Why diversity is important for your business.
Your role is to chose the very best people
We live in times in which a lot of pent up anger is directed at 'the elites'.
Whether this is justified or not is a moot point and we shall not attempt to decide this matter.
The fact that the word 'elite' has taken on a negative connotation remains.
A brief look at the etymology of the word may prove enlightening.
As so many words it derives from Latin.
"Elite' derives from the verb eligere, which means to choose or to elect.[1]Literally, 'elite' means the best choice.
In this reading of the word there is no negative connotation whatsoever and that brings us neatly to why diversity is important for your business.
An 'elite' becomes something negative if it describes a group of people with access to money and/or power who only use it for their own advancement and not for a more common good, in particular when people are born into such an elite without necessarily making the cut.[2]You as a business owner, however, see it as your natural duty to choose the very best people, or at least the very best people you can pay.
Casting the net as widely as possible will therefore help you catch better people than you would if restricted your search.
The benefits for your business will be huge
However, employing choosing the best from a wide array of backgrounds will have additional benefits as well, because people from varied backgrounds will bring different views and insights on the issues and problems you may face in your line of business.
In a more and more globalised world your (potential) customer base too will become more and more globalised.
It is therefore a double advantage to have people in house who are already familiar with the needs and desire of other parts of the world.
To know more you can read our article about the Return on Investment on Social Sustainability by clicking on the button below.
Diversity alone does not bring anything
The brightest people who bring the most promising ideas will not achieve anything at all, regardless of the diversity of their backgrounds (or lack thereof) if there is not a culture in which ideas could thrive.
Many coaches and consultants offer services advising companies on how to create such a climate.
Putting a fruit basket on the table in the conference room is a nice gesture but of course not enough.
Things like the fruit basket are like the ribbons and bells on the Christmas tree - they are nice but don't mean much without the actual tree.
Diversity & Inclusion are no means to their own end.
They do yield revenue, in fact, they are essential for sustained business success.
And they can be measured.
Three tips to assess the Diversity & Inclusion in your organisation
Tip 1 : Make a diagnostic
We've said it before but we gladly repeat ourselves:
Make a diagnostic!
How would you know where to go if you do not know where you are starting from?
To read our article about assessing your corporate social responsibility click on the button below:
Tip 2: Measure the diversity maturity level of your organisation
Several models exists.
They offer a simple yet comprehensive current snapshot of how mature your organisation is in diversity and inclusion.
Tip 3: Unconscious bias is the key to the solution
Have you looked into the diversity of your staff or into the unconscious bias prevalent among them (or not)?
Your staff or yourself might not even realise that you have some.
Open the conversation and evaluate how it affects your organisation.
Our deepening experience of transformational change and sustainable strategies have taught us that diverse companies, change faster, innovate more and perform better.
So don't wait!
If you would like advice on how to make your company more inclusive and creative.
If you would like to ask a question, make a comment or continue the conversation with us, do not hesitate to contact us by clicking on the button below.
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