Diversity in the Workplace

We live in a diverse multi-cultural world, and this diversity can really add value inside of an organisation if you foster inclusion and don't tolerate any form of discrimination in the workplace. Diversity means bringing together a group of people from different backgrounds, whether that be culture, socio-economic or differing lifestyles. Businesses need to consider how this type of diversity impacts their company and leverage the positive impacts it can have.

Evidently, having a diverse workplace increases the recruiting opportunities, as you look to a wider pool of talent. Don’t be drawn into stereotyping, assuming that a builder or IT technician should be male or that HR is better suited to women. Demonstrating and actively seeking diversity opens up opportunities to hire the best talent for the job, it also shows your people that you value talent and diversity and they will therefore want to be part of the business. In turn, this builds employee loyalty. When people feel appreciated and valued, they want to stay and continue to serve as part of a great team. Reducing employee turnover helps you reduce human resources costs and develop the team you trust to take your company to the next level.

Having diversity and supporting inclusivity in the work environment also aids in instilling attitudes that help eliminate cultural tunnel vision. You foster open minds, which are therefore more naturally better learners. Experienced employees teach without bias, and new hires know that they’re all starting off on the same level playing field and that there are no barriers to success.

Diversity also improves productivity. When you hire people with diverse cultures and lifestyles, you give them the opportunity to know each other as individuals instead of members of a specific group. As they work with and learn from each other, co-workers build mutual respect that cuts across divides based on race, religion, sexual orientation, age and education. This leads to more productivity as you have a valuable array of skills and creativity into a goal-oriented team. Everyone commits to working together and staying on the same page. Production goes up, business grows, and your employees take real pride in the success of their hard work.

So, take a look around your office, do you have a vibrant mix of employees? If not, are you really getting the most out of your people and generating a diverse range of viewpoints and experiences? If not, change it, make the positive change and take the step forward to be more inclusive.

If you want to make sure you are recruiting the right people for the job, or are instilling the right diversity mindset in the workplace, get in touch and contact us at help@pureblueocean.com