Inclusion and diversity go hand-in-hand. When employees witness an environment that represents a variety of cultures, ways of thinking, backgrounds, they’re more likely to accept, embrace, and collaborate with fellow-employees in doing business effectively.
Most employers agree that organizations benefit from a diverse workforce, however, the belief can be difficult to quantify or prove, especially when it’s about weighing the effects of diversity on culture, innovation, and overall business. We are no longer new to the concept of workplace diversity, but more than ever, the world has started to witness a sudden shift in the way it is viewed – thanks to the employers who are prioritizing it by investing in resources and taking initiatives to ensure their employees are set up for success.
Gone are the days when employees would simply seek a well-paying 9-to-5 job. Correspondingly, times have passed when businesses would follow highly-structured processes and hierarchies within the organization. In the current competitive job market, employees are striving to work for an organization where they feel accepted, can grow, and be challenged. And hence, a company that thinks of the future, plans in advance, embraces diversity and nurtures a safe, healthy, & sustainable workplace culture is likely to attract a broader range of candidates, in other words, the best talent.
The benefits of adopting new perspectives
Employees are an asset in themselves, but individually, they can deliver limited work as compared to what they can in a team. A company can have more assets only from diversification of workforce – by including people of all genders, religions, races, and sexual orientations. The idea is to diversify skillsets, so as to help everyone move forward with the same values and goals, and in turn, have a broad range of abilities to complete the tasks. This can further lead to benefits like increased productivity and better problem-solving. This can be thought of as a scavenger hunt – will there be success when the team is mutually heading in the same direction? Or, will it be feasible to have a team that splits up?
At first, the idea of adopting new perspectives can feel intimidating for some employers, however, to sustain in the long run, there’s no better alternative than turning flexible, quick, agile, and innovative today! A diverse team brings in more ideas and broader perspective.
Targeting innovation, surpassing intimidation
Growth, innovation, and success don’t necessarily come with a lot of people performing different tasks at different times. It is about having the right people working together for a common cause, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexuality, culture, or religion. It is a world known fact that diversity is a key driver of innovation – if analysed carefully, the correlation sounds reasonable. Ever noticed what happens when a homogenous group of people come together? The possibility is that everything – right from their experiences to approach to their problem-solving skills – is likely to be very similar as well. And sameness doesn’t contribute to creative solutions. In contrast, a heterogeneous group will generate more ideas and unique perspectives that may lead to advances in thoughts.
Embracing performance over presence – eventually, profits
Inclusion and diversity go hand-in-hand. When employees witness an environment that represents a variety of cultures, ways of thinking, backgrounds, they’re more likely to accept, embrace, and collaborate with fellow-employees in doing business effectively. Stronger the bond between team members, better the outcome. This, in turn, leads to more productive and happier employees who then take the onus of aligning themselves with the company’s vision, mission, and core values. Not to forget, we’re surrounded by examples that prove diverse teams simply deliver better results and, consequently, bring in more profits.
Make diversity a priority, not a marketing gimmick
Organizations that initiate diversity programs from a marketing stand-point often lose sight of the real benefits and importance of workforce diversity. The key is to not consider it in terms of profitability, rather for a strong internal company culture, which will inevitably drive profit margins to the peak when every employee feels their opinion matters in generating something great!
