Diversity 2022: Changes Comingto the WorkplaceAn upward trend in the U.S. minority population is changing the workplace. As the figure shows, the number of non-Hispanic white men in the U.S. labor force will decrease by 2 percent by 2022, but the number of African American menwill increase by 11 percent, the number of Hispanic menby 28 percent, and the number of Asian American menby 23 percent.Among non-Hispanic white women, the projectedchange is a decline of 3 percent; among African Americanwomen, an increase of 9 percent; and among Asian women,an increase of 24 percent. Hispanic women will show thegreatest gains, estimated at 28 percent. Within a decade, non-Hispanic white men will rep-resent 33 percent of all workers, and that figure will continue to drop. As a result, companies that welcome social diversity will tap the largest pool of talent and enjoy a competitive advantage leading to higher prof-its (Graybow, 2007; Harford, 2008; U.S. Department of Labor, 2014).Welcoming social diversity means, first, recruitingtalented workers of both sexes and all racial and culturalbackgrounds. But developing the potential of all employeesrequires meeting the needs of women and other minorities, which may not be the same as those of white men. For ex-ample, child care at the workplace is a big issue for working mothers with small children.Second, businesses must develop effective ways todeal with tension that arises from social differences. Theywill have to work harder to ensure that workers are treatedequally and respectfully, which means having zero tolerancefor racial or sexual harassment.Third, companies will have to rethink current promotionpractices. The latest research shows that 68 percentof the directors of Fortune 100 companies are white men;32 percent are women or other minorities (Alliance forBoard Diversity, 2013). In a survey of U.S. companies, theU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2014)confirmed that non-Hispanic white men, who make up38 percent of adults aged twenty-five to sixty-four, hold63 percent of senior management jobs; the comparablefigures are 38 and 25 percent, respectively, fornon-Hispanic white women, 15 and 3 percent fornon-Hispanic African Americans, and 19 and 4 percentfor Hispanics.What Do You Think?1. What underlying factors are increasing the social diversityof the U.S. workplace?2. In what specific ways do you think businesses shouldsupport minority workers?3. In what other settings (such as schools) is social diversitybecoming more important? Why?
Diversity 2022: Changes Coming
to the Workplace
An upward trend in the U.S. minority population is changing
the workplace. As the figure shows, the number of non-
Hispanic white men in the U.S. labor force will decrease by
2 percent by 2022, but the number of African American men
will increase by 11 percent, the number of Hispanic men
by 28 percent, and the number of Asian American men
by 23 percent.
Among non-Hispanic white women, the projected
change is a decline of 3 percent; among African American
women, an increase of 9 percent; and among Asian women,
an increase of 24 percent. Hispanic women will show the
greatest gains, estimated at 28 percent.
Within a decade, non-Hispanic white men will rep-
resent 33 percent of all workers, and that figure will
continue to drop. As a result, companies that welcome
social diversity will tap the largest pool of talent and
enjoy a competitive advantage leading to higher prof-
its (Graybow, 2007; Harford, 2008; U.S. Department of
Labor, 2014).
Welcoming social diversity means, first, recruiting
talented workers of both sexes and all racial and cultural
backgrounds. But developing the potential of all employees
requires meeting the needs of women and other minorities,
which may not be the same as those of white men. For ex-
ample, child care at the workplace is a big issue for working
mothers with small children.
Second, businesses must develop effective ways to
deal with tension that arises from social differences. They
will have to work harder to ensure that workers are treated
equally and respectfully, which means having zero tolerance
for racial or sexual harassment.
Third, companies will have to rethink current promotion
practices. The latest research shows that 68 percent
of the directors of Fortune 100 companies are white men;
32 percent are women or other minorities (Alliance for
Board Diversity, 2013). In a survey of U.S. companies, the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2014)
confirmed that non-Hispanic white men, who make up
38 percent of adults aged twenty-five to sixty-four, hold
63 percent of senior management jobs; the comparable
figures are 38 and 25 percent, respectively, for
non-Hispanic white women, 15 and 3 percent for
non-Hispanic African Americans, and 19 and 4 percent
for Hispanics.
What Do You Think?
1. What underlying factors are increasing the social diversity
of the U.S. workplace?
2. In what specific ways do you think businesses should
support minority workers?
3. In what other settings (such as schools) is social diversity
becoming more important? Why?
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