The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace

Diversity in a workplace means the representation of individuals that come from a variety of backgrounds. A diverse workplace usually has people from different ethnicities, religions, worldviews, and ages. While diversity is essential, it is not enough on its own for building an appreciable workplace. Another imperative requirement is inclusion. Inclusion means appreciating, integrating, and valuing the perspectives, contributions, and presence of different people groups at work.

Time and time again, research has shown the importance of an inclusive and diverse workplace. For instance, diverse and inclusive companies witness higher revenue growth, better preparedness to innovate, and higher employee retention than workplaces that do not integrate the D&I concept. In addition to that, employees who continuously feel included and empowered tend to have a lot of pride in their jobs, look forward to going to work, and are more likely to stay long term at the workplace.

To create an inclusive work environment, there are a few important strategies that companies should follow. First and foremost is training and educating company leaders to engage in inclusive behavior. The latter means encouraging and listening to the employee's ideas, avoiding unconscious bias, and taking responsibility for their work environment, and being held accountable for their actions.

Another imperative tool is listening to employees and allowing them to voice their concerns. This strategy creates a tight-knit and connected workplace where everyone feels heard and included. An additional strategy that companies can follow is celebrating their employees' differences. Organizations can do this by allowing team members to share their different traditions or backgrounds at the workplace. This will undoubtedly show the employees that they are respected and admired.

For businesses to improve inclusion and diversity in their workforce, they should follow these steps as well. This includes changing how candidates are searched for and screened. Job descriptions should be more inclusive, and the hiring process should be completely unbiased. Another beneficial strategy is the implementation of a cross-training program. This will help employees learn from one another, as well as breed a collaboration culture.

Both diversity and inclusion are more than human resource checklist items. Companies still have a long road ahead of them and certainly should follow various strategies to guarantee that their office is embracing these concepts.