Promoting and increasing workplace diversity and inclusion is a critical endeavor that many businesses are now pursuing.
Sensible CEOs see the numerous advantages of a diverse workplace. And, it’s the right thing to do. They recognize that it’s important for improving employee engagement and experience.
Diversity and inclusion are two notions that are related but not interchangeable. Diversity refers to an entity’s makeup or representation. The contribution of opinions and experience of people from different groups, when incorporated and appreciated is called inclusion.
It may be varied, but it is not inclusive if there are many different genders, ethnicities, nations, sexual orientations, and identities present, but only the viewpoints of specific groups are valued or have any authority or influence.
DIVERSITY IN WORKPLACE
Regardless of who they are and what they do, everyone must feel equally included and supported. This must be in all aspects and areas of work. That is a diverse and inclusive workspace. The phrase “all areas” is crucial.
Workplace diversity refers to the wide range of variances that exist among employees in a company. How people perceive others, as well as, how people identify themselves is Diversity. Race, gender, age, religion, mental and physical ailments, are examples of diversity in the workplace.
Do you recruit from a diverse pool of candidates, have diverse departments, and have leadership? You operate in an environment where 50% of the employees are women. However, only 1% of your bosses are females? Do you have a fair number of employees of color in general, but they all work in the same department? These are the type of questions that answer workplace diversity and inclusion.
WHAT IS INCLUSION IN A WORKSPACE?
Understanding and respect are the cornerstones of workplace inclusion. Everyone’s opinions and ideas should receive proper weightage and importance. It creates a more inclusive work atmosphere. and everyone feels valued. It can get difficult to create a work environment where everyone feels accepted. They are considered a part of the decision-making process. Creating such an environment can get easier with ongoing and continuous assistance.
Promoting and assessing employee inclusiveness, according to the Harvard Business Review, is incredibly challenging. First, leaders must develop a comprehensive definition of “inclusion.” Then, people teams must collect input from all employees on their existing or projected activities regularly. This is a crucial stage because you can’t have inclusion without taking into account the views of all employees.
THE POWER OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
According to Deloitte’s article on diversity and inclusion, it states, “A growing body of research indicates that diverse and inclusive teams outperform their peers. Companies with inclusive talent practices in hiring, promotion, development, leadership, and team management generate up to 30 percent higher revenue per employee and greater profitability than their competitors. Without a strong culture of inclusion and flexibility, the team-centric model comprising diverse individuals may not perform well.”
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
Jeff Waldman wrote a blog post on the importance of diversity and inclusion on employee engagement. He stated, “In fact, diverse and inclusive workplaces boost employee engagement.
You could even argue that the impact on employee engagement and diversity are the same…employee engagement is a strategic business imperative, so it only makes sense to include diversity and inclusion in the conversation.”
BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE
There are numerous advantages to working in a diversified environment. Companies that commit to hiring a diverse staff have a bigger pool of applicants to pick from. This leads to identifying more qualified individuals. It also cuts down on the time it takes to fill open positions.
Businesses that do not recruit from a variety of talent pools risk missing out on competent individuals. They may have a harder difficulty filling important positions. This results in higher recruitment costs.
- Employees from various backgrounds provide unique ideas and insights to businesses that are informed by their cultural experiences.
- Organizations will gain a better understanding of target populations and what motivates them if they work in a diverse environment.
- A diverse workplace can help an organization’s culture fit with the demographic make-up.
- Customer satisfaction increased as a result of improved employee engagement and interactions with a more diversified clientele and public.
- Diversity in the workplace fosters creativity. The connection makes sense when you think about it. In a homogeneous group of people, almost everything about them will be similar. From their cognitive patterns to their life experiences to their problem-solving abilities.
- Many studies have shown that diverse teams perform better and, as a result, generate greater money. According to a 2015 McKinsey analysis on 366 public businesses, those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns that were higher than the industry average.
MANAGING WORKSPACE DIVERSITY
HR managers face a distinct set of issues when it comes to managing diversity in the workplace. These concerns can be mitigated if a company makes a serious effort to promote a more varied workplace by establishing a culture of tolerance, open communication, and developing conflict management procedures to deal with any issues that may occur.
To effectively manage diversity in the workplace, leaders must first understand their own histories, as well as how their behavior and values can influence their decision-making in a varied setting.
