Why do employers struggle to keep employees of color?

A 2017 survey found that most Minnesota companies think the diversity of their workers reflects the diversity of their customers and communities. But other government data reveals that people of color are significantly underrepresented in many workplaces, including management, business, financial and health professions in Minnesota.

So how can businesses take concrete steps to address diversity in the workplace?

MPR News host Marianne Combs spoke to three guests: Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, director of POC Career Fest; Vivian Chow, director of marketing at Rembrandt Foods; and Janine Sanders Jones, associate professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the University of St Thomas.

They spoke about the benefits of having diversity in the workplace and look at the reason so many people of color chose to leave their employment.

Use the audio player above to listen to the segment.