Diverse Workplaces, Multiplying Productivity

Diversity hasn’t been a recent phenomenon; it has been prevailing in society timelessly. Several types of research have backed up the fact that diverse teams are more innovative and fact-driven when making decisions.

In order to shed some light on the need for diversity in preventing the organisation from being insular, Paul Block, CEO of Merisant (U.S. sweetener manufacturer), said, "People with different lifestyles and different backgrounds challenge each other more. Diversity creates dissent, and you need that. Without it, you’re not going to get any deep inquiry or breakthroughs."

The modern workplace is not just a place for workers to contribute tirelessly, but a confluence of people with varying backgrounds, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations and other attributes, which is more enticing and attractive for the new generation of talent.

A BCG survey reported that companies with above-average diversity rates gained 19% higher innovation revenue than companies with below-average ones. Be it in developed economies or those still developing, diversity has led to higher EBIT margins and increased payouts.

Challenges in leading a diverse workforce

Increasing diversity has only recently become a goal for most organizations as they’ve begun to identify the needs of the workforce. However, incorporating diversity managers and decision-makers to be fully informed and accommodating of others. For instance, with a group of individuals coming from varying backgrounds and cultural upbringings, communication issues and cultural misunderstandings are easy to pop up.

In such cases, managers, as well as leaders, should treat the communication gap as a learning opportunity and set ground rules to train employees beforehand to prevent such conflicts from arising.

Apart from having a diversity-oriented approach while hiring, positioning diversity and inclusion throughout the organization is equally important.

Increasing organizational inclination towards a diverse culture

McKinsey ’s recent research claimed that diverse corporations are more likely to outperform their competitors by 35%. Diversity not only increases productivity, but innovation and creativity are also enhanced when ideas come from minds nurtured in an inclusive environment.

Dealing with such diverse minds at such a large scale can be a daunting task as there are diverse needs that need to be catered to by leaders, as well as managers. To do so, they can start by first understanding the individual nature of the teams and then plan to cultivate a culture that aligns the team without bringing discomfort to anyone.

Appreciate different perspectives

The ground rule for establishing a diverse workforce would be to be open-minded to different perspectives. New narratives will be introduced, new ideas will be presented and disagreement and even counterattacks will follow. However, the management should be well prepared to combat such differences and make sure no situation arises that will lead to a chaotic turn of events.?

Prepare for change resistance

Not all changes are accepted easily. Even though change is the only thing constant in the world, people often find it hard to mold their selves accordingly. Resistance is guaranteed; ergo, leaders must have calm discussions prior to taking any informed decision and make people aware of the change that is about to be brought about in the near future.

Seek inputs

By allowing the whole team to participate in cultivating a diversely inclined culture, leaders can create a much healthier and more transparent environment with fewer chances of disputes and conflicts.

Team activities, open dialogues, feedback and even time-to-time celebrations allow all employees to be more vulnerable and accepted in the organization. Adding to that, employees feel more valued in the decision-making process of the organization when they get to share their views and ideas.

A diverse workplace is a space where people, despite being different from each other, don’t feel alienated. Rather, they are motivated and pushed forward to create a well-balanced and rounded organization that serves a greater purpose collectively.?