2025 clearly shows that industries in Romania develop at different rates when it comes to inclusion. HoReCa and Services become more and more open and attractive for employees, while Production or Public Administration are faced with cultural blockings which slow down adaptation. This polarization means that, instead of turning to account diversity as a strategic resource, we risk to deepen differences and lose the people most needed by organizations,” said Mirela Tanase.   Last but not least, the study points out a factor common in all industries: the persistence of discriminations. About half of respondents (45%) noticed salary discriminations, while 39% saw favoritisms in the access to career opportunities. The lack of reaction to complaints (37%) and discriminatory comments (36%) complete this picture. The consequence is that in sectors with low inclusion, half of excluded employees declare they want to leave, double the national average of 24%.   “Healthy personal values of employees cannot be manifested if the organization does not offer a receptive space. The barometer shows that, without this support, even those with inclusive leadership potential leave. In a labor market where attarcting people becomes critical, companies which do not consider inclusion seriously undermine their chances of building long term stability and performance,” concluded Mirela Tanase, vicepresident of Open Minds.   About Open Minds – Association for Diversity and Inclusion   Open Minds - Association for Diversity and Inclusion, set up in 2023 by Exploratist, an Employee Experience Agency, is a nongovernmental organization facilitating the involvement of companies in the lives of local communities, through actions with positive impact that generate attachment, credibility and confidence. The Association integrates agendas of organizations with initiatives of the social society, in long term approaches with high impact. The Association is devoted to the development of educational and social projects, promoting innovation and empatic design to back various categories of beneficiaries. With the support of its partners, Open Minds continues to set up development and inclusion opportunities for vulnerable communities.   About Bares D&I 2025   Bares D&I 2025, Responsible Romania's Barometer, is a Research & Development initiative set up in 2024 by Cult Research and GRF+, upon Open Minds initiative, based on LOHAS methodology (Life styles of Health and Sustainability). CAWI method was used to collect data, through an online questionnaire by means of CultIO, a platform offering access to a panel of over 40,000 respondents. The study is relevant at national level, made on a sample of 806 respondents and having an error margin of +/- 3.5%.   About Cult Research   For 16 years, Cult Research has engaged in supplying valuable prospects and information which contribute to better understanding phenomena in society and adapting organizations to these realities. Offering analyses and data on various topics of national interest, the company intends to contribute to setting up a society in which the quality of life is constantly improved.