How Does Diversity Help The Workplace?

A diverse and all-inclusive organization will know how does diversity help the workplace in achieving success. A workplace that does not include or is incapable of including a diverse range of employees is in turn not able to utilize its full potential. Discriminating against employees based on the above-mentioned parameters can create a hostile environment which will most definitely affect the quality and productivity of an organization.

Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace

The benefits of a diverse workplace are manifold. We will discuss the most prominent benefits that are sure to increase productivity and promote a healthy work environment.

• Innovative and Creative Ideas

Diversity essentially means accepting differences and change. A diverse workplace is a breeding ground for unconventional and unorthodox ideas that break the monotony. Having different voices and opinions also enriches any project or proposal an organization will undertake.

Professor Roy Y.J. Chua recently said, “The more your network includes individuals from different cultural backgrounds, the more you will be creatively stimulated by different ideas and perspectives. Importantly, these ideas do not necessarily come from the network members who are culturally different from you.”

• Ability to Solve a Problem Faster

There is no problem that cannot be solved if a bunch of talented and creative people come together to solve it. But it is only possible if all the employees, irrespective of their class, race, ethnicity, sex, or gender, feel included in the task. Only a diverse workplace can accommodate multiple solutions to problems because it lets everyone speak and acknowledge their contributions. 

• Increased Productivity

Some people have the idea that a diverse workplace is harder to work in. It is completely true-- it is not easy to maintain a healthy environment and give your best. But the challenge is what makes a team more productive. The Harvard Business Review posits that diverse teams are more productive because working on a diverse team is, in fact, harder.

• Better Employers

Diverse companies are seen or perceived as better employers because they make their employees feel included. 

• Higher Employee Engagement

Diverse companies have proven to have higher employee engagement. Each engaged employee is found to boost sales by 24 percent in a recent study by Weber Shandwick Research. Research from Deloitte has concluded that diversity is the sole reason behind huge employee engagement in a short time. 

• Reduced Turnover

It is given that a diverse workplace that accommodates employees from different social groups and communities comfortably will make employees want to stay with the workforce. Reduced turnover for a company leads to increased production because of existing experienced employees who are sincere in their work.

• Addressing Diverse Needs of Customers 

The more diversity a company has within its workforce the better it will be at addressing the needs of its diverse customer base. Every organization wants a diverse customer base but to have that and increase your sales you have to diversify your workplace. 

• Better Profit

In a survey by McKinsey & Company, that took place across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, it was seen that companies that have a diverse representation of employees made more profits. 

• Better Awareness among Employees as well as Executives

A better understanding of another person's choices and preferences can only come from diversity training. These understandings make the workplace a space without exploitation and harassment. This has proven to increase the productivity of individuals as well as the collective productiveness of a company. But it also helps maintain the integrity and reputation of your company. 

What Can You do to Diversify Your Workplace?

Diversity within a workplace is not generated overnight. It is difficult to create a space with universal acceptance without some external training. There are multiple diversity training programs that multinational companies use to increase the level of acceptance within the employees and within the company policies. 

Here are some ways in which you can promote diversity and inclusiveness in your organization and workplace–

• Using the “Inclusive Workplace Model” 

Although diversity and inclusion are not interchangeable, the two are interconnected. Inclusion is an important step towards achieving diversity. Inclusivity means accepting someone as they are, even if we think differently or do not like their forms of expression. As long as someone is not hurting another person, they can portray and express themselves as they want. This is what inclusivity is all about. If a workplace can portray that idea, it will be easier to have representation from different communities and groups there.

• Evaluating the Executives 

Executives are a model for other employees to follow. If they do something unacceptable to an employee belonging to a lower rank or their fellow employee, the interns or freshers get the idea that it is okay for them to do that as well. So if you aim to diversify your workplace, check your model employees.

• Providing Implicit Bias Training for Everyone 

Implicit bias is a dangerous and tricky thing to battle. No matter how progressive we think we are, we harbor conventions and conformities of society. We need external training to accept that we have implicit bias and battle that. 

• Representing as Many Social Groups and Communities

We are still shocked at the lack of women CEOs in multinational corporations, but we don’t do much to give them the opportunities they deserve. Try to have a diverse representation within your employees. This may seem forced at first or create a hostile environment. Still, with the right implicit bias training, diversity training, and harassment training, representation can be a marvelous way to bring diversity to your workplace. 

• Promote a Culture free of Fear and Intimidation

An office culture or boss that intimidates the employees too much is bound to result in an unhealthy work environment. To achieve a diverse workplace, it is important to promote a space where every employee’s voice is heard and acknowledged without judgment.

• Creating a Dialogue about Inequality

A dialogue between the employer and the employees in a free and open environment can go a long way. To understand the challenges and struggles your employees have to go through, it is important to have conversations with them. 

• Building a Multilingual Workplace

Language has always been a barrier to universal expression. Let your organization break this stereotype by promoting the idea of a multilingual workspace.  

• Building a Multi-generational Workforce

It helps to build an inclusive and diverse workplace if we have perspectives of more than one or two generations. The experience does not come from age. And we shouldn't discriminate against aged employees as their life experience is definitely more even if their work experience is not.

• Diversity Activities   

There are multiple diversity activities that you can introduce in your workplace. For instance, making a diverse holiday calendar is a fun way of understanding the differences and similarities between cultures. It is important to pay attention to someone's regular beliefs and religious practices along with the major holidays of their culture. 

Final Thoughts  

Diversity could bring magnificent benefits to your organization and workplace. A healthy workplace is an answer to many of our problems. Diversity helps the productivity of an organization and helps maintain its reputation. A diverse workplace is not achieved easily. It needs regular and consistent work. But the results are definitely worth it.