Diversity and Inclusion
Does your organization want to stay top of mind and competitive in the global economy? Of course. Then the key is innovation.
Innovation will allow you to maintain relevance, create operational sustainability and secure future growth. You might think this isn’t part of your role in HR, but it is! Companies that proactively make diversity and inclusion an integral part of their culture are in the best position to bring value-creating, groundbreaking innovations into fruition. Diverse teams generate more ideas, execute more strategically when appropriately managed and, therefore, have the best chance at driving real world change that solves yours and your customers’ pain points.
A diverse and inclusive workplace culture:
Fosters Creativity
Creativity, the generating of new and useful ideas, is the heart of innovation. Creativity experts agree that all new ideas are combinations of old ideas; it is the integration of existing, seemingly unrelated ideas that creates something new. When engaged, teams exposed to a variety of backgrounds and perspectives produce a multitude of ideas and are able to create novel links between disparate concepts and opportunities.
Improves Problem Solving & Decision Making
When challenges arise, teams with a wide range of experiences and perspectives are more adept at identifying opportunities and finding robust, powerful solutions to unforeseen, complex and uncertain conditions. Diversity and inclusion dispels groupthink by allowing for friction, contrasting opinions and constructive debate to flourish, resulting in comprehensive strategies for better decision making and project execution.
Protects Against Bias
Bias is everywhere and everyone within your organization is subject to it. Through collaboration, open dialogue and the examination of entrenched perspectives, initiatives that advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace help create a deeper understanding and empathy for others leading to stronger, cohesive teams and more robust, thoughtful products.
Deepens Customer Understanding
A diverse team that mirrors your customer base can offer deep insights into your customers’ needs and their experience with your product or service, helping improve product development and implementation. Diverse teams enable your company to relate to changing customer demographics, adjust to evolving preferences, forge more personal relationships, increase brand loyalty and help your company expand its customer base and market share.
Attracts & Retains Top Talent
Diverse workplaces, where everyone feels included and valued, experience high employee engagement, low turn-over and fierce competition for open positions. The most talented and in-demand workers choose to join and stay with companies that offer professional growth, an expanded network and vast opportunities to create real world change.