The American people have elected their first African American president, a historic event that speaks volumes about the ebbing racist sentiment in the U.S. However, for ethnic minority employees—30 percent of American’s human capital—significant societal, educational, cultural and organizational obstacles remain in terms of gainful and meaningful employment.
Research from the Kenexa Research Institute (KRI) demonstrates that past and current policies and practices have not put ethnic minority groups and recent immigrants on equal footing. Further, findings show the U.S. no longer can assume individuals can achieve their goals despite hurdles inherent in U.S. society and its organizations.
There are two central questions: Are career ladders open to all ethnic minorities? If discrepancies exist, where should diversity executives focus their efforts? The KRI 2008 WorkTrends™ survey, which included a random sample of 10,000 U.S. workers, asked 110 questions about employees’ opinions about work, including issues of diversity and equal opportunity, such as the full utilization of the organization’s talent and EEOC compliance.
