Can you count on one hand how many minorities work in your corporate office? Are you one of a few minorities on staff? Despite the growing number of minorities in the United States, the civilian workforce doesn't reflect the changing face of the nation. However, the federal government recognizes the value of a diverse workforce and has outpaced corporate America in terms of hiring minorities.
Most U.S. corporations are still very homogeneous. In fact, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Native Americans respectively represent less than 10 percent of the civilian corporations, according to a study by Monster.com. Corporations must realize that diversity is necessary to keep companies competitive on a global scale.
Minority representation in federal jobs is very strong, according to a Monster.com report. Minorities comprise the following percentage of the federal and civilian workforce:
- African Americans comprise the majority of the federal workforce - 17.4 percent and 4 percent of the civilian workforce.
- Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders represent 4.9 percent of the federal workforce and just 4 percent of the civilian workforce.
- Native Americans form 1.9 percent of the federal workforce but make up less than 1 percent of the civilian workforce.
- Hispanics make up 7.3 percent of the federal workforce versus 12.6 percent of the civilian workforce.
U.S. federal agencies and departments also have strong retention rates for minority veterans:
- African Americans are well represented in the departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Treasury;
- Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are also prominent in the US Navy, Department of Commerce, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Native Americans dominate the departments of Health and Human Services and Interior, the Social Security Administration and the Smithsonian Institution.
- Hispanics are prominent in the Department of Homeland Security, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Social Security Administration.
As the United States becomes more diverse, corporations will need to revamp hiring practices to keep pace with the rest of the world. And the federal government's diverse workforce is a great example of how diversity can word for an institution.
