Diversity In The Workplace (Benefits + How To Improve)

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Diversity includes the qualities and characteristics that make individuals unique from one another. These things might include characteristics like gender identity, race, and sexuality, but can also include things like religion, education, age, and culture. A diverse workplace is a place of business composed of employees from different backgrounds.

Focusing on hiring a diverse workforce will benefit your business substantially. According to a study done by McKinsey, diverse companies outperform their less diverse peers in profitability. In fact, those in the top 25% for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than their competition in the lowest 25%.

Companies that create effective solutions to recruit, support, and retain a more diverse workforce will boost creativity and innovation as well as financial rewards. You’ll help add richness to your workplace experience and boost employee morale and motivation. Diverse teams typically work better together, fostering better satisfaction among employees.

Key Takeaways

• The benefits of diversity in the workplace are many, including having a variety of perspectives, a broader talent pool, a better brand reputation, more creativity, innovation, and better productivity and engagement.

• Including individuals from different cultures, nationalities, and backgrounds will ensure teams see different approaches to solving problems.

• The four different types of diversity are internal diversity, external diversity, organizational diversity, and world view diversity.

Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace

Adding diversity to your workplace is an important initiative to focus on. There are a variety of different benefits to ensuring diversity in your business.

• Different perspectives. Including individuals from different cultures, nationalities, and backgrounds will ensure teams see different approaches to solving problems. Different perspectives can inspire others to innovate and improve productivity.

• Broader talent pool. Diversity attracts a wide range of candidates with different skills and perspectives. Additionally, when applying for jobs, candidates typically appreciate diversity and an accepting business that values equality, leading to better hiring results.

• Better brand reputation. Diversity initiatives should be done for the right reasons, but an added benefit can be an improved brand reputation. Your business will be seen as more inclusive which can improve your status in your industry.

• Creativity. A diverse workplace can open up new creative avenues. Employees can share ideas and offer unique feedback, advice, and perspectives. Additionally, being exposed to different ways of thinking helps to inspire creativity.

• Innovation. When working with a diverse team, you’ll find everyone brings different strengths to the table facilitating the perfect environment for unique ideas.

• Productivity and engagement. When your employees notice diversity is a priority for your business, they may feel more emboldened to engage. When employees feel heard, included, and accepted, they are happier in their roles.

Challenges of Diversity in the Workplace

Every organization should strive to focus on diversity in their workplace, but the task can be a big commitment with many things to consider. Here are some challenges and suggestions on how to overcome them.

• Aligning your diversity initiatives with organizational goals.

  As mentioned above, implementing diversity initiatives can be a large commitment. You must take into account the culture of your business rather than copying how others have done it in the past. Consider surveying your employees to identify specific gaps for a better understanding of where to focus.

• Implementation.

  Designing a diversity program is much easier than implementing it in your organization. You must make sure you have the team, support, and resources to be successful in your endeavor. Consider hiring a Head of Diversity and Inclusion who can hold the organization accountable for progress.

• Change management.

  The success of diversity in the workplace relies on the cooperation of everyone in your organization, especially your leadership teams. You must invest in your management teams, so they understand why diversity is so important. One great way to do this is to hire a third party to help navigate diversity training.

• Tackling existing bias.

  Humans are inevitably biased based on our life experiences, so even with the best intentions, your employees will have some bias in the workplace. Consider investing in additional training that helps overcome existing biases. This can, at the very least, help your employees be more aware and accountable for their biases.

• Resistance.

  Although it has been proven that diversity improves the workplace significantly, you may still run into individuals uncomfortable with the idea of diversity. Be sure you and your leadership teams are all on the same page in helping these individuals understand or recognize that the company’s culture doesn’t match their own.

Four Different Types of Diversity

Diversity is a broad term. It’s important to understand the different facets of diversity and the types you may want to implement in your company. Here are four different types of diversity that you should consider when developing your diversity in the workplace strategy.

• Internal diversity. Internal diversity refers to what a person is born into, including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical ability. These traits tie into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, where an employee should not be subject to any discrimination or bias related to these statuses.

• External diversity. External diversity refers to the types of characteristics an individual may be influenced by, including personal experiences, socioeconomic status, spirituality, religion, citizenship, or family status. Different cultures may require different resources and needs, so it’s important to understand them.

• Organizational diversity. Organizational diversity refers to the work we do or the organizations in which we work, including job function, management status, seniority, or union affiliation. You’ll want to make sure every job function and department in your organization is staffed with a variety of individuals from different demographics.

• World view diversity. World view diversity refers to how our view of the world differs from our past experiences, including cultural events, political beliefs, knowledge of history, and outlooks on life. Consider nurturing these worldviews through forums, webinars, and in-person sessions to provide different workplace perspectives.

Diversity in the Workplace FAQ

1. What are the benefits of diversity in the workplace?

   Some benefits of diversity in the workplace include having different perspectives, more innovation, and a broader talent pool.

2. What can diversity do for my workplace?

   Diversity in the workplace has the potential to increase productivity and improve a company’s competitive edge.

3. What are some challenges of adding diversity to the workplace?

   Some challenges of adding diversity to the workplace could be cultural differences, communication styles that don’t work well together, or age differences.

Author

Caitlin Mazur

Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia where she has written 140+ articles that have reached over 1 mil viewers as of June 2023. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research.