Minnesota Has Increased Its Workforce Participation Goals

by Michelle Dreier, Executive Manager

Minnesota has increased its workforce participation goals.  Workforce participation goals apply to all construction contracts over $100,000 entered into by the Metropolitan Sports Facility Authority, Metropolitan Council, Metropolitan Airports Commission, Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission and the State of Minnesota on or after July 17, 2017.

Some best business practices for recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce include:

• CEOs role is to set the tone for the organization’s culture by demonstrating a commitment to inclusion.
• Contractors should use people of color and female employees in the recruiting brochures that they use in school and career programs. Contractors should also regularly include media that is specifically targeted to reach people of color and women.
• Look to develop community partners to assist in recruiting a diverse workforce.
• Provide training to employees who are responsible for making hiring decisions. Unconscious bias training is becoming more common as 60% of contractors now provide training on recognizing and addressing hidden bias.

I continue to work with community-based organizations to find talent sources for our member contractors.  If you need some ideas to increase your workforce diversity and inclusion, please contact Michelle at [email protected].

Refer to the map (counties by region):

Hennepin and Ramsey Counties
Includes Hennepin and Ramsey counties and cities within those counties
• Goal for people of color: 32%
• Goal for women: 20%

Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Scott and Washington Counties
• Goal for people of color: 22%
• Goal for women: 15%

Central Minnesota
Counties: Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Pine, Renville, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright
• Goal for people of color: 15%
• Goal for women: 12%

Southwest Minnesota
Counties: Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Sibley, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, Yellow Medicine
• Goal for people of color: 15%
• Goal for women: 9%

Southeast Minnesota
Counties: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Winona
• Goal for people of color: 15%
• Goal for women: 9%

Northeast Minnesota
Counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Saint Louis
• Goal for people of color: 12%
• Goal for women: 9%

Northwest Minnesota
Counties: Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Mahnomen, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Morrison, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin
• Goal for people of color: 12%
• Goal for women: 9%

These goals are effective July 17, 2017.