Underutilization of Human Resources

Although the United States is faced with a rapid depletion of some resources, others are not being used to their full potential. Of these, an under utilization of certain human resources is most apparent. Statistics show that the unemployment rates for women, blacks, and youths are above the national average. While some of these persons may be jobless due to employment discrimination, other reasons can be found in the changing composition of the work force.

Current data indicate that there will continue to be a youth boom in the labor. While the 15-29 age group will decline during the next 20 years, it is still expected to include 20 percent of the U.S. population in the year 2000.  At the same time, this statistic show dramatic increases in the 30-39 age group until 1985.

1976 Age Group	1976 population (in millions)	Percent Increase or decrease
		To 1980	To 1985
30-34	13.8	+26	+42
35-39	11.6	+20	+49
40-44	11.1	+4	+23
45-49	11.8	-8	-3
50-54	11.8	-3	-10
55-59	10.6	+6	+3

 The challenge to provide jobs in this age group will be great. Never before has the U.S. economy been asked to provide new jobs for 42 percent more people in the 30-34 age group in a 10-year period, or for job opportunities existed after World War II. However, there was also a growing economy with organizations seeking employees to assist them in meeting the demand for goods and services that existed at the time. Quite the opposite economic conditions exist today, thus presenting an even greater challenge to provide jobs for these persons.

Although unemployment among all blacks is high, the rate for black teenagers is even greater, with a range between 24 and 34 percent during the past few years. Of course, the unemployment rate among all young people is high. In fact, being young increases the chances of remaining jobless for more than being black or female. Thus, teenagers seeking a steady job find many difficulties, especially if they are high school dropouts.


Women now make up over 40 percent of the U.S. labor force. However, males in all management positions outnumber females by more than 5 to 1. In addition, most women are still found at, or below, the lower levels of middle management. Among presidents, executive vice presidents, and corporate chairpersons, males exceed females by a ratio of some 50 to 1. As might be expected, salary data also show wide differences between men and women were in jobs paying over $30.000, while more than 190.000 males received such salaries.

Beyond a changing composition of the labor force, management groups of the future will also ave to deal with employees who are more highly educated. Consequently, new approaches to leadership, communication, and motivation will be required. Only when such approaches are combined with an elimination of employment practices that have discriminated on the basis of race, sex, and age, will we move closer to a maximum utilization of our nation's human resources.