Workplace diversity is more than balancing the female to male employee ratio or hiring people of all ages. People are usually quick to associate age, sexuality, race and religion with diversity however there is a lot more to those factors that creates a diverse workplace.
Everyone is different and contributes to the business in their own way. While we share many commonalities, we each have our own skill, talent and opinions. Building a team of individuals that varies in career stages, gender & talent allows for creativity to blossom and new ideas to spark.
Here are a few top benefits of creating a diverse workplace:
1) Helps grow creativity & expand ideas
When you create a workplace & teams that have a variety of ages, backgrounds and experiences you are opening the doors for new ideas to be born & creativity to blossom. One person may be great at bringing another person’s out of box idea to life while another employee can help ensure it is managed within budget and time. Having a diverse workplace allows individuals to bounce off each other’s strengths to help grow the business.
2) Lowers turn over
A culturally diverse workplace starts at the very beginning when a potential employee arrives for an interview. It is important to feel included and appreciated – supporting all demographics creates a warm atmosphere & attracts more employees to stay in that environment meaning you’ll have a lower turnover.
3) Increases employee productivity
Equality throughout the workplace allows employees to feel comfortable to push their boundaries & work to the best of their ability. A diverse range of skills & experience allows employees to work together to reach a common goal & increase their productivity not only as individuals but as a team.
4) Builds up language skills & breaks downs barriers
Language can often be an obstacle in road when trying to communicate across the world, especially for a company who expands internationally. Hiring employees who are from different backgrounds & can speak another language helps break down those barriers & builds up language skills across the business. Having a variety of cultures also allows your company to be more relatable across the globe.
Knowing the advantages of having a diverse workplace allows you to create a company with a competitive edge to it. Many companies are now working hard towards achieving diversity across their workplace with the aim to create a positive and welcoming environment for all employees as well as an attractive appeal to those looking in from the outside.
