Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce: Executive Order 13583 and Demographic Trends

President Obama’s 2011 Executive Order 13583 was expected to serve as a catalyst for coordinated government-wide initiative promote diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce. This order reinforced government’s commitment equal employment opportunity by “using talents of all segments society,” achieved recruiting, hiring, promoting, retaining more diverse The mandated creation strategic plan well agency-specific plans. study uses institutional theory lens examine agency response EO articulate rationales, practices, correlating workforce demographic trends. We how three agencies articulated practices activities explore trends prior to, during, after adoption Together, these analyses offer evidence varied approaches uneven progress pursuing letter spirit order. Specifically, articulation goals following does not consistently translate enhanced diversity.