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Workforce Diversity

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An increasing number of organizations—from private companies to the U.S. military—want their workforces to represent a wide range of backgrounds and characteristics. These can include differences in race, ethnicity, gender, class, ideology, age, physical and mental/cognitive abilities, and sexual orientation. RAND conducts empirical research to help leaders clearly define diversity, develop rigorous metrics to support that definition, and design and apply accountability systems.

Report
Pittsburgh's Science- and Technology-Focused Workforce
About 18 percent of Pittsburgh's employment is in science- and technology-focused occupations, and the growth rate suggests the need for more workers in the future. What investments and policy changes could safeguard the region's strengths and support it as a flourishing science and technology hub?
Jan 9, 2023
Research Brief
Why National Security Needs Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen an organization. Members of the neurodivergent population have skills that can be beneficial in many fields of interest to national security. These include pattern recognition, problem-solving, visualization, and memory.
Mar 27, 2023

Explore Workforce Diversity

Commentary
An Autistic Soldier Wants You to Read This
Despite the recruitment challenges it is currently facing, the Army continues to make personnel decisions based on last century's understanding of neurodivergent diagnoses. The loosening of stigma associated with these diagnoses could improve recruitment, and the Army might reap the benefits of neurodiversity.
Jun 1, 2023
Report
Demographic Diversity of the DoD STEM Workforce
Within the Department of Defense's STEM workforce, which demographic groups are subject to the greatest compensation disparity when compared with white men? What measures can the Pentagon take to address these discrepancies?
Apr 27, 2023
Multimedia
Teachers’ Responses to Curriculum Restrictions
RAND policy researcher Ashley Woo presents findings from a study that examined teachers' responses to limitations on race- and gender-related topics in the classroom.
Apr 21, 2023
Report
Teachers' Preparation Experiences from Coursework to the Classroom: Findings from the 2022 Learn Together Survey
Using nationally representative response data from the 2022 Learn Together Survey, the authors examine teachers' experiences entering, completing, and transitioning from teacher preparation programs and discuss implications and recommendations.
Apr 13, 2023
Blog
Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on preventing school violence, dealing with drug cartels, the benefits of a neurodivergent national security workforce, and more.
Mar 31, 2023
Report
Neurodiversity and National Security: How to Tackle National Security Challenges with a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents
This report provides research and analysis for national security managers and employees who seek to better understand neurodivergence and neurodiversity and desire simple steps to achieve neurodiverse inclusivity for national security workplaces.
Mar 27, 2023
Q&A
Amplifying Teachers' Voices: Q&A with Ashley Woo
Ashley Woo, an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D. candidate at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, aims to bring teachers' perspectives into policymaking. In this interview, she discusses her research on teachers' responses to state restrictions on how they can address topics related to race and gender in the classroom.
Mar 16, 2023
Report
Talent Management and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of the Air Force: Qualitative Review of Programs, Practices, and Partnerships
Researchers conduct a qualitative literature review and interviews with subject-matter experts to identify the Department of the Air Force's existing and planned efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in its military force.
Mar 9, 2023
Report
Talent Management and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Private-Sector Organizations: A Qualitative Review of Promising Practices
Researchers reviewed academic literature and conducted interviews with private-sector organizations to identify promising practices in support of the Department of the Air Force's goal of building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce.
Feb 23, 2023
Commentary
How Teachers Can Shield Students from Harm as Debates Rage over Race and Gender
By conveying to girls and students of color that they are individually capable of overcoming adversity—and that who they are matters—educators might soften the blow of public laws and policies that send the opposite message.
Feb 22, 2023
Report
The U.S. Air Force Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Values on Social Media: A Proof-of-Concept Examination of How Air Force–Affiliated Accounts Represent the Service Online
This report presents a proof-of-concept to assess the online behavior of U.S. Air Force (USAF)-affiliated users over social media, specifically in regard to USAF diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Feb 22, 2023
Report
Benchmarking Demographic Diversity in Air Force Functional Areas Against Near-Equivalent Civilians: The Air Force Occupational Diversity Benchmarking Workbooks
To allow decisionmakers to discover potential barriers to a diverse and inclusive workforce, the authors created a method to measure diversity in the Department of the Air Force occupations using near-equivalent civilian occupations as benchmarks.
Feb 22, 2023
Brochure
Spotlight 2022–2023
The events of 2022 underscore the continuous nature of change and the constant need for policy informed by evidence. Spotlight 2022-2023 highlights selected projects that we undertook in our 30th anniversary year to address some of today's most pressing policy issues.
Jan 24, 2023
Report
What Teachers Think of State Policies Limiting Their Instruction
The restrictions placed on how teachers can address race- or gender-related topics in the classroom may be leading to consequences for teachers' working conditions and for student learning. Teachers report that the limitations make it more difficult to engage students in learning, to support critical thinking skills, and to build empathy.
Jan 24, 2023
News Release
Pittsburgh Science and Technology Sector Is Large, but Faces Challenges; Improvements Needed to Continue to Flourish
The Pittsburgh region has a robust science and technology sector that is larger than the national average, but action is needed to safeguard the region's strengths and further its ability to compete with other technology hubs.
Jan 9, 2023
Tool
Science and Technology-Focused Postsecondary Options in the Pittsburgh Area
RAND researchers compiled a list of science- and technology-focused (STF) providers and programs in the Pittsburgh area. Potential students can filter the list to find out which types of degrees or certificates can be earned in which STF fields.
Jan 9, 2023
Report
Incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Considerations into the 2021 Department of the Air Force Developmental Education Selection Boards: Analysis of Outcomes
Although demographic data have been masked for most Air Force boards adjudicating career development and promotions, the 2021 Central Professional Military Education Program Boards provided an opportunity to test the effects of unmasking the data.
Dec 20, 2022
Commentary
A Way Forward for Police Recruiting
Police recruiting is in a prolonged crisis. Without sufficient numbers of quality recruits, no amount of planning, strategies, or programs will succeed. It is critical to draw from a pool of interested persons who are diverse, technologically adept, and who have a spirit of community service.
Dec 16, 2022

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RAND Topic:
Workforce Diversity

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Maria C. Lytell

Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist

Maria Lytell is a senior behavioral and social scientist at the RAND Corporation. Her work focuses on military personnel topics with recent examples including diversity, equity, and inclusion in the military, digital talent needs for the Department of Air Force, and staffing requirements for…
Tara L. Terry

Senior Operations Researcher

Tara Terry is a senior operations researcher working across several of RAND's FFRDCs conducting research on behalf of the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Joint Operations, and Homeland Security. Terry has 13+ years of operations research experience with a focus on data analysis, mathematical…

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