What makes a workplace diverse

Workplace diversity is a popular topic for many organizations around the globe. It refers to the types of individuals that an organization hires and promotes internally. Diversity in the workplace means that people with different characteristics are being employed. That is those of different genders, races, cultures, political views, religions and so on.

More diversity in your workplace means more engaged employees, higher productivity, increased innovation and research has found that there is a financial benefit to having a more diverse workplace.

Many companies have been working on building up the diversity at their organizations. These diversity programs can take different forms such as HR departments seeking out candidates that can bring more diversity to the workplace.

Organizations that are curious about why they should focus on creating a diverse workplace need to understand that diversity in the workplace has several benefits and advantages for your organization.

Importance of diversity

Diversity is not just a nice way to do business. It also brings a lot of benefits to your organization. These include:

Increased creativity
Better innovation
Quicker problem-solving
Higher profits
Engaged employees
Good company reputation
Lower turnover
Attracting top talent

Several studies have been done that show there can be many different types of benefits for organizations that strive for more diversity in their workplace. Statistics have even found that implementing diversity can lead to higher than average earnings, reduce turnover and even attract some of the best talents to your organization.

Signs of a diverse workplace

With all these benefits for organizations to become more diverse, you may wonder what that will look like. Just how will you know that you have achieved a diverse workplace? Here are some of the ways you can tell that you are on the right track:

Hire diverse candidates. The reality is that if you want a more diverse workplace, you’ll need to hire more diverse talent. To do that, you may need to revamp your recruitment process. Create one that is more attractive to candidates from different backgrounds, cultures, races, genders, and so on. You’ll also need to post your recruitment ads on different job boards so that it can be seen by a variety of qualified candidates. You can actively seek out interns that come from different backgrounds. While they may only be temporary with your organization, having diversity on this level can still be an advantage for your company. Many interns join the company full time when they are done with their studies. However, even if they don’t, they can still spread the word to other talented candidates who may want to work at your company in the future.
Develop diverse-friendly policies. To help your diverse workforce feel more comfortable at your organization, you should develop some policies that promote this. Consider offering flexible schedules and leave options, different activities, and even culturally-sensitive food options. Depending on your company, there may be other areas where you can develop these types of diverse-friendly policies to help everyone feel welcome and included.
Diversity training programs. Helping everyone at your organization get on board and develop a more diverse workplace is key. You may want to consider organizing some diversity training programs. These programs can cover several different topics or issues around diverse workplaces. Consider the ones that you feel are most important at your organization. It is also vital that you create a positive atmosphere where your employees feel like they can openly discuss any challenges and problems they are having with implementing diversity at your workplace.
Diverse mentorships. Workplace mentoring programs are a great way to help develop a more diverse workplace. Connecting employees from different backgrounds can cultivate more understanding, which will lead to a more positive workplace. Both mentors and mentees can benefit from these types of mentorships.
Build a diverse executive tier. Companies that want to take advantage of all the benefits that come from having a diverse workplace need to ensure that diversity goes right up the ladder. In other words, work to make sure that your top management team is also inclusive of different cultures, races, genders, etc. The more your organization can reflect the diversity of the world around us, the more rewards you will get from your diversity efforts.
Deliberate team building. Work on building teams made up of individuals with different characteristics and backgrounds. This can help your employees become comfortable working together. Research has found that diverse teams are stronger. They are able to make better decisions and much quicker too.
Track your efforts. Any initiative you take at your organization should be measured and tracked. Consider what metrics you can use to weigh the success of your diversity program. These key performance indicators(KPIs) will be specific to your company, but they should be something that you have some data about before you begin your diversity efforts. By tracking these KPIs, you should be able to see a difference. Tracking your efforts can also be an important way to uncover any problems your organization has in its efforts to become more diverse. If you do find any obstacles, you’ll be in a good position to develop a strategy to overcome them.
Get feedback. One great way to see how successful your diversity efforts have been is to ask. Send out surveys and ask your employees to rate your diversity program. Keep your eye open for any feedback that can help enhance your program or diversity efforts.

Bringing it all together

Many organizations are working towards building a more diverse workplace. While the individuals each company is looking for can vary, the methods for creating a diverse organization are the same. They include changing recruitment practices, creating diverse-friendly policies, training programs on diversity issues and even diverse mentorships.

Having more diversity at your workplace can create a stronger organization with more engaged and productive employees, increased innovation and problem-solving capabilities and there are even financial advantages to having a diverse workplace.

If you are looking for long-term success with your diversity efforts, let Together help you develop a mentoring program that will strengthen your workplace culture.