If there’s one message the two major political parties took from this week’s election, it’s that the demographics of the electorate are changing.

Some political watchers say the outcome of the 2012 elction shows the political landscape may finally be catching up with business. “Walk into any S&P 500 company — Intel, Medtronic — and you have an increasingly diverse work force,” says Marketplace Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell. “Management no longer cares if you are a woman, you’re African American, you’re Hispanic — they are drawing from all society to try to be competitive in the global economy,” he says.

As demographics shift, Washington’s agenda is likely to shift as well. While there has been a lot of talk about immigration reform, Farrel says education policy will also move to the top of the to-do list as immigrants and businesses seek to advance economically.