CHAPTER 1
The Increasingly Diverse Work Environment
Companies must recognize that diversity is an imperative, not just something nice to do. The more diverse they are, the more successful they will be.
—Pat Russo, executive VP, Lucent Technologies
I magine conducting an interview fully expecting the candidate to showcase their experience and skills. Much to your surprise, though, the expected bragging never takes place—almost as if the candidate were expecting you to recognize that their track record and seniority level should speak for themselves. During a performance review, you provide constructive criticism to an employee with the intent of helping him improve his performance. Later on, you learn that he quit his job because of the shame and loss of face your feedback caused. Your plan is to lead your staff meetings as usual—you expect all team members to make suggestions, participate freely, and demonstrate they can take the initiative. Yet, some of them never ask questions, rarely participate, make no contribution to the project, and never voice any complaints. This baffles you because you know how talented they are. Welcome to the new multicultural workplace!
The Impact Of Demographic Changes And Globalization
Historically, European-American men controlled and set the rules for corporate America. However, the workplace has been changing drastically in the last couple of decades, and demographic changes are one of the forces behind this shift.
According to projections by the US Census Bureau (Vespa, Armstrong, and Medina 2020, 6–7), the racial composition of the US population will change considerably in the coming decades.
One in three Americans—32 percent of the population—is projected to be a race other than White by 2060. The fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States is people who are Two or More Races, who are projected to grow some 200 percent by 2060. The next fastest is the Asian population, which is projected to double, followed by Hispanics, whose population will nearly double within the next four decades. In contrast, the only group projected to shrink is the non-Hispanic White population. Between 2016 and 2060, the non-Hispanic White population is expected to contract by about 19 million people, from 198 million to 179 million, even as the total US population grows.
The report also states that, by 2028, the foreign-born share of the US population is projected to be higher than any time since 1850. In fact, the number of immigrants living in the United States is projected to rise from 44 million in 2016 to 69 million by 2060. There is no denying that soon the United States will become a majority-minority nation.
Demographic changes inevitably impact the workplace. Compared to decades ago, today, we see a larger number of women and minorities in positions that were once out of reach. We are also seein
