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Workforce Diversity

Gender Equity in the Workplace
commentary
Ending the 'Brogrammer' Culture: How to Close the Gender Gap
Lucy Hocking
May 17, 2018
Public Technology
Despite recent progress, women are significantly outnumbered in technology, comprising only 30 percent of the workforce worldwide. It's up to society, governments, and technology companies to close the gap. Improving internet access, education, and career opportunities for women could help.
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Gender Integration in the Military
commentary
On RAND's Research Findings Regarding Transgender Military Personnel Policy
Agnes Gereben Schaefer
Mar 27, 2018
The RAND Blog
In September 2015, the Department of Defense asked RAND to initiate a study on the implications of allowing transgender personnel to serve openly. Since its publication, the research has been widely viewed as the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis on this topic. RAND stands by the study's research approach, analysis, and findings.
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Gender Equity in the Workplace
commentary
Female Drivers Can Put Saudis on Road to Enhanced Growth
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Sep 29, 2017
The Hill
Allowing women to get behind the wheel will likely lead to significant long-term changes in Saudi Arabia's economy and the participation of women in the labor force.
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STEM Education
commentary
Cybersecurity Badge: One Big Step for Girl Scouts, Potentially Giant Leap for Women
Lara Schmidt
Aug 3, 2017
USA Today
The Girl Scouts will start offering 18 cybersecurity badges next year. In addition to exposing girls to cyber concepts and challenges, this could encourage them to pursue cybersecurity or other STEM careers in which women are underrepresented.
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Employment Legislation
commentary
Why Europe's Work-Life Balance Proposal Could Be in Limbo for Years
Barbara Janta
May 30, 2017
New Europe
The work-life balance proposal has a chance of having an impact on the labor markets and welfare systems in Europe. However, given the variation in policies across member states and levels of political support among key stakeholders, the proposal may end up stuck in negotiations.
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Gender Equity in the Workplace
commentary
On 'Hidden Figures' and Being the Only Woman in the Room
Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis
Mar 12, 2017
Scientific American
RAND's Susan Marquis discusses the three brilliant African-American women depicted in the film Hidden Figures, the critical role of women in RAND's history, and more.
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Technical Professions
commentary
To Increase Diversity in Tech, We Need to Rethink What 'Tech' Is
Diana Gehlhaus Carew
Nov 17, 2016
The Hill
Rethinking what defines today's tech jobs, along with greater investment in public-private partnerships, could go a long way toward bridging the diversity gap.
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Gender Equity in the Workplace
commentary
Is It Time to Extend Maternity Leave Across Europe?
Lucy Strang, Miriam Broeks
Sep 13, 2016
EurActiv
Any policy solution for extending maternity leave must strike a balance between protecting infant health through extended breastfeeding and mitigating any potentially negative impact on the mother's career progression or increased costs to business.
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Globalization
commentary
Evolving 21st-Century Workplace and the American Workforce: Trends and Policy Responses
Lynn A. Karoly, Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_
Aug 23, 2016
The RAND Blog
Three trends have important implications for the future of work: a shifting demography toward older workers, more women, and more diversity; continuing technological change that will increase the demand for skilled workers; and increased globalization.
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Military Personnel
essay
Transgender Troops: Fit to Serve
Aug 18, 2016
The Pentagon's decision to open the ranks to transgender service members was informed by months of RAND research into the costs and numbers involved.
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Special Operations Forces
commentary
Women in Special Security Forces: What the U.S. Can Learn from the Afghans
Whitney Dudley, Robert Stewart
Mar 28, 2016
Military Times
The contributions of the women in Afghanistan's special security forces demonstrate the unique value that women can bring to special operations forces in socially conservative societies. They are successful in tactical roles and in operations requiring interaction with the community.
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Gender Equity in the Workplace
announcement
RAND Studies Help Inform Pentagon Decision to Open Combat Roles to Women
Feb 5, 2016
RAND researchers addressed topics such as whether members of U.S. special forces are ready to integrate women into their ranks and what lessons may be learned from other militaries that already have integrated women into combat positions.
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Workforce Diversity
blog
Scientific Workforce Diversity: A Conversation with Raynard Kington
Apr 28, 2015
Grinnell College president and RAND alumnus Raynard Kington discusses the need for (and reality of) diversity in the biomedical scientific workforce.
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Work-Family Conflicts
commentary
UK and Europe Are Behind the Times for Single Mothers and Their Children
Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD, Kai Ruggeri
Mar 11, 2015
The RAND Blog
Single parents head 10.4 percent of households with children across Europe — 20.4 percent in the UK — and the socioeconomic gap between single- and two-parent households continues to grow. Accessible and flexible work policies are needed to improve employment conditions for single parents, especially mothers.
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Police-Community Relations
commentary
Progress After Ferguson? Good Ideas Need Good Implementation
Nelson Lim, Greg Ridgeway
Mar 9, 2015
The RAND Blog
President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing has done a great service by providing dozens of sound recommendations—good ideas that could help avoid another Ferguson. Now we need good implementation to go along with them.
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Police-Community Relations
commentary
Can Big Data Help Build Trust in the Police?
Nelson Lim
Dec 11, 2014
Newsweek
After two controversial grand jury decisions not to indict police in the deaths of unarmed African Americans, a White House task force has 90 days to provide recommendations for promoting accountability among law enforcement agencies to cultivate trust between police and communities. The timeline may seem impossible, but, sadly, these issues are old and the solutions are well known.
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Gender Equity in the Workplace
commentary
Seven Chances to Meet Europe's Employment Targets
Melinda Mills, Stijn Hoorens @StijnHoorens
Oct 30, 2014
European Voice online
The EU will fail to meet the Europe 2020 Strategy target of having 75 percent of people between the ages of 20 and 64 in work unless enough women are encouraged to enter, or remain in, the workforce. Here are seven factors the new EU Commissioners responsible for gender equality and employment must address.
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Workforce Diversity
commentary
The Realities of Silicon Valley's Lack of Workforce Diversity
Lawrence M. Hanser, Nelson Lim
Oct 2, 2014
San Francisco Chronicle
Major Silicon Valley tech firms have released statistics indicating their workforces are largely made up of white men. Corporate America is on the receiving end of a complex chain of social and educational factors that continue to leave minorities behind in terms of college graduation, and both minorities and women behind in terms of STEM degrees.
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Wages and Compensation
commentary
Reflecting on Gender Equality in Europe
Barbara Janta
Mar 7, 2014
The RAND Blog
With the United Nations 2014 International Women's Day theme being “Equality for Women is Progress for All,” it is a time to reflect on progress made, raise awareness of the struggles that women and men still face, and consider how best these challenges could be addressed.
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Military Career Field Management
blog
Pentagon Announces Plans to Integrate Women in Combat
Jun 18, 2013
Senior Pentagon officials announced today that by 2016, women will be allowed to join front-line combat roles, including infantry, armor, and special operations. RAND has conducted research on the evolving roles of women in the military and has several experts available to discuss the DoD's policies.
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