50 Must-Read Articles on Diversity in the Workplace: Valuable Insights on the Challenges, Benefits, and Best Practices for Cultivating Diversity

Originally published on the Wonolo blog.

Talk of diversity in the workplace is nothing new, but as more individuals, organizations, and politicians speak about feminism, immigration, gender identity, and the gender pay gap, it is coming to the forefront of business news once again. Additionally, studies are showing that the more diverse a workplace is, the more success it achieves, and organizations are looking to learn more about how to increase diversity and manage diversity.

To help hiring managers, executives, and others in the workforce learn more about diversity, we have rounded up 50 must-read articles on workplace diversity. We chose articles based on their relevance, writers' expertise, and timeliness. We also included articles that offer varying perspectives and analyses of diversity in the workplace in an effort to bring as many arguments to the table as possible. Please note, we have listed our 50 must-read articles on diversity in the workplace here, in no particular order.

1. Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions

Josh Greenberg's article on diversity in the workplace for The Multicultural Advantage provides an overview of diversity and briefly breaks down both the benefits and challenges associated with it. The article also recommends steps for achieving and maintaining diversity in the workplace and suggests solutions for it.

Three key points we like from Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions:

• An organization's success and competitiveness often depend upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize its benefits
• Organizations should actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues
• Organizations must work to overcome perceptual, cultural, and language barriers for their diversity programs to succeed

2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Workplace

@HoustonChron

David Ingram's diversity in the workplace article for the Houston Chronicle details its advantages and disadvantages. As Ingram points out, it's the way in which organizations manage diversity that allow them to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the disadvantages.

Three key points we like from Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in Workplace:

• Workers with diverse cultural backgrounds have unique experiences and perceptions that strengthen productivity
• Properly managed diversity makes it possible to leverage the strengths of employees and complement their weaknesses
• Diversity can strengthen relationships with customers by making communication more effective

3. The Myriad Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace

@Entrepreneur

@colornoun

Entrepreneur has been inspiring, informing, and celebrating entrepreneurs for nearly 45 years. Their guest writer Kim Abreu is a recruiting trends analyst at Glassdoor who makes the argument for building a diverse staff. As Abreu explains, "recruiting and retaining a diverse, inclusive group of employees lets your company reflect the world around you and makes your team better able to develop fresh ideas that will meet the needs of the whole marketplace."

Three key points we like from The Myriad Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace:

• Companies that employ workers who identify with a small portion of the market don't have access to the insights, experiences, and worldviews of the entire marketplace
• More diverse companies win in innovation and outperform their competitors
• Diverse teams are more creative and are better at solving problems

4. What Are the Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace?

@UndercoverRec

The Undercover Recruiter presents an article that examines the advantages of diversity in the workplace that is written by Sophie Deering, senior account executive at Link Humans, an employer branding agency. In the article, Deering explains that there is much more to diversity than age, gender, race, and cultural background.

Three key points we like from What Are the Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace?:

• A diverse workplace does not simply hire workers from various age groups and balance its ratio of men to women; rather, diverse workplaces includes people with different experiences, varying personalities, and different levels of experience to foster creativity and offer a range of viewpoints and ideas
• Workers from diverse backgrounds offer a selection of different talents and skills that benefit the organization and improve their work performance
• Hiring workers who speak different languages helps companies work on a global basis and interact with a broader customer base

5. Advantages of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

@GlobalLTUSA

Global LT's article on diversity in the workplace specifically focuses on the advantages of cultural diversity that companies realize when they hire employees from a variety of backgrounds, races, ages, religions, and genders. Higher morale and different perspectives are just two of the benefits of diverse workplaces examined in this article.

Three key points we like from Advantages of Cultural Diversity in the Workplace:

• Companies that manage diversity well incorporate cross-cultural diversity and inclusion training to ensure everyone feels validated and important regardless of his differences
• Proactive companies manage and promote diversity, which improves morale and promotes positivity in the workplace
• Culturally-diverse workplaces empower companies to expand into worldwide markets and better mimic the communities they serve

6. 'Diversity' Is Rightly Criticized As An Empty Buzzword. So How Can We Make It Work?

@NPRCodeSwitch

@GeeDee215

NPR's Code Switch is comprised of a team of journalists who study race, ethnicity, and culture, the ways in which they play a role in our lives and communities, and how things are shifting. Lead blogger for the Code Switch team, Gene Demby examines what happens when diversity becomes nothing more than a corporate buzzword in this article on diversity in the workplace.

Three key points we like from 'Diversity' Is Rightly Criticized As An Empty Buzzword. So How Can We Make It Work?:

• Diversity only can be productive when companies put thought into how to invite and control the resistance against accepted norms
• Companies need to be prepared to deal with a hefty amount of skepticism when working toward creating more diverse workplaces
• Companies need to support workers they hire when creating a more diverse workforce because they become representatives of diversity and shoulder much of the resistance and pushback themselves

7. Diversity Fatigue

@TheEconomist

In this diverse workplace article, The Economist points outs that people think diversity sounds like a good idea and pay it a great deal of lip service, but in reality they think differently to the point that some HR consultants are concerned about diversity fatigue. The article also highlights the fact that companies may "starve themselves of talent" if they ignore diversity.

Three key points we like from Diversity Fatigue:

• A study published by the Peterson Institute for International Economics found that firms with more female executives are more profitable
• Diversity spurs creativity and innovation
• Companies don't recognize the return they get from investing in diversity especially because of the challenges and training that are associated with creating a diverse workplace

8. Cultural Diversity in the Work Place

@thebalance 

@KimberlyAmadeo

President of WorldMoneyWatch.com and touting 20 years of senior-level experience in economic analysis and business strategy working for major international companies, Kimberly Amadeo gives a thorough overview of cultural diversity and its place in business in her article for The Balance. Amadeo also explores the many economic benefits of diversity and explains how diversity makes more money for companies.

Three key points we like from Cultural Diversity in the Work Place:

• Companies must make an effort to make cultural diversity a strength
• Cultural diversity poses challenges when prejudices, differences in interpretations, and miscommunication occur
• Diversity drives profitability because a diverse workforce builds trust in your brand with a diverse target market, reducing turnover and absenteeism, and prompting innovation

9. The Top 10 Economic Facts of Diversity in the Workplace

@amprog

Sophia Kerby and Crosby Burns' article on diversity in the workplace for the Center for American Progress centers on the relationship between diversity and the economy and concludes that a diverse workforce is integral to a strong economy. The article also explains that diversity plays a key role in growing a strong, inclusive economy that will last over time.

Three key points we like from The Top 10 Economic Facts of Diversity in the Workplace:

• Diverse workforces drive economic growth
• Recruiting from a diverse pool of workers leads to a more qualified workforce
• Businesses must be more diverse to adapt to the changing nation and compete in the economic market

10. Why Diversity Programs Fail

@HarvardBiz

Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Frank Dobbin, Harvard University professor of sociology, and Alexandra Kalev, Tel Aviv University associate professor of sociology, take an in-depth look at why diversity programs are failing to increase diversity. Dobbin and Kalev explore the factors that led to diversity in the workplace and the work companies need to do to promote diversity positively and successfully.

Three key points we like from Why Diversity Programs Fail:

• Companies that don't focus on control promote diversity more successfully by applying three basic principles: engage managers in solving the problem, expose managers to people from different groups, and encourage social accountability for change
• Mentoring is a way to engage managers and erase their biases to promote diverse workplaces
• Self-managed teams increase contact among diverse people and make diversity more of a reality in the workplace

11. Diversity and Inclusion: The Reality Gap

@DU_Press

@JulietBourke

@avanberkel

Juliet Bourke, Stacia Garr, Ardie van Berkel, and Jungle Wong's Deloitte University Press article on diversity in the workplace states that diversity and inclusion in the workplace are CEO-level issues but companies face frustration and challenges in handling them. As the authors put it, there is a gap between intention and reality.

Three key points we like from Diversity and Inclusion: The Reality Gap:

• Leading organizations approach diversity and inclusion as a comprehensive strategy interwoven into every aspect of the talent lifecycle for enhancing employee engagement, improving brand, and driving performance
• Diversity no longer is a "check the box" initiative under HR
• CEOs must take ownership of diversity and inclusion and hold leaders at all levels accountable for closing the gap between what they claim and what they do to make an impact

12. How to Increase Workplace Diversity

@WSJ

Written in the how-to style, this leadership guide is designed for CEOs who want to increase workplace diversity. As the guide points out, promoting diversity benefits the bottom line but companies must approach the hiring process holistically and take an active role in helping diverse workers feel comfortable and adjust to the work culture in order to curb turnover.

Three key points we like from How to Increase Workplace Diversity:

• Develop hiring strategies that create a workforce resembling the community in which you operate
• Develop and implement an equal opportunity employment policy following the Federal EEOC guidelines
• Provide diversity training and ensure employees understand that hiring decisions are based on the candidate rather than on quotas

13. Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Gets Innovative

@SHRM

The Society for Human Resource Management is the world's largest professional association of HR professionals. Novid Parsi's SHRM article explores the fact that a homogenous workforce will not help companies succeed in the future because U.S. minorities will not be in the minority aby 2044 according to the Census Bureau.

Three key points we like from Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Gets Innovative:

• Leading companies reflect the diversity of the U.S. population
• Employee bases should match a company's diverse customer base
• Organizations with more racial and gender diversity have higher revenue, more customers, and higher profits

14. Reaping The Benefits Of Diversity For Modern Business Innovation

@Forbes

@Ekaterina

Ekaterina Walter is a Forbes contributor and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who explores the benefits of diversity in terms of modern business innovation. Walter highlights the role diversity plays in a company's ability to innovate and adapt in quickly changing environments.

Three key points we like from Reaping The Benefits Of Diversity For Modern Business Innovation:

• A study completed by Forbes identifies diversity and inclusion in the workplace as a key driver of internal innovation and business growth
• Groups of diverse problem solvers outperform groups of high-ability problem solvers
• Companies with diverse executive boards have higher earnings and returns on equity

15. 5 Competitive Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace

@bonusly

@bridgermind

George Dickson's Bonusly article centers on the fact that diverse workforces are beyond beneficial; they play a significant role in the success of companies in the modern business landscape. To prove his point, Dickson highlights five ways in which companies that actively seek out and embrace diversity gain advantages over their competitors.

Three key points we like from 5 Competitive Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace:

• A diverse workforce means hiring employees that deliver a diverse set of skills and talents
• Diverse workplaces abound in varying perspectives that aid in solving problems more quickly and innovatively
• Beginning with a more diverse candidate pool improves results down the line

16. Why 'Thought Diversity' Is The Future Of The Workplace

@businessinsider

@alisongriswold

Alison Griswold's Business Insider article raises an important point about diversity in the workplace: it goes beyond gender and race and ethnicity and religion and includes diversity of thought. People who think in different ways boost innovation, creativity, and problem solving within their companies.

Three key points we like from Why 'Thought Diversity' Is The Future Of The Workplace:

• Companies can spur creativity, insight, and efficiency by creating a mix of thinking styles in the workplace
• Diversity of thinking ensures that groups will resist conformity and make better decisions
• To promote thought diversity, hire unconventional candidates, leverage your team's unique talents, rephrase questions to elicit honest feedback, encourage reverse mentoring to get a mix of perspectives, and create a culture that invites new ideas

17. 10 Ways Workplace Diversity Helps Your Business Grow 

@HuffPost

@ServiceMasterZ

A partner at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba, Diana Rodriguez-Zaba understands that diversity in the workplace is not reserved for large companies and enterprises; indeed, small businesses also need to embrace diverse workplaces to increase productivity and sales and to be a real member of the community. She explores the benefits of creating workplace diversity in her HuffPost article.

Three key points we like from 10 Ways Workplace Diversity Helps Your Business Grow:

• Incorporating diversity delivers immediate advantages and long-term benefits to help business owners meet professional and personal goals and to help grow their businesses
• A diverse workplace invites open-minded learning and helps everyone in the company achieve success
• Diverse employees bring their various backgrounds and job experiences to the table and promote effective problem solving and share their knowledge about technology

18. 13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace in 2017

@Hult_Biz

Hult Business School's recent article on cultural diversity in the workplace lists seven benefits and six challenges of embracing a diverse workforce. It encourages companies to embrace diversity in order to gain a competitive edge on a global scale while recogniing that there are some challenges associated with doing so.

Three key points we like from 13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace in 2017:

• Local connections, native language skills, and cultural understandings significantly boost international business development
• Cross-cultural understanding results in cultural sensitivity, insight, and local knowledge for higher quality and targeted marketing
• Companies are in a better position to attract and retain the best talent when they pull from a diverse talent pool

19. Here's How You Can Make Diversity More Than a Buzzword in Your Office

@dailymuse

@jmorris_jim

Principal at Moementum INc., Jim Morris explores how to put diversity into practice rather than simply talk about it in this article for The Muse. Morris explains that smart leaders understand the value of diverse teams and do everything they can to create them because they know it "improves the department's product, increases innovation, and leads to better results."

Three key points we like from Here's How You Can Make Diversity More Than a Buzzword in Your Office:

• Employees in a company that values diverse voices are more likely to contribute their full innovative potential
• Leaders who promote diversity are comfortable talking about about it and do not pretend they cannot notice differences
• Inclusive, diverse workplaces make all employees feel comfortable being themselves because the things that make them different are respected

20. This is What You Get Wrong When You Talk about Diversity in the Workplace

@Recode

@HeyHeyESJ

@laurawp

Eric Johnson's Recode article on diversity in the workplace centers on the highlights of a podcat with Code2040 CEO Laura Weidman Powers. Code2040 recognizes that 2040 is the year minorities are projected to become the majority of the U.S. population and says businesses need to act rather than claim to want to make progress on diversity and inclusion.

Three key points we like from This is What You Get Wrong When You Talk about Diversity in the Workplace:

• Diversity cannot be an add-on or an afterthought; it must be at the heart of change in hiring more inclusively
• Companies can connect with talented minorities through mentoring programs such as Code2040's annual fellows program
• Managers and employees need to recognize that unconscious or implicit bias training does not lead to more inclusivity in the workplace

21. The State of US Workplace Diversity in 14 Statistics

@ArchPoint

Blaze Stutes' ArchPoint article provides diversity in the workplace by the numbers. Rather than showing that companies are keeping up with the changing face of the U.S., the data shows that companies are not making diversity a priority.

Three key points we like from The State of US Workplace Diversity in 14 Statistics:

• According to a study from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, the minority working-age population of the workforce is projected to double by 2020, and the white population is projected to decline by nearly 20%
• Women are more likely than men to have a four-year college degree
• 67% of job seekers claim a diverse workforce is important when considering job offers

22. Everything You Need to Know About Diversity in the Workplace

@wheniwork

@RobWormley

Head of customer marketing at When I Work and co-founder and CMO of Upgradeio, Rob Wormley provides an in-depth look at diversity in the workplace in this article, which also points out that there are two types of diversity: inherent and acquired. Wormley also reminds readers that diversity goes beyond culture and includes ideas.

Three key points we like from Everything You Need to Know About Diversity in the Workplace:

• Strong workplaces have a variety of ideology to connect with customers better and avoid an environment in which everyone thinks the same way
• Diversity becomes a powerful tool for business growth when you take a genuine approach to it and don't view it as something you need to do in order to comply with laws and regulations
• Diverse workplaces featuring employees with a broad range of inherent and acquired diversity benefit from a larger pool of different ideas and perspectives with which to work

23. What Are the Important Dimensions of Workplace Diversity?

@tutsplus

@BlackmanAndrew

Former Wall Street Journal staff reporter and current Envato Tuts+ copy editor and business writer, Andrew Blackman explores 10 dimensions of workplace diversity in his article. Written as a tutorial, the article encourages readers to think more broadly about diversity to create a fair and equal workplace and reap the benefits of doing so.

Three key points we like from What Are the Important Dimensions of Workplace Diversity?:

• A key benefit of diversity is that employees of various ages have different perspectives and are better at being innovative and making decisions as a team
• Companies with the most racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have above-average financial returns, according to McKinsey research
• Keep in mind that women make up roughly 50% of the population, so women should comprise about half of your workforce

24. Step 1 to Promoting Diversity: Avoid the ‘Lying, Crying, and Denying’

@HRHero

Tammy Binford's HR Hero article focuses on the role HR plays in promoting diversity in the workplace. HR recruits and retains diverse workers and communicates with employees and executives at every level about the importance of diversity, yet sometimes contributes to problems with diversity rather than being the solution.

Three key points we like from Step 1 to Promoting Diversity: Avoid the ‘Lying, Crying, and Denying’:

• HR should take charge in clearing roadblocks and managing cultural conflicts and understandings to avoid aggravating issues with non-inclusiveness
• Avoid making the mistake of recruiting diverse talent without sharing your intentions with others in the organization
• Employees must be receptive to training about diversity and inclusion if it will be successful

25. 7 Tips to Be Sure You’re Managing Diversity in the Workplace Correctly

@Insperity

Andrea Cook urges readers to consider managing diversity in a company like hosting a lively dinner: you assemble the right mix of people while working to bring them together, make them feel comfortable, and keep the conversation moving. When companies fail to manage diversity properly, employee turnover rises, employee relations are impacted, and companies are at risk of being charged with discrimination. On the other hand, building a diverse workplace and managing it properly has far more advantages than disadvantages, as Cook makes clear in her article.

Three key points we like from 7 Tips to Be Sure You’re Managing Diversity in the Workplace Correctly:

• Managing diversity in the workplace involves identifying with people who are different from you
• Creating a diverse workplace requires being willing to take other perspectives into account and being able to embrace the traits that make people different
• To tackle the challenges associated with creating a diverse workplace, companies must hire the most qualified people, recruit outside the box, and put your policies in writing, among other things

26. Why Diversity in the Workplace Promotes Innovation and Problem Solving

@CultureIQ

CultureIQ enables companies to make positive, measurable changes in order to strengthen their culture. When it comes to diversity in the workplace, CultureIQ writer Taryn Barnes explains that it is a critical component of a business and explores two of the main reasons leaders should actively recruit and retain a diverse workforce.

Three key points we like from Why Diversity in the Workplace Promotes Innovation and Problem Solving:

• Companies with a strong representation of both inherent and acquired diversity practice two-dimensional diversity and outperform those that don't
• Diverse employees have different backgrounds and experiences into which they can tap to be more innovative and better at solving problems
• Diverse thinkers with varying perspectives and viewpoints are more likely to find solutions to problems than homogeneous groups of employees

27. What Are the Advantages of a Diverse Workforce?

@HoustonChron

In her Houston Chronicle article, Rose Johnson points out that companies are making strides in achieving workplace diversity because we are in an era of economic globalization. Yet, companies still have a long way to go to create the diverse workplaces that will give them a competitive edge.

Three key points we like from What Are the Advantages of a Diverse Workforce?:

• Diversity in the workplace increases employee morale and drives employees to work more effectively and efficiently
• Companies looking to expand to global markets benefit from language diversity in the workplace
• Companies with diverse workforces demonstrate they do not practice employee discrimination and are more attractive to job seekers as a result

28. Use Cognitive Diversity to Get the Most Out of the Workplace

@Emergenetics_

VP of marketing at Emergenetics International, Mark Miller explores the value of cognitive diversity in the workplace in his article. Miller explains that cognitive diversity in the workplace is just as powerful as strong leadership and great communication because it creates an inclusive, collaborative, and open space that empowers people to create and share ideas.

Three key points we like from Use Cognitive Diversity to Get the Most Out of the Workplace:

• Don't make fairness the goal of workplace diversity; greater workplace diversity gives more people a chance to be considered for positions and creates a smarter, more motivated workforce void of artificial entry barriers
• Cognitive diversity is a critical component of a broader, more productive workplace because organizations hire and promote workers who think differently
• Teams comprised of diverse thinkers are better equipped to understand the needs of the customer

29. Men in Power: There's a Job Only You Guys Can Do for Diversity

@CNBC

@aneripattani

Aneri Pattani is a journalist who explores the findings of a study that suggest women and minorities are penalized when they advocate for diversity. As a result, white men in positions of power are the ones who will need to make strides in promoting diversity in the workforce.

Three key points we like from Men in Power: There's a Job Only You Guys Can Do for Diversity:

• Women and minorities who promote diversity are penalized and become reluctant to do so
• Companies would be wise to follow in the footsteps of Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who spent $3 million to close the gender pay gap and hired the company's first chief equality officer
• Male leaders who want to promote diversity in the workplace should know percentages relating to the diversity within their company, develop empathy, work to model the whole person when creating policies, practice inclusive meetings, and erase cultural biases within the company

30. How to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

@ADP

Erin Ollila's article on diversity in the workplace centers on the critical role HR plays in creating an inclusive environment that takes into account the cultural diversity of your entire workforce – domestic and abroad. Ollila offers tips for fostering cultural diversity in the workplace and ensuring employees feel accepted. 

Three key points we like from How to Promote Cultural Diversity in the Workplace:

• Choose from the largest group of candidates to hire the most diverse and qualified workforce possible
• Make candidates feel welcome by monitoring your company's public image and ensuring it represents a diverse workforce
• Make diversity at the executive and upper management levels a priority

31. Cultural Diversity in the Workplace, Part 1

@DiversityRes

A leading provider of diversity and inclusion training tools and the top diversity calendar, Diversity Resources covers cultural diversity in the workplace in a series of articles. This is the first part of that series and focuses on four essential skills companies must possess in order to manage diversity in the workplace effectively.

Three key points we like from Cultural Diversity in the Workplace, Part 1:

• Cultural competence is the most important skill for effective work performance in the 21st century
• Companies need to establish a cultural competence that results in employees having the ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people from various cultures and then work with varying cultural beliefs and schedules
• Keep in mind that people of different races, ethnicities, and religions communicate differently, view team-building differently, view time differently, and celebrate different holidays

32. How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace

@NavyFederal

A helpful article for those looking to begin creating a diverse workforce, How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace offers a brief guide for doing so and provides a concise overview of it. The article also reminds readers that retaining a diverse workforce is just as important as creating one.

Three key points we like from How to Foster Diversity in the Workplace:

• Hire a diverse workforce to build a more successful business that benefits from employees' differences
• A diverse workforce provides different perspectives and approaches that lead to solving your business' most challenging issues
• To increase diversity in the workforce, begin with an assessment of your needs and begin looking for diverse candidates both locally and online

33. Does Your Workplace Lack Diversity? Employee Referral Programs Might be to Blame

@IEEEInstitute

@M_roze

An associate editor of The Institute, Monica Rozenfeld examines whether employee referral programs are responsible for a lack of workplace diversity in her article. As Rozenfeld points out, recommending candidates is a popular practice for finding talent but hiring people referred by employees can lead to less diversity in the workplace.

Three key points we like from Does Your Workplace Lack Diversity? Employee Referral Programs Might be to Blame:

• Tech firms are one of the types of companies that relies on employee referrals the most, yet they also are among the least diverse companies in the nation
• Most employee referrals are the same race, gender, or ethnic background as the employee who recommended them because people look to their social circles when positions open at their company
• Diversity training programs largely are unsuccessful and often lead to weaker levels of diversity in the workplace

34. Perks and Benefits That Foster Workplace Diversity

@JustworksHR

Head of community at CultureIQ, Jamie Nichol outlines steps for creating and maintaining a workplace that fosters diversity and creativity in this Justworks article. Nichol highlights the fact that highly diverse workforces benefit their companies in countless ways, from increased creativity and innovation to higher earnings and returns on equity.

Three key points we like from Perks and Benefits That Foster Workplace Diversity:

• Creating a culture of diversity requires ongoing, proactive efforts by company leaders
• Offering perks and benefits to attract and retain people of varying demographics is one way to approach creating a more diverse workforce
• Employees must feel comfortable within the company, so managers should lead by example

35. A Workplace-Diversity Dilemma

@TheAtlantic

@bourreelam

In her Atlantic article on workplace diversity, Bourree Lam examines the counterintuitive idea that white male leaders are in a better position to promote diversity than female or minority leaders. Lam points to research completed by David Hekman, associate professor at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business, and researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Texas that suggests women and minorities are judged harshly when promoting diversity in the workplace.

Three key points we like from A Workplace-Diversity Dilemma:

• The theory that women and minorities in leadership roles can promote diversity from within does not match research findings that men more successfully do so
• Understanding and respecting different cultures, valuing working with a diverse group, and being comfortable managing people of diverse backgrounds demonstrate a commitment to diversity
• Companies should ensure that a large number of women and minorities are considered for hires and promotion and should offer unconscious-bias training

36. Here’s Why Workplace Diversity Programs Don’t Work

@TheCut

@DaynaEvans_

A senior writer at The Cut, Dayna Evans explores why diversity programs don't work in her article. Evans points to research covered in the Harvard Business Review that reveals diversity programs and training yield the opposite results of what companies offering them intended.

Three key points we like from Here’s Why Workplace Diversity Programs Don’t Work:

• Companies cannot promote diversity when their training programs use negative messages by headlining legal cases for diversity
• The best way to encourage diversity in the workplace is to encourage engagement rather than negatively incentivizing sensitivity to inclusion
• Companies must be committed to sustaining diverse workplaces rather than simply creating them

37. Workplace Diversity Will Soon Include Artificial Intelligence

@physorg_com

As if companies don't have enough to manage in terms of diversity, now technology is changing the game yet again. Rebekah Hayden points out in her phys.org article that artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of fulfilling desk jobs that previously could not be animated.

Three key points we like from Workplace Diversity Will Soon Include Artificial Intelligence:

• Companies will need to reshape the way they think about consciousness and human identity
• AI and automation will change the workforce for more than repetitive tasks
• Companies will need to create a culture that is open to learning and flexible as AI continues to make advancements into the workforce

38. 7 Ways to Promote Diversity in the Workplace

@bentleyu

@kristenwalsh90

Kristen Walsh is a freelance writer and editor who explores the impact company culture has on diversity efforts in her article for Bentley University. As Walsh points out, hiring a diverse workforce is just one step; creating a company culture that supports it and is inclusive enough to make people want to stay is another.

Three key points we like from 7 Ways to Promote Diversity in the Workplace:

• Companies need to prevent employees from self-segregating, making assumptions about people, and avoiding people to implement and sustain a diverse workplace
• One problem, according to Professor Marcus Stewart, is that "companies hire for diversity but then have a culture that rewards and promotes conformity"
• To avoid the fallout of isolating diverse workers, companies should acknowledge differences, offer implicit bias training for everyone, provide mentors, allow people to learn by doing, encourage personal evaluation, as questions, and value all forms of diversity

39. What Is Diversity in the Workplace and Why Should You Care?

@Colliers

Colliers' article on diversity in the workplace urges readers to consider it one of their biggest priorities because of the benefits your benefit will reap from it. The article also reminds readers that diversity is not compliance, a burden, or a source or challenge or trouble for companies; rather, it is about fully deploying a variety of resources for better outcomes that benefit everyone.

Three key points we like from What Is Diversity in the Workplace and Why Should You Care?:

• The best way to support customers' needs is to reflect the same diversity in company teams and your workforce
• While compliance is reactive and transactional, diversity is proactive and transformational
• Managers must clearly establish that diversity is not about tolerance, sensitivity, or giving special treatment to a certain group of people

40. Driving Diversity in the Workplace

@GRACC

The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce offers Driving Diversity in the Workplace, an article that focuses on the need for diverse workforces to keep up with the shifting demographic and generational trends in the United States. As Lorraine Medici, director of training and development at Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids, explains: "Being a workforce that understands and responds to the changing cultural and generational climate means being an organization that truly values its people."

Three key points we like from Driving Diversity in the Workplace:

• Diversity has evolved significantly from accepting racial differences and now encompasses even more than gender, religion, disability, education, experiences, ethnic backgrounds, generational lines, and returning citizens
• Talented people want to work in environments that are diverse and inclusive
• Investing time and resources to make a diverse workforce is key to identifying, attracting, and retaining diverse team members

41. Leaders in Diversity and Inclusion: 5 Lessons From Top Global Companies

@AperianGloba

Aperian Global's article on diversity in the workforce poses a hypothetical situation that shows how leaders charged with managing diversity must focus on designing and implementing a collective, multidimensional solution. Hiring minorities is not enough; companies also must create a culture that supports and sustains diversity.

Three key points we like from Leaders in Diversity and Inclusion: 5 Lessons From Top Global Companies:

• Companies must recognize the shift in global understanding of diversity and inclusion that includes creating an environment that invites different voices to speak up and be heard
• Companies that successfully promote diversity can leverage it to produce better products and services
• Tailor your diversity and inclusion initiatives to address your specific industry and your company's areas of weakness

42. Why Diversity Matters

@McKinsey

Vivian Hunt, Dennis Layton, and Sara Prince look at the importance and benefits of diversity in their article for McKinsey & Company. The article highlights recent research that shows companies with more diverse workplaces perform better financially.

Three key points we like from Why Diversity Matters:

• Companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to have financial returns above their national industry medians
• Diverse companies are in a better position to win top talent and improve customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and decision making
• Racial and ethnic diversity has a stronger impact on financial performance in the U.S. than gender diversity

43. We All Know Workplace Diversity Makes Sense: So Why is Change So Slow?

@wef

@tinnaCnielsen

Anthropologist and founder of Move the Elephant for Inclusiveness, Tinna Nielsen examines why it takes so long for companies to create diverse workplaces in her article for the World Economic Forum. As Nielsen points out, companies know the value of becoming more inclusive, yet they continue to struggle to create inclusive workplace cultures quickly enough.

Three key points we like from We All Know Workplace Diversity Makes Sense: So Why is Change So Slow?:

• It is difficult for some managers, leaders, and employees to see inequality because people socialize with others who are similar in terms of income, status, or education
• Managers and leaders need to feel and see inequality in order to become more diverse and inclusive
• While diversity in the workplace is valuable, employees often try to downplay differences, according to research

44. The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace

@iimag

The Institutional Investor's article on diversity in the workplace emphasizes the value of having workers from a variety of races, genders, and ages for gaining fresh ideas from a deep well of experience. A diverse workplace is one that helps resolve conflicts and situations that require mutual respect in order to reach a healthy conclusion.

Three key points we like from The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace:

• Create an environment that places value on respecting others and pushes people from vastly different backgrounds to work together
• Make diverse talent pools a priority
• More diverse workplaces have better employee retention and productivity

45. Enhancing Diversity is an Ongoing Challenge for Companies

@NYDailyNews

Dr. Steven Lindner is a Daily News contributor who explores why diversity poses such a challenge for companies. Dr. Lindner highlights the fact that companies spend millions on advertising and recruiting from various communities and backgrounds and then on training and developing their workforce to be diverse only to find that the disparity between majority and minority workers continue.

Three key points we like from Enhancing Diversity is an Ongoing Challenge for Companies:

• Managers and leaders must recognize that diversity is a sensitive, controversial topic
• Use an all-inclusive approach to recruiting and qualifying job candidates
• Source and select talent based on job-related qualifiers and merits

46. 6 Perspectives on Diversity in the Workplace

@helpscout

Paul Jun's Help Scout article recognizes that research shows diverse teams are more effective than homogeneous ones, but companies continue to face challenges when creating a diverse workforce. Jun also points out that a diverse workforce is a powerful asset to forward-thinking companies.

Three key points we like from 6 Perspectives on Diversity in the Workplace:

• Diverse workplaces foster creativity and problem solving
• Look to what other companies are doing to promote diversity and follow suit
• Be careful not to overspend trying to create a diverse workforce from the beginning

47. Transgenderism and Diversity in the Workplace

@Shepellfgi

Shepell's article on diversity in the workplace centers on transgenderism. Inclusive workplaces need to consider gender and those with gender dysphoria in order to be entirely inclusive. 

Three key points we like from Transgenderism and Diversity in the Workplace:

• Accepting and supporting transgender workers is necessary for creating an inclusive workplace
• Inclusive environments create a workplace that features enhanced awareness, tolerance, and respect
• Creating a supportive environment does not change anyone's ingrained ideas; instead, it entails nurturing an environment of professionalism and respect

48. Building Sustainable Diversity in the Workplace

@Aon_plc

Aon explores the most pressing business issues around the globe in The One Brief. Their article considers a Forbes study that suggests workplace diversity and inclusion are key drivers of internal innovation because alternative perspectives challenge assumptions and lead to new approaches. 

Three key points we like from Building Sustainable Diversity in the Workplace:

• Diversity and inclusion are good for business and lead to more creativity and problem solving
• Hiring people from various backgrounds and meeting quotas for the number of women or minority hires are not enough for creating a truly diverse culture if your company continues to treat all employees the same way
• It takes hard work to manage diversity and ensure companies sustain its advantages for the long-term rather than assimilating everyone into your existing working patterns and ways of thinking

49. Gender Diversity in the Workplace: A Problem That Just Isn’t Improving

@TLNT_com

@ChinaGorman

is a global business executive in the human capital management sector. Her article on the challenges in creating gender diversity in the workplace examines why the problem persists despite companies knowing the diversity results in more revenue and productivity.

Three key points we like from Gender Diversity in the Workplace: A Problem That Just Isn’t Improving:

• Companies must make significant progress before workplaces achieve true gender equality
• Women are significantly underrepresented at all levels in the workforce around the globe
• Current female hiring, promotion, and retention rates are not sufficient enough to create gender equality in the next decade

50. Understanding Diversity in the Workplace

@B2Community

Monique de Maio's article on diversity in the workplace for Business 2 Community takes a thorough look at diversity and the ways in which it benefits organizations. de Maio also examines managing diversity and offers three tips for creating a corporate environment that cultivates diversity.

Three key points we like from Understanding Diversity in the Workplace:

• Companies should create an internal board or committee to oversee diversity and inclusion strategies and initiatives
• Keep in mind that issues involving diversity will occur and it is beneficial to develop a conflict resolution process
• Encourage employees to go to leaders if they feel like they are experiencing discrimination; an open-door policy can go a long way in showing employees you care and helping you manage issues before they get too far out of hand

 For more posts like this, head over to the Wonolo blog.