"In 1960, 72% of adults were married, and over 90% would go on to marry. HR policies and management practices back then catered to nuclear families with a lone, male breadwinner. Today, dual-career couples and working mothers are common, largely due to the growth of women in the workforce in the second half of the 20th century."
"Today, another demographic shift also demands employers' attention: the growing share of the workforce that is single - particularly those without dependents. About 1 in 3 American adults haven't gotten married by midlife. The workplace has always included recent grads, never-married professionals, divorced empty nesters and widowed retirees. But these categories now represent a far larger share of the labor force than they did a generation ago."
In 1960, 72% of adults were married and over 90% would eventually marry, leading HR policies to center on nuclear families with sole male earners. Today's workforce has transformed dramatically with dual-career couples and working mothers becoming standard. Employers have responded by offering flexible work hours, paid parental leave, and subsidized childcare, though many still lag behind. A new demographic shift now demands attention: approximately one in three American adults remain unmarried by midlife. Single workers without dependents now represent a substantially larger workforce share than previous generations. These individuals include recent graduates, never-married professionals, divorced empty nesters, and widowed retirees. Workplace policies have not adequately adapted to this growing demographic reality.
Read at Fast Company
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