American workers have largely replaced their hard hats with briefcases. Today's U.S. economy, once defined by industrial might, is now driven by high-skilled services. While office jobs and jobs in education and health care are growing, factory jobs are declining. Diversity affects performance in this new economy in crucial ways. Because people of different backgrounds and cultures approach things differently, a diverse workforce increases the probability of innovation.
Diversity also forces team members to remain flexible and open-minded.
Including diverse staff members in brainstorming sessions can send the conversation in directions it may never have taken before. An extensive body of research by Charlan Nemeth testifies to the flexible capabilities of diverse work teams. Nemeth's work finds that the mere presence of a minority viewpoint, even when the minority view is proven suboptimal, stimulates creativity among other group members. Research also suggests that diverse groups make better decisions because they have a broader base of experience from which to draw. The global economy is ubiquitous, and American exports of goods and services have tripled since 1986.