49% of talent ready to walk: the inclusion crisis threatening private equity portfolio value
- High-performing companies are over 14x more likely to have inclusive leadership and reap commercial rewards.
- 49% of employees would consider leaving job for a more inclusive culture.
- 77% of employees say company culture plays critical role in achieving ESG goals.
- 83% of respondents believe inclusion and wellbeing are essential to attracting and retaining talent.
- The most inclusive cultures are 3.78x more likely to have a strong exit value and swift sale.
- 85% respondents have experienced misalignment between investor expectations and company priorities.
4 November 2025, London – Today, Inclusion Live®, a behavioural and cultural development company, released its inaugural research into leadership practices that drive high-performing cultures in private equity (PE) businesses.
The Leadership Blueprint report reveals that high-performing companies are over 14x more likely than low-performing companies to have a mature level of inclusive leadership and through this they are reaping the commercial rewards. In fact, 83% of respondents believe inclusion and wellbeing are essential to attracting and retaining talent.
Loss of key talent is a real and present risk, with almost half of employees (49%) considering leaving for a more inclusive culture that prioritised psychological safety. The report states that leaders are more than twice as likely as employees to feel supported to perform at their best (57% vs 28%), and four times more likely to believe people are empowered to contribute fully (56% vs 12%).
The research indicates that as competition intensifies and growth slows, inclusive leadership is a vital differentiator that unlocks performance, innovation and team commitment. Compared to companies with low levels of inclusive leadership, businesses with the most inclusive cultures are 3.78x more likely to execute in the areas and ways of working that deliver the elements needed for a strong exit value and swift sale.
Over three quarters (77%) of employees say company culture plays a critical role in meeting Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals, yet many report leadership gaps that make those goals harder to achieve.
More than four in five (85%) respondents have experienced misalignment between investor expectations and company priorities. This often results in missed growth goals, slowing execution and increasing talent attrition: ultimately inhibiting value creation.
The most common challenges linked to misalignment include increased burnout/stress (27%), increased financial pressure (22%), increased employee turnover (22%), missed growth goals (20%) and taking bigger risks to achieve faster growth (20%).
“I see the same story repeated: investors pushing for pace, leaders firefighting and teams quietly disengaging. Everyone wants high performance, but misalignment stalls progress. This research shows that when people feel trusted, listened to and safe to contribute, commercial results follow,” said Esther Crew, Founder and CEO at Inclusion Live®.
The Leadership Blueprint report unlocks the hidden value-creation levers within PE-backed companies offering a practical guide for operating partners, executive teams and HR leaders.
Original Article: HRnews
If you need to hire talent in 2025 or need help with your recruitment advertising contact our digital recruitment specialist Gareth Allison on 01732 914056 or email info@mysoutheastjobs.co.uk