Diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace have never been as important as they are now. It is a concept increasingly gaining traction in the workplace as its benefits are becoming clearer to all.

You only need to look at the news stories trending on a global scale to see that this is a hot topic. Business owners need to remember that this is not simply an HR issue—it should be considered part of a comprehensive business strategy.

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has been quoted as saying:

“Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.”

So, if you wanted your business to grow in 2020 and beyond, you need to know what D&I is, what the best practices are, and what strategies you can use to manage it.

What does diversity in the workplace mean?

Diversity in the workplace tends to refer to companies that employ a workforce composed of individuals of different backgrounds, including age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and so on. This includes employing a wide variety of people and accepting, understanding and valuing their differences.

A recent survey conducted amongst millennials by Deloitte revealed that there is a different perception of diversity amongst each generation:

  • Millennials are more likely to focus on unique experiences when defining diversity, whereas non-millennials tend to focus on the representation
  • Millennials are also more likely to focus on teamwork than non-millennials, who tend to focus on fairness of opportunity.

What does inclusion in the workplace mean?

Inclusion in the workplace focuses on creating an overarching culture that encompasses diversity and equality along with many other aspects of our working lives. It creates a workplace culture where people feel confident about being themselves and comfortable enough to work in a way that suits them and delivers what your business needs. Everybody adds value to your business as they feel valued.

What do diversity and inclusion in the workplace mean, then?

Diversity and inclusion is the term used to describe your business’s mission statement, working practices and strategy to support a diverse workforce. Additionally, leveraging the benefits of that diverse workforce creates a business advantage over your competitors.

Companies with clear diversity and inclusion strategies tend to attract top talent and have more creative and innovative work environments.

Best practices for diversity and inclusion management

Some of the best practices we have come across for D&I management include the following:

  • Representation of diversity at all levels of an organisation
  • Representation of diversity among both internal and external stakeholders
  • Evidence of commitment to diversity by leaders
  • Equal access to opportunities
  • Fair treatment
  • A focus on teamwork and collaboration
  • Organisational agility, flexibility and responsiveness
  • Collaborative conflict resolution processes

One point raised in the aforementioned Deloitte study is that employees tend to perceive their company as diverse and inclusive based on best practices that are not D&I focused—such as a focus on creativity and innovation! Therefore, the best D&I practices are desired by everyone involved in the business.

Great strategies for managing diversity and inclusion

If you want your business to run in an inclusive way which embraces diversity, then some of the key strategies you should adopt include:

  • Creating a focus on D&I, with a clear strategy, at the CEO level
  • Assigning a clear leader to look after sponsoring and leading the D&I programme throughout the whole business
  • Creating clear behavioural standards and holding everyone accountable to them—including business leaders
  • Robust training strategy for all employees covering topics such as unconscious bias
  • Creating honest and open employee networks such as employee resource groups and community outreach programmes
  • An acceptance and honouring of cultural and religious practices
  • Strong anti-discriminatory policies are upheld
  • Ensuring your recruitment process has your D&I strategies integrated into it at all levels

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is an essential business practice for those companies that aspire to be high-performing. If you want to be part of a company that helps its employees thrive, don’t hesitate to contact Agile Recruit at info@agilerecruit.com.

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