ANALYSIS OF CHALLENGES FACED BY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND THEIR SOURCES

In this thesis, we use surveys and interviews with first-term Sailors on board U.S. naval ships to identify the factors most influential in their stay/leave decisions and how these factors vary across gender and race/ethnicity groups. Our framework of analysis is built on Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory to highlight relationships between factors of diversity of leadership and peers, mentoring, and first-term retention. Our analysis finds that most underrepresented groups and females have very different experiences than non-Hispanic whites in relation to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs factors of safety and security, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization. Of these factors, negative experiences in social needs, which encompasses mentorship, the sense of belonging, and peer support, was found to have the largest impact on retention decisions of underrepresented groups and females. Based on these findings, our recommendation is the implementation of measures and strategic directives that address and resolve the gap felt in the lack of social needs fulfillment. We believe these findings can assist Navy leadership in their continuing efforts to improve strategies and initiatives to recruit, develop, and retain a high-quality military workforce. Improved racial and gender minority retention is a vital element in cultivating workforce talent and unlocking our Navy’s full potential in better support of national defense.OPNAV N17Lieutenant, United States Navy ReserveLieutenant Commander, United States NavyApproved for public release. distribution is unlimite