No two people are exactly alike, and many different types of individuals exist around the globe. This should also be true of companies and organizations. Diversity in the workplace refers to the existence of variations of different characteristics in a group.
These characteristics could be anything that makes people unique, such as personality traits and cognitive skills, along with things that shape one’s identity, like age, gender, race, religion, citizenship status, language proficiency, education, cultural background, and sexual orientation.
The Value of Diversity in the Workplace
Building a diverse organization means you do not discriminate against protected characteristics and are an equal opportunity employer. This means that your organization agrees not to discriminate against employees and that equal employment opportunity is given to everyone when you are considering them for various jobs. Employees also receive fair, unbiased treatment in the organization.
There are many benefits of having diversity in the workplace. It can include embracing a more equitable and successful professional environment. Therefore, managers and leaders who foster diverse – and inclusive – workplaces can often build more effective teams that are highly engaged and produce impressive results. More diversity in your organization can also increase your workforce’s range of skills, talents, and experiences. Plus, it can help you to understand your customers’ needs better.
Other benefits of a diverse workforce may include the following:
- Better decision-making
- Greater innovation
- More effective problem-solving
- Greater creativity
Studies have shown that there may be a link between diversity at the management level and higher corporate revenue compared to companies with below-average diversity in their leadership team.
It is important to remember that diversity and inclusion are not necessarily the same. For instance, diverse employees at your company don’t automatically form an inclusive workplace where all employees are valued and given opportunities to thrive.
How to Support a Diverse Workforce
There are several strategies that managers may use to support a diverse workforce in their organizations. These can include:
- Prioritize diversity when hiring new employees
- Regularly review company policies and procedures that could contribute to workplace inequality
- Obtain feedback from employees and other managers
- Invest in diversity training
- Foster an inclusive company culture
Prioritize Diversity When Hiring New Employees
Prioritizing diversity in your hiring practices does not require your company to make big changes. Instead, it could start with something as simple as revising your job listings to include supportive statements regarding inclusion.
You could also focus more on hiring a wide range of diverse individuals for various job openings in the company. Diversity candidates are individuals who can bring unique perspectives or outlooks to the business.
Other efforts could include:
- Expanding candidate searches
- Offering internships to those who are in underrepresented classes
- Having the company participate in job fairs at colleges and universities that have a high percentage of minority students
Another option is to expand diversity within the management team, which can communicate a diverse culture to potential job applicants.
Regularly Review Company Policies and Procedures
Regularly reviewing company policies and procedures could also increase the organization’s support of diverse employees. For instance, the company could extend a family leave benefit to same-sex couples who have or adopt a child. Your organization may also offer employee benefits like health insurance to your employees’ same-sex or domestic partners.
Going this route doesn’t just show the company’s employees how it supports a diverse workforce. It also makes a statement regarding the organization’s commitment to diversity for those outside the organization.
Obtain Feedback from Employees and Other Managers
Sometimes, the best suggestions and ideas can come from within an organization. With that in mind, generating feedback from employees and other management team members can be extremely beneficial. This can also allow upper management to reflect on their own feelings – and possible biases – and to address these so that they are more conducive to a diverse work environment.
Invest in Diversity Training
Diversity training can help the company’s management team and its employees to attain a broader understanding of different and diverse groups of people. It can also help them learn how to treat people respectfully and better communicate with individuals with different backgrounds, biases, and cultural differences.
People’s cultural backgrounds often impact the way they see things. Therefore, diversity training can help others to build empathy and awareness regarding how people who are different from them think and act.
Foster an Inclusive Company Culture
Management and employees can all help to foster an inclusive culture at a company or organization. Some examples include forming partnerships with various community groups and entities that serve marginalized populations.
Other actions may include:
- Providing on-site daycare services
- Allowing employees time off for religious holidays
- Offering education on different challenges and perspectives
- Empowering employees to make positive changes within the organization
Leading Diversity as a Company Manager
Managers at companies and organizations can play a big role in fostering and embracing diversity. However, promoting workplace diversity can require continuous action, constant reflection, and a commitment to doing what is right for the employees and the company.
Attaining and maintaining a diverse workplace can be a lot of work, but it is well worth it, given the rewards you could gain. Company managers and leaders should ideally collaborate and establish interpersonal connections.
Is Your Company’s Workforce Diverse?
Greater workplace diversity can promote higher employee performance and more job satisfaction. However, if your company or organization is not where you would like it to be from a diverse standpoint, it can be beneficial to discuss your short- and long-term goals with a professional specializing in this area.
