At the Perspectives 2025 event hosted by the Raleigh Chamber (beautifully led by @Dr. Torri Staton and fellow members of the @Raleigh Chamber of Commerce), keynote speaker @Al Vivian shared a striking reality: this year marks the largest high school graduating class, but starting next year, the numbers will decline significantly. Fewer graduates mean fewer workers. This demographic shift is already here, and it’s setting the stage for a workforce crisis in the coming decade.
I had the privilege of presenting on generational dynamics at the event and helping lead a generations speed networking session, where we explored how different age groups bring unique experiences, expectations, and insights to the table. One thing became clear: the future of work will demand new leadership, leaders who listen across generations, value lived experience, and know when to step back.
Think you can pass strict immigration laws to grow your workforce, or pass laws that don’t promote diversity and inclusion? The reality is this: as high school graduation rates decline and fewer young people enter the labor market, the talent pool is shrinking fast. Who will you hire in the next 5 years, or even 10?
Did you gasp when I said diversity and inclusion? The future workforce won’t. They’ll be more diverse than they are today.
The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) share of the U.S. workforce is steadily increasing. By the end of this decade, BIPOC workers are projected to make up nearly 45 to 46 percent of the U.S. workforce—almost half of all workers. This shift is already well underway, underscoring that inclusion is not just a side initiative but a fundamental strategy for long-term organizational success.
The LGBTQ+ community also shapes the changing workforce. Approximately 6 percent of U.S. workers identify as LGBTQ+, with representation rising rapidly among younger generations, Gen Z and Millennials are the most likely to identify as LGBTQ+. Including these waves of identity and self-expression matters, not just in policy, but in culture.
And then there’s the legislation. Take the recently passed anti-LGBTQ+ laws, including HB805, which restrict the rights of transgender individuals. And it’s not just LGBTQ+ communities being targeted—anti-DEI laws are being introduced across the country, seeking to silence conversations around race, gender, and belonging. These laws send a clear message to talented, diverse professionals: You’re not welcome here. Younger generations, who increasingly prioritize equity and inclusion, will look elsewhere for those states, companies, and communities where they feel safe and celebrated.
Companies that fail to foster inclusive, supportive cultures will find themselves scrambling. Businesses that ignore evolving employee needs—who feel empowered, heard, and valued—will face disengagement, high turnover, and decline. Talent today opts for purpose over pretense. Culture over control.
As Al Vivian reminded us, the future workforce is more diverse. That diversity fuels innovation. It drives creativity. It expands what’s possible. Shutting people out based on identity isn’t just morally wrong—it’s bad economics. It’s organizational self-sabotage. The fallout shows up in missed ideas, stalled growth, and a company—or even a state—that becomes irrelevant before it realizes it.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. North Carolina has a chance to lead. The state is still growing, drawing new residents with promise and quality of life. But unless we back that momentum with inclusive policies and equitable workplaces, we won’t hold onto the people we attract. The momentum will stall.
The need to act is urgent. As high school graduation rates fall and the workforce becomes smaller and older, the companies—and states—that will thrive are the ones willing to evolve. Willing to include. Willing to grow.
The future belongs to those who make space for it.
