I just returned from the Adhesive and Sealant Council's Fall Convention in Louisville, and I've got more than a few things on my mind.
In the Meeting Workplace Challenges track, Marlene Kreidler of Columbia Union College discussed "Embracing Cultural Understanding." She reported that U.S. labor force statistics project that this country's population will be 52% white and 25% Hispanic by 2050, compared to the 1995 statistics of 73% white and 10% Hispanic. This poses an interesting challenge - how to promote cultural understanding in the workplace in light of a changing population. Kreidler suggested that companies review their policies and hiring practices to verify tolerance, and that they train administrators, managers, and employees to learn to observe, listen, and communicate. Companies must be tolerant of cultural differences in order to succeed, and this will become increasingly important as the population continues to change.