Diversity and inclusion have recently become popular topics among organizations across the country. Today, diversity has more depth than what may initially come to one’s mind. Diversity is the presence
of different characteristics that make up an individual including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, political beliefs, social class, age, religious or ethical value systems, and physical ability or attributes. Inclusion in the workplace is fostering an environment where individuals can be and feel welcomed and when employee differences are valued and integrated.
Diversity and inclusion are interconnected concepts, yet they are far from interchangeable. An organization may be diverse but lacks inclusivity. Throughout this reading we will explore a few reasons why diversity and inclusion can be beneficial and how to foster an environment of diversity and inclusion in your workplace.
Why is diversity and inclusion in the workplace important?
1. ATTRACTS AND RETAINS TALENT
In effort to retain talent, many organizations offer free lunches, employee bonuses, competitive benefit packages, among other efforts to have a competitive advantage over other employers. Those are great tools to attract talent, but none of those benefits work for an employee who doesn’t feel comfortable in his or her work environment. Employees enjoy working in environments where they are encouraged to bring their ‘whole selves’ to work.
Creating a work environment that is not only diverse but also inclusive, allows people to be who they are. The goal is for employees to feel valued for their unique talents and perspectives, in turn making them want to stay at their current organization. The key to inclusion is truly understanding who your employees really are. For managers, one of the most powerful tools to get to know your employees is by having one on one discussions. To promote effective communication, management should have an open-door policy and exude an open-minded persona. Management should also be comfortable sharing their own thoughts and feelings with employees when they are tired, sad, or struggling with an issue to gain trust and truly build a connection. The hope is that building an inclusive environment with open communication will lead to increased employee engagement and trust.
2. MORE INNOVATION – BETTER COMPANY PERFORMANCE
A diverse group of employees is linked to having a much higher chance of coming up with fresh ideas. Ideas are created by teams of people, and the more diverse these teams are, the more likely they are to draw inspiration from seemingly unrelated places. With each employee having a unique background this can lead to a combination of innovative ideas. According to the Harvard Business Review, there is a statistically significant relationship between diversity and innovation outcomes. The most diverse enterprises-in terms of migration, industry, career path, gender, education, age-were also the most innovative, as measured by their revenue mix. Each of the six dimensions of diversity were correlated with innovation, but industry, nation of origin, and gender had even larger effects on companies revenue. Diverse teams can also hone in to better identify products and services that fit the needs of emerging customer profiles.
You can promote innovation within your organization by simply including people with different viewpoints in your meetings, hopefully providing inspiration and insight that you wouldn’t necessarily think of on your own.
3. IMPROVED COMPANY CULTURE
Diversity in the workplace can positively impact the company’s culture. Each organization has a unique culture. One can think of a company’s culture as its “personality.” Some companies opt for a more relaxed and unstructured approach. On the other side, some organizations adhere to a set of guidelines. Organizational culture can also depend on the size, work ethics, objectives, and work atmosphere. Working with a diverse team is something most employees enjoy. Members of an inclusive workplace do not have to worry about being judged unfairly. Also, an equitable environment fosters a sense of mutual trust and respect in the workplace. Workplace diversity broadens workers’ perspectives and keeps the company’s culture ever evolving.
Changing the culture of your company to become more diverse and inclusive will not happen overnight but can be very rewarding. Above we have reviewed a few reasons why diversity and inclusion can be beneficial in the workplace, but there are far more reasons that truly make diversity and inclusion a great idea to enhance your organization. The leaders of your organization can shape the culture of your company leading it in a more futuristic direction-which should include diversity and inclusion.
