The Benefits and the Reality of Diversity in the Workplace



In 1987, the Secretary of Labor, William Brock commissioned a study of economic and demographic trends by the Hudson Institute. This study resulted in the text titled, Workforce 2000- Work and Workers in the Twenty First Century. Workforce 2000 highlighted demographic factors that would impact the labor market in the United States. In a nutshell- the book argued that the U.S would only continue to grow increasingly diverse and suggested that diversifying the workforce was an economic imperative if companies wanted to stay competitive and attract talented employees. Essentially, Workforce 2000 spearheaded the beginnings of the diversity industry. Considering that the business case for diversity has been discussed for roughly thirty years in our country, it may be surprising to some of you that organizations in the United States are still lacking widespread diversity-- especially when it comes to leadership positions.

In my second vlog of the Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace series, I provide an overview of  business case for D and I from the findings of  McKinsey and Company's most recent study titled Delivering Through Diversity. I also call attention the fact that leadership roles in the workplace are still largely held by one demographic group:White males. Happy Viewing!



Comments

  1. Katleen GarciaJanuary 4, 2021 at 2:05 AM

    Increasing diversity within a team will take some investment. It’s not enough just to write a diversity policy. It’s not enough just to fill a quota. Diversity must be part of your culture. And that happens both top-down and bottom-up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. raguMarch 24, 2021 at 2:52 PM

    Great blog learned many things about human resources from this blog very informative.
    Diversity and Inclusion Consulting Firms
    Diversity and Inclusion Workshops
    Employee Assistance Program
    Posh Training

    ReplyDelete
  3. shinaJune 16, 2022 at 4:56 AM

    This is a nice blog many things to learn. keep sharing.
    CGPO2O

    ReplyDelete
  4. SMITHJuly 25, 2022 at 9:50 PM

    this is really good one keep sharing with us

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lucy WatsonMay 3, 2026 at 10:35 PM

    This is a thoughtful reflection—especially the point about how long the “business case” for diversity has been around versus how slow leadership representation has actually changed. It really shows that awareness alone isn’t enough; there’s a gap between intention and execution.

    I’ve seen that firsthand in a previous workplace. We talked a lot about inclusion, but without clear direction, it stayed mostly at the surface level. What made a difference for us was bringing in a diversity and inclusion consultancy to help translate those ideas into practical changes—things like how we approach hiring, promotions, and even everyday team dynamics. It wasn’t an overnight fix, but it did move the conversation from abstract to actionable.

    Curious to hear your take—why do you think leadership diversity, in particular, has been so resistant to change despite all this research and discussion?

    ReplyDelete

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