Gender and Diversity in the Workplace

1. Gender and Diversity in the Workplace AECO 380 Dr. Jennifer VanGilder

2. Definition of Diversity • Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary • Differing from one another • Composed of different or unlike elements or qualities

3. Changing Demographics of Population By the year 2050 • 52% Non-Hispanic White (down from 75.1% in 2000) • 25% Hispanic (up from 12.5% in 2000) • 13% Black (up from 12.3% in 2000) • 8% Asian American (up from 3.6% in 2000) • 1% American Indian (Up from 0.9% in 2000)

4. Diversity Facts • Minorities now account for 85% for the net growth of the nation’s labor force • Women now comprise 37% of the labor force

5. If we divided the world's population by 60 million, there would be 100 humans of who: • 57 are Asian • 21 are Europeans • 14 are Hispanics from the Western Hemisphere • 8 are Africans • 51 are females • 70 are non-white • 70 are non-Christian; 30 are Christian

6. 6 individuals control 50% of the world's wealth -- all Americans • 30 are unable to read • 50 suffer from malnutrition • 1 is near death and 1 is about to be born • only 1 has a college education

7. Facts Continued… • Over the next 20 years the US population will grow by 42 million people • 47% Hispanic • 22% Black • 18% Asian • 13% White

8. Diversity…Not a new trend • Miami is 2/3 Hispanic • San Francisco is 1/3 Asian American • California State Bakersfield has minority majority standing

9. Cultural Lenses • Rigid Lenses • Stereotypes • Open Lenses • Interaction • “An individual may assume they understand another person’s culture, but these assumptions are usually what keep the two apart”

10. Development of Multiculturalism • Canadians • Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988 • Enacted to recognize and support different cultures • Switzerland • Alternative view • Be like us and you can be one of us

11. Why do we need diversity training? • Growing Global Marketplace • Opens the door for diversity • Diversity training can… • Increase Productivity • Decrease Turnover • Reduce Conflict • All lead to the common goal of what??? • PROFIT

12. Why study diversity? • Increasing immigration patterns • More women in the workforce • 40% of women in 1970s worked • 60% of women in the 1990s worked • 72% of women in 2001 worked • Changes in civil rights legislation • Disabilities • Homosexual and bisexual

13. Does it make a difference? • “Diverse teams are more effective and creative in an increasingly competitive economy” Honoring Diversity in the Workplace • “Development of the future workforce is a critical issue for high tech companies. We must find ways to remain creative and innovative, and diversity of thought is fundamental to creativity.”Rich Templeton, Texas Instruments

14. Questions to address • Why has the composition of the labor force been changing so rapidly? • What are the major diversity issues? • How can we deal with these issues on a professional level?

15. Examining the Intersection of Gender and Work Powell ix-xx

16. Women and Work • Labor Force participation of women has been expanding over the last several decades. • 1970 study • 15% of surveyed high school senior women expected they would be working at age 35 • Surveyed again at age 35 over 40% of the women were working • Problems??? • If you don’t expect to work….you will not be prepared to work

17. Female Labor Force Participation Rates • Definition: • Percentage of all women working or seeking work • 43% in the 1970s • 60% in 1998 • Almost 72% in 2001 • Lower for married females (almost 61%) • Male labor force participation rates decreased from 80 to 74% during that same period. • Mississippi, Arizona, and West Virginia have the lowest rates for women

19. Why the change? • Are men getting lazy??? • Change in attitudes about women working • More divorces • Things cost more money (dual income family)

20. Women are becoming more numerous in what used to be labeled “male jobs” Examples… How does this impact society?

21. Some facts… • Females comprise • 1% of automobile mechanics • 4% of airline pilots and navigators • 10% of electronic technicians • Nontraditional employment for women is defined as occupations or fields of work where women comprise less than 25% of the individuals employed.

22. Nontraditional Job Choice Facts • More than 80 percent of employed women work in only 5 percent of all jobs • Women can earn up to 30 percent more plus benefits in jobs dominated by males

23. The “Female Occupation Formula” • Occupations which employ 90% women almost always have in common certain characteristics that women seem to find desirable • Characteristics usually make the wage lower • What are these characteristics??

24. Ability to Psychologically “check out” at the end of the day • (cashier vs. lawyer) • Physical Safety • (receptionist vs. fire fighter) • Indoors • (secretary vs. garbage collector) • Low Risk of Job Loss • (file clerk vs. entrepreneur)

25. Desirable or Flexible Hours • (nurse vs. doctor) • No Demands to Relocate • (corporate secretary vs. corporate executive) • High Fulfillment • (child care vs. coal miner) • Contact with People • (hostess vs. trucker)

26. Blue Collar vs. Pink Collar • Librarian • Farmer • Cook • Physical Therapist • Police Officer • Real Estate Salesperson • Secretary • Insurance Salesperson • Truck Driver • Radiologist

27. In-class activity #3 • Blue Collar vs. Pink Collar Jobs • Three tasks: • Identify each occupation as a blue collar job (male job) or pink collar job (female job) • Include one aspect of that job that brought your group to this conclusion • Approximate the percentage of that occupation that is the majority gender • Extra Credit Opportunity for Group • 1 point for identifying blue or pink collar correctly • 2 points for being within 4 percentage points of actual composition