When setting out to increase diversity in your organization, it’s important to build the right foundation for it. If you want your workforce to be sustainable in the long run, it won’t be enough to simply hire more people from diverse backgrounds.
Any diversity initiative must also be backed up by inclusion. This means a demonstrated respect for employees’ unique needs, perspectives and potential, including equal opportunities to contribute and be valued at every level of the organization.
Why is diversity and inclusion in the workplace important?
Successful diversity and inclusion initiatives lead to increased motivation, staff retention and satisfaction, and lower turnover rates. Having diverse talent is seen as a virtue and indicative of a non-discriminatory workplace.
A diversified workforce also is good for the bottom line and can improve your corporate brand. A Deloitte study of 1,200 Canadian companies found the most diverse organizations enjoyed significant competitive advantages, including a higher likelihood of revenue and hiring growth, improved ability to compete in national and international markets, and higher levels of confidence in dealing with adversity.
Benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace
The benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace don’t stop there:
Increased creativity and innovation
Exposure to people who see things differently because of their unique background, skills and life experience improves creativity and increases the flow of fresh ideas. This can open the door to new innovations and is highly beneficial when planning business strategies or working in global markets.
According to Harvard Business Review, diverse teams also bring diverse solutions to the table. Through more informed decision-making processes, they can solve problems faster and achieve better results.
Increased profit
Companies with greater workplace diversity achieve greater profits and superior business results because their workforce can open doors to new markets, business partners and clients.
Higher talent recruitment and retention
Companies with an inclusive and supportive environment hold a competitive edge for both recruiting and retaining top talent. When employees feel included, accepted and valued, they are less likely to leave the company. They are also more engaged at their jobs and have higher satisfaction, which leads to stronger performance at work.
7 ways to encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace
To support diversity and inclusion in authentic ways, it is important to think beyond simply creating policies or enforcing hiring quotas. For real cultural change, there must be buy-in from individuals at every level of the organization, including top leadership.
Senior management teams as well as new hires should include members of underrepresented groups, and all employees should have opportunities to contribute, grow and thrive as they progress in their careers.
As you tailor your diversity and inclusion plan to the unique needs of your organization, consider these seven actionable strategies:
1. Eliminate unconscious bias in talent acquisition
Feelings of unconscious bias that do not align with conscious or shared beliefs may be difficult to eliminate or even identify. However, some strategies to combat recruiters’ unconscious bias include blind résumé reviews, diverse interview panels and gender-neutral language in job descriptions.
2. Build inclusive workspaces
Consider setting up gender-neutral restrooms and dedicated nursing rooms for mothers, including space to store pumped breast milk. Address the needs of a multi-generational workforce, whether it’s a preference for certain types of communication channels or a need for flexible working hours.
3. Honour religious and cultural practices
To ensure company get-togethers are truly inclusive, ask staff questions about their preferences and be ready to offer alternative options. This might include food and beverages everyone can consume, making your Christmas party non-denominational and offering floating holidays to accommodate religious preferences.
4. Promote pay equity
Leverage the power of analytics to assess patterns within different departments, identify which employees are underpaid and pinpoint wage gaps within teams.
By uncovering trends where certain groups of employees are underpaid, businesses can take action to level out the playing field.
5. Offer ongoing diversity training
Create continuous learning and awareness opportunities at work by implementing ongoing diversity programs rather than just a sporadic one-day workshop. Take the time to celebrate cultural events such as Black History Month and Pride Month.
6. Strengthen anti-discriminatory policies
Assess any areas where discrimination can exist, including company and interpersonal interactions. Identify whether existing policies could perpetuate racism or sexism in the workplace and strengthen anti-discriminatory policies accordingly to ensure every employee can work fairly and equitably.
7. Measure your progress
Set benchmark goals for diversity and inclusion and track their progress to determine which strategies are working. Some ways to measure your progress and results include employee engagement surveys, exit interviews and employee turnover rates.
Create a diverse and inclusive workplace
A strong diversity and inclusion strategy can help your organization attract and retain top talent while driving innovative results. While ensuring the visible representation of diverse people is important, so too is ensuring that all employees have an equal opportunity to contribute at every level and feel valued and supported while doing so..
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an opinion on any issue. It should not be regarded as comprehensive or a substitute for professional advice.
According to Harvard Business Review, diverse teams also bring diverse solutions to the table. Through more informed decision-making processes, they can solve problems faster and achieve better results.
Increased profit
Companies with greater workplace diversity achieve greater profits and superior business results because their workforce can open doors to new markets, business partners and clients.
Higher talent recruitment and retention
Companies with an inclusive and supportive environment hold a competitive edge for both recruiting and retaining top talent. When employees feel included, accepted and valued, they are less likely to leave the company. They are also more engaged at their jobs and have higher satisfaction, which leads to stronger performance at work.
7 ways to encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace
To support diversity and inclusion in authentic ways, it is important to think beyond simply creating policies or enforcing hiring quotas. For real cultural change, there must be buy-in from individuals at every level of the organization, including top leadership.
Senior management teams as well as new hires should include members of underrepresented groups, and all employees should have opportunities to contribute, grow and thrive as they progress in their careers.
As you tailor your diversity and inclusion plan to the unique needs of your organization, consider these seven actionable strategies:
1. Eliminate unconscious bias in talent acquisition
Feelings of unconscious bias that do not align with conscious or shared beliefs may be difficult to eliminate or even identify. However, some strategies to combat recruiters’ unconscious bias include blind résumé reviews, diverse interview panels and gender-neutral language in job descriptions.
2. Build inclusive workspaces
Consider setting up gender-neutral restrooms and dedicated nursing rooms for mothers, including space to store pumped breast milk. Address the needs of a multi-generational workforce, whether it’s a preference for certain types of communication channels or a need for flexible working hours.
3. Honour religious and cultural practices
To ensure company get-togethers are truly inclusive, ask staff questions about their preferences and be ready to offer alternative options. This might include food and beverages everyone can consume, making your Christmas party non-denominational and offering floating holidays to accommodate religious preferences.
4. Promote pay equity
Leverage the power of analytics to assess patterns within different departments, identify which employees are underpaid and pinpoint wage gaps within teams.
By uncovering trends where certain groups of employees are underpaid, businesses can take action to level out the playing field.
5. Offer ongoing diversity training
Create continuous learning and awareness opportunities at work by implementing ongoing diversity programs rather than just a sporadic one-day workshop. Take the time to celebrate cultural events such as Black History Month and Pride Month.
6. Strengthen anti-discriminatory policies
Assess any areas where discrimination can exist, including company and interpersonal interactions. Identify whether existing policies could perpetuate racism or sexism in the workplace and strengthen anti-discriminatory policies accordingly to ensure every employee can work fairly and equitably.
7. Measure your progress
Set benchmark goals for diversity and inclusion and track their progress to determine which strategies are working. Some ways to measure your progress and results include employee engagement surveys, exit interviews and employee turnover rates.
Create a diverse and inclusive workplace
A strong diversity and inclusion strategy can help your organization attract and retain top talent while driving innovative results. While ensuring the visible representation of diverse people is important, so too is ensuring that all employees have an equal opportunity to contribute at every level and feel valued and supported while doing so..
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an opinion on any issue. It should not be regarded as comprehensive or a substitute for professional advice.