The analysis of the USA's workforce diversity

Current Statistics

The current population statistics in the United States indicate that the population is diverse and is undergoing several changes. Data from the Pew Research Center shows that the population in the United States will change as a result of immigrants arriving in the US. The population of the United States in 2005 was estimated to be 296 million. It is projected that it will increase to approximately 438 million by the year 2050 signifying a growth of 82 percent. The 117 million of the new population will include 67 million immigrants and 50 million newborns. As the population of the United States increases, employers should understand the need and value of recruiting diverse employees. This will allow the organization to grow, adapt, and to be highly competitive.

Recent Trends

The recent trends show that the population is changing drastically. The population of Hispanics has been increasing in the past and it is expected that the trend will continue. Latinos make up the largest minority group and the population has been increasing faster than any other minority group. Latinos made up 19% of the population while Hispanics make up 14% of the population. The Caucasian population has also been increasing and comprised of 12% according to the data taken in 2005.

Future/Forecasted Trends

Future trends in population show that there will be a drastic increase in population by 2050. There will be more Hispanics in the workforce compared to the Caucasians. They will make up 29% of the entire population while the Caucasian would also make up 29%. The Latino group, the largest minority group, is expected to have tripled by the year 2050. It is also expected that the general population should change in terms of various dynamics such as gender, religious, orientation, and age.

Immigrant versus native

Throughout the years, the number of immigrants has grown incredibly and contributed positively to economic growth. By 2050, the racial and ethnic mix will grow significantly and there have to be changes in immigration policies to accommodate new immigrants. Immigrants enter the United States without a proper financial standing. They come with a low educational level and engage in low paying jobs but play a big role in the economy. However, high skilled immigrants start businesses, innovate, and create more space which native workers can grow. While some individuals state that immigrants take up most jobs, studies show that they have a small and insignificant effect on workers that are native-born. On the flipside, immigrants create more jobs and make room for economic growth.

Gender

Today’s workforce is diverse and should hire an equal number of both men and women. In the past, men dominated a large portion of the work setting and have had higher wages. Recent trends show that women are playing a huge role in the workplace. They are sharing viewpoints, market insights, ideas, and are promoting better problem-solving techniques. However, women continually face several challenges in the workplace such as balancing between their family livelihoods and being mothers and their work. Discrimination against any individual based on their gender identity even including one’s transgender status is prohibited by the law.

Religion

The United State workforce is also made up of individuals that come from different religious backgrounds. Statistics by the Pew Research Center (PRC) shows that the Christian population has been declining. Other religious groups have been growing over the past years. The number of adults that do not identify with any religious grouping has also been decreasing ("America's Changing Religious Landscape", 2015). This can present several challenges to organizations because they should accommodate and accept different religious practices. Organizations should be ready to accommodate individuals that support religious practices and those that do not support any religious practice. The law protects individuals and ensures that anyone can practice their religious beliefs without any religious discrimination. This is protected under the First Amendment which protects employees from religious discrimination from their employers (Levy, 2017).

Age

Age diversity in the workplace includes individuals of different ages working in the same environment. The elderly could have work practices and work ethics that is different from the young population. Those differences can result in conflicts between the two age groups. Dealing with age diversity creates a professional environment with maturity and experience for people of different ages. It would involve the ability to merge and manage individuals of different ages in a single environment.

The working-age population is set to rise from 186 million in 2005 to 255 million in 2050. Future immigrants are set to account for a large percent of working-age. The nation’s children will rise to 102 million in 2050 from 73 million in 2005. Additionally, the elderly population is set to rise to 81 million from 37 million in 2005. Trends in age also show that the dependency ratio is set to rise by the year 2050. The dependency ratio in 2005 was 59 young and elderly dependents for every 100 people and is set to rise to 72 dependents for every 100 people working by 2050 ("Employment status of the civilian non-institutional population by age, sex, and race", 2018). The costs to support workers is set to rise. Employers should put this into account as working employees are set to undergo a significant financial burden as they support their families.

Race

Racial and ethnic groups are set to undergo significant changes. Latinos are set to account for 29% of the population by the year 2050 compared to 14% of the population in 2005. Latinos will account for 60% of the national population growth between 2005 and 2050. The black population is set to increase by a small margin and is set to be 13.4% in 2050 compared to 12.8% in 2005. The Asian population is set to be 9% of the entire population compared to 5% in 2005 ("U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050", 2008).

With the ever-increasing racial diversity in the workplace, employers should be ready to create a working environment that accommodates individuals of different races. There should be no discrimination where individuals get employed based on their racial status. The law protects everyone at work regardless of their ethnic discrimination. Discrimination based on ethnic and cultural background is unlawful and unethical. The federal and national government have put in place laws which protect everyone from any form of racial or ethnic discrimination.

Legislation

The legislative structure in the United States is adequate enough to protect different employees from any forms of discrimination. Employers should abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits organizations from discriminating against individuals in the workplace (Levy, 2017). Employers can thus be sued in a federal court in case there are any discriminatory practices. This can result in huge penalties and fines for the organization. In case a company wants to avoid the fines, it should abide by various legislative procedures that prevent discrimination in the workplace.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is another legislative procedure that protects against discrimination based on age. The act forbids discrimination against individuals above the age 40 but does not offer protection for individuals below age 40 (Von and Nazarov, 2016)). There are some states which have implemented laws and policies which protect the younger population from any forms of discrimination in the workplace. The management team should be able to understand the laws and regulations regarding age discrimination in a given state. They should act accordingly to ensure that they abide by all the legislative procedures.

Conclusion

The current workforce is diverse and it is expected that the trend should continue for the long-term. Every organization should work towards integrating diversity in the work environment. To integrate diversity, one must understand the current statistics, current trends, and future trends. The statistics and trends show that the population is becoming more diverse. There are new immigrants set to join the nation and create a dynamic change in the entire population. The population is also becoming more diverse in terms of race, age, and religion. There are legislative concerns that should be addressed to ensure diversity is addressed and that there is no form of discrimination in the workplace.

References

America's Changing Religious Landscape. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ 

Employment status of the civilian non-institutional population by age, sex, and race. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat03.htm 

Levy, L. W. (2017).  The establishment clause: Religion and the First Amendment . UNC Press Books.

U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2008/02/11/us-population-projections-2005-2050/ 

Von Schrader, S., & Nazarov, Z. E. (2016). Trends and patterns in age discrimination in employment act (ADEA) charges.  Research on Aging ,  38 (5), 580-601.