Diversity and inclusion in the workplace Part I: Expectation vs. reality

You’ve no doubt heard America referred to as the great melting pot. Social scientists suggest that the U.S. is made up of about a dozen distinct cultural regions, with different demographics explaining everything from accents and local flavors of barbeque sauce to voting behavior and economic opportunity. Overlaid with that are other maps illustrating linguistic differences, religious prevalence, election histories, cultural artifacts—a vast range of differentiators.

According to a report on census data by BuiltIn, experts predict in the coming years, the entire concept of a “minority” in the U.S. will no longer apply. In the upcoming 2020 census, no single racial or ethnic group will constitute a majority of children under 18. In about three decades, no single group will constitute a majority of the country as a whole. The U.S. will be what the Census Bureau calls a “plurality nation.”

This increased diversity in the American population is great for employers. When you bring on a diverse set of individuals to a team, you bring in new ideas and perspectives as a result of combining different world views, cultures, nationalities, and experiences.

 

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