There are many benefits to having a diverse workforce. One of the most important is the access you have to different ideas, perspectives, and experiences. Diversity in your workplace will bring new ways of thinking about problems, opportunities for innovation and growth, and better decision-making processes that are more representative of your company’s customers and consumers.
Introduction
Representation matters in the workplace. Representation means having people within a company that represent the ethnicities and genders of those who use their products or services. For example, if there are no women on your board, you’re missing out on valuable insights that could make your business more effective for all users. Here are some reasons why representation matters:
Because it’s fair
Because it’s right
Because it makes businesses more effective at serving customers and employees alike
You’ll benefit from different ideas and perspectives.
There are many benefits to having a diverse workforce. One of the most important is the access you have to different ideas, perspectives, and experiences. Diversity in your workplace will bring new ways of thinking about problems, opportunities for innovation and growth, and better decision-making processes that are more representative of your company’s customers and consumers.
It helps you attract and retain talent.
The benefits of diversity are clear:
- Employees want to work for companies that value diversity. In a recent survey conducted by Deloitte, 59% of respondents said they would prefer working for an organisation that champions gender equality and is open to racial diversity in the workplace. This is especially true among millennials (67%), who will make up a majority of the workforce by 2020.
- Diverse teams make better decisions because they have access to a larger pool of ideas and viewpoints. Studies have shown that diverse teams are more innovative, less likely to suffer from groupthink or confirmation bias, and more likely to understand customers’ needs because they come from different backgrounds with different perspectives on customer needs.
- Diversity improves workplace morale as well—when people feel included as part of an inclusive team where everyone has equal opportunities regardless of race or gender identity, they feel better about how their company treats them overall than those who don’t believe in corporate diversity initiatives.
It helps your company grow and evolve.
In an inclusive workplace, employees feel more engaged and loyal to the company, which leads to customers who are loyal as well. When employees believe in your mission, they’re more likely to work hard on it—which benefits everyone involved.
Creating a workplace that values diversity and inclusion is worth the extra work in the long run!
For example, if you have an employee who is transgender but does not feel safe coming out at work due to fear of discrimination or harassment from coworkers or managers, this can negatively impact their performance on the job. When employees are able to be themselves at work (including using pronouns that match their identity), they’re able to focus more on their responsibilities rather than worrying about what others might say about them. Also consider the fact that diverse teams tend to perform better than homogeneous ones; therefore having a diverse team will likely increase your company’s output as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, representation matters because it’s important for employees to feel like they have a voice in their work. It also helps companies attract diverse talent and create a culture that emphasises inclusion. By empowering people with different backgrounds, skillsets and interests, employers can tap into new sources of creativity and innovation that would otherwise go unrealised.
