Safety For A Diverse Workforce In 2020 – And Beyond

This newsletter article was published on October 30th, 2020 by Ashby Angell, Chantell Foley, and Todd Logsdon in Louisville.

When thinking about safety training for your workforce, you may be, understandably, focused on your workforce as a whole. Just as important, however, is considering the age, gender, nationality, and other aspects of all of your employees in planning for such training. America’s workforce is more diverse than ever, and this diversity can impact the way employees comprehend and implement their training. 

The last census revealed that approximately 17% of the U.S. workforce is currently made up of foreign-born workers, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that minorities, including foreign-born workers, will approach 50% of the American workforce by the year 2050. The BLS also reported in 2016 that women comprised 47% of the total workforce, and younger workers (those ages 15-24) represented 14% of the workforce. As America's workforce continues to evolve, so will yours – and your safety training should evolve in turn.