Preconceptions and The Changing Workforce, Diversity

If you’ve seen a contrast between the Mercator world map (the one most of us grew up with) and the Peters map (which shows landmasses in their true proportions to each other) … You know that many of our preconceptions about the world are at odds with reality.

[Actually, we prefer to use the Mollweide projection instead of the Peters. It is also equal area, but continent shapes are less distorted ... And it is more respected by cartographers.]

For example, Europe seems to be somewhat larger than South America and about the same size as Africa on the Mercator map. The reality (clearly evident on either the Peters or Mollweide map) is that South America (6.9 million sq. Mi.) is twice as large and Africa (11.6 million sq. Mi.) three times as large as Europe (3.8 million)!

And it is not just our view of world geography that is skewed, but also our view of the American workforce.

Our Changing World

Or, as we put it: this is not your father’s workforce.

One more beneficial fact pertaining to this matter. A hundred years ago, less than one-fifth of the U.S. Workforce was female. By the 1950’s (in the authors’ father’s day), it had risen to about one-third, but virtually all in support functions, what used to be called ‘pink collar.’

Today, women represent approximately half of American workers. And not just in lower-paid support jobs, but in the professional and managerial ranks as well, and in all kinds of non-traditional roles.

Those of us who are Baby Boomers have witnessed, or experienced, dramatic changes in the role of women.

But even younger generations have seen and will continue to see changes in race/ethnic demographics.

Had you graduated high school by 1990? If so, you were either in or preparing for the workforce.

At that time, only 25% of the U.S. Population was non-white or minority, by which we mean: African American, Asian, Native American and Hispanic.

By 2025, 39% of Americans are projected to be minority (which is starting to become a misleading designation). Virtually no change in Native Americans. African Americans will increase somewhat.

But the percent of Americans who are Asian or Hispanic are each expected to double! By the way, as of 2003, Hispanics are now the second largest race/ethnic group in the country.

And not all Americans are native-born.

There was a major influx of immigrants early in the 20th Century, so that by 1930, 12% of the U.S. Population was foreign-born. But by 1970, when Boomers began entering the workforce, it had dropped to only 5%. Since then, however, it has doubled.

The real change in immigration, however, has been where they have emigrated from.

During the first half of the 20th Century, the vast majority (83%) of foreign-born Americans came from Europe. Visualize the Ellis Island scene from Godfather II or the steerage passengers in the movie, Titanic.

As of 1990, however, less than one fourth were from Europe! Most of the rest have been from Asia (26%) and, especially, Latin America (44%).

In your father’s day (or, at least, the authors’ father’s day), the image of the workforce was all-American white male.

Today, native-born white males represent less than half of American workers, and only about 25% of those entering the workforce! The other 75% are women, people of color and immigrants.

All of these changes can be very disorienting. [As a native-born white male, that last statistic certainly throws one of the authors for a loop.] Some of our preconceptions just do not fit anymore.

But how many of us are still doing business based on an out-of-date paradigm?

To what extent is our own behavior — and corporate America’s HR policies, recruiting practices, marketing strategies and management styles — based on the assumption of a one-size-fits-all, homogeneous workforce and customer base?

A Riddle

Bobby and his father are in a horrible car accident, which instantly kills Bobby’s father. Bobby is seriously injured and rushed to the hospital.

The surgeon takes one look at Bobby on the operating table and says: “Oh my God! I cannot operate on this boy … He is my son!”

How can this be?

The Grimmes conduct customized onsite training workshops and large group presentations for organizations in every sector of the economy. Their groundbreaking book on managing people in today’s workplace will be published by AMACOM in the second half of 2008. Visit their main website at http://www.GHR-Training.com and topic-specific http://www.Employee-Retention-HQ.com … And read issues of their own e-newsletter at http://www.WorkplacePeopleSolutions.com