Author: Dr. Arlian Salmon-Barnett

Diversity and inclusion are becoming increasingly important in today's world, not only for social and moral reasons, but also for business success. A diverse and inclusive organization values and respects the differences among its employees, customers, and partners. It is also one that actively works to create an environment where those differences are leveraged to drive innovation, creativity, and growth. By celebrating diversity and practicing inclusion, organizations can improve their performance, growth and development, and achieve a competitive advantage in today's globalized world. This article will explore the benefits of celebrating diversity and practicing inclusion in the workplace. Strategies for improving organizational performance, growth, and development will also be discussed.

One of the most obvious benefits of diversity and inclusion is the ability to tap into a wider pool of talents and ideas. When an organization comprises people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, it is more likely to develop new and innovative solutions to problems (Pal et al., 2022). This is because diverse perspectives can help to challenge assumptions, identify new opportunities, and generate fresh ideas. Diverse teams are more creative and productive, which can lead to increased competitiveness and growth.

Another benefit of diversity and inclusion is that it can help to improve employee engagement and retention. When employees feel valued and respected for who they are, they are motivated and committed to work. Employees who are motivated and committed to work will yield higher levels of productivity and create more positive work environments. Organizations which hold attributes of diversity and inclusivity will attract and retain employees with top talent, which can be a significant competitive advantage.

It is, however, essential to note that organizations must actively practice inclusion to leverage the benefits of diversity and inclusion. Leveraging the benefits means creating environments where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued, regardless of backgrounds or differences (Ayyala et al., 2022). This can be achieved through various strategies, such as providing diversity and inclusion training, creating employee resource groups, and implementing inclusive policies and practices.

An effective strategy for promoting inclusion is ensuring everyone has a voice and that ideas and perspectives are heard. Promoting inclusion maybe achieved through the creation of opportunities for employees to share thoughts and perspectives, and by encouraging active listening and open communication. It is essential to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and that there is no discrimination or bias in the workplace. This can be achieved through various means, such as implementing fair recruitment practices, promoting equal pay, and supporting employees from underrepresented groups. Another critical strategy for promoting inclusion is ensuring everyone feels a sense of belonging. This can be achieved through various means, such as creating a sense of community, fostering a sense of belonging, and promoting a culture of respect and trust. It is vital to ensure everyone has access to the same opportunities, resources, and support, regardless of background or differences.

Diversity and inclusion are not only crucial for creating a positive and equitable work environment, but they also have direct impact on an organization's ultimate outcome. Research has shown that diverse and inclusive organizations are more likely to outperform counterparts by at least 15%. Organizations in the top quartile for ethnic, gender and racial diversity are more likely to have financial returns above the industry average. One reason is that diverse and inclusive organizations tend to have more engaged and motivated employees. When employees feel valued and respected, they feel a sense of satisfaction which will ultimately lead to more increased competitiveness, growth and productivity.

Inclusive organizations also tend to have better problem-solving and decision-making processes. When people with diverse perspectives and experiences come together to solve a problem, they develop more innovative and effective solutions. This is because diverse perspectives can help to challenge assumptions, identify new opportunities, and generate fresh ideas (Jiang et al., 2022).

In addition, organizations that promote diversity and inclusion can be seen as socially responsible because they attract a myriad of diverse customers and investors looking to support businesses that align with their values (Lyman et al., 2022). Organizations with a diverse workforce will appeal to such customers and investors. A diverse workforce can better understand and relate to the needs and perspectives of a diverse customer base, which can lead to more effective and tailored service. This, in turn, can lead to increased customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

Diversity and inclusion can also contribute to a more ethical and responsible organization. A diverse and inclusive workplace can help eliminate discrimination and bias, which will create a working environment and culture that is fair and equitable. When employees know that there is a strong sense of equity in the organization, they are encouraged to work harder and aim to fulfill the vision of the company.

Some strategies that organizations use to create an inclusive culture include:

• Providing unconscious bias training to all employees to help them recognize and overcome their own biases.
• Establishing a code of conduct which clearly states the organization's commitment to diversity and inclusion and the consequences for not adhering to it.
• Creating employee resource groups (ERGs) for underrepresented groups, such as people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
• Offering mentorship and sponsorship programs to help employees from underrepresented groups advance in their careers.
• Implementing inclusive recruitment practices, such as blind resume reviews and diverse interview panels.
• Providing support and resources for employees from underrepresented groups, such as access to counseling and mental health services.

Challenges of a Diverse Workplace

One of the main challenges is unconscious bias, which refers to the unintentional and automatic associations people make based on characteristics such as race, gender, or age. Unconscious bias can lead to discrimination and exclusion and be a barrier to creating a truly inclusive workplace. Organizations must be willing to actively work to identify and eliminate unconscious bias through training, education, and creating a culture that promotes open communication and feedback to overcome this challenge.

Another common challenge is the lack of representation of certain groups in leadership positions. For instance, women, people of color, and people with disabilities are underrepresented in leadership positions (Bowman-Williams & Cox, 2022). To overcome this challenge, organizations should implement policies and programs to promote the advancement and development of underrepresented groups and actively work to eliminate barriers that prevent these groups from reaching leadership positions.

Creating a truly inclusive culture requires ongoing effort and commitment to continuous improvement. It is crucial for leaders to constantly assess and evaluate the organization's diversity and inclusion efforts and to make changes as needed. Leaders can carry out surveys regularly as well as gain information from employees via focus groups on experiences of inclusion and diversity within the organization (Ayyala et al., 2022). Information gathered can be used to identify areas where the organization is succeeding and areas where improvements are needed.

Conducting regular diversity audits of the organization's policies, practices, and procedures is another working approach to assessing and improving inclusion (Bowman-Williams & Cox, 2022). Audits help identify potential barriers to inclusion which leaders can use to develop action plans to address issues. The roles of leaders and managers are critical in fostering an inclusive culture through modeling inclusive behaviors and actively promoting diversity and inclusion in their actions and decision-making. They can do this by:

• creating opportunities for employees to share ideas and perspectives.
• encouraging active listening and open communication.
• ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and that there is no discrimination or bias in the workplace.
• providing support to employees from underrepresented groups.
• encouraging and promoting diversity in the recruitment and selection processes.
• providing mentoring and coaching to diverse employees to support career development

Importantly, leadership teams in every organization need to recognize that inclusion is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey requiring continuous effort. Leaders need to be open to feedback and willing to make changes as necessary to improve diversity and inclusion in the organization. Organizations must understand that inclusion is not only limited to the diversity of race, gender, and ethnicity but also encompasses a diversity of thought, culture, disabilities, age, and more (Bonaccio et al., 2020). A genuinely inclusive organization will make an effort to recognize and value all forms of diversity and make accommodations for employees with disabilities.

Inclusive Culture and Systemic Discrimination

Creating an inclusive culture also means recognizing and addressing how systemic discrimination and bias can impact individuals and groups within the organization. This includes understanding the historical and societal context which has led to disparities and injustices, and acknowledging and addressing how these issues are perpetuated within the organization. Organizations can better handle systemic discrimination through the approaches below:

Improving diversity and inclusion through internal input

• Organizations should examine how recruitment, promotion, and compensation processes might be influenced by bias and work to remove these barriers. They can do this by implementing blind resume reviews, diverse interview panels, and providing training on unconscious bias to those involved in the recruitment and selection process.
• Organizations should also ensure that they provide equal opportunities and resources to all employees, regardless of individuals’ backgrounds or differences. This includes providing accommodations for employees with disabilities and making sure employees from underrepresented groups have access to the same opportunities for development and advancement as their colleagues (Bonaccio et al., 2020).
• A critical step in creating an inclusive culture is to provide education and resources which allow employees to learn about and understand different cultures, experiences, and perspectives (Pal et al., 2022). This can include training on cultural competency, providing resources for understanding other religions, and promoting cross-cultural understanding within the workplace.
• Inclusive leadership is also crucial for creating an inclusive culture. Leaders in the organization should be committed to promoting diversity and inclusion and actively working to remove barriers to inclusion (Ayyala et al., 2022). This includes creating opportunities for employees from underrepresented groups to share their ideas, providing support and resources for employees from underrepresented groups, and encouraging and promoting diversity in recruitment and selection processes.
• Creating an inclusive culture also means taking a stand against discrimination and bias within the organization and the broader community. This includes speaking out against bigotry and hate speech and supporting causes and organizations that promote diversity and inclusion.

Improving diversity and inclusion through external input

• Offering flexible working arrangements: Companies can offer flexible working arrangements such as telecommuting, flexible hours, and part-time work to accommodate employees with care-giving responsibilities or other personal obligations. This can increase the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in the workforce.
• Supplier diversity: Organizations can commit to doing business with suppliers owned or operated by women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups. This can support the growth and development of these businesses and create new opportunities for diverse suppliers to participate in the organization's supply chain.
• Community outreach and engagement: Companies can commit to investing in and supporting the communities in which they operate. This can include providing mentoring, internships, and other opportunities for young people from underrepresented groups and partnering with local organizations to address inequality and injustice.
• Access to professional development: Organizations can provide professional development opportunities such as training, mentoring, and networking events to help employees from underrepresented groups advance their careers. This can include targeted programs to support women and people of color in leadership roles.
• Measuring and reporting: Companies can regularly measure diversity and inclusion within the organization and report the results to the board and employees. This helps to identify areas where the organization is succeeding and areas where improvements are needed.

Overall, embracing diversity and inclusion is an ongoing journey requiring continuous effort. Organizations should create a culture where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued and actively work to remove barriers to inclusion. By implementing inclusive strategies, organizations can improve performance and become more competitive in today's globalized world.

Celebrating diversity and practicing inclusion in the workplace is essential for organizational performance, growth, and development. Inclusion should be seen as an ongoing journey that encompasses all forms of diversity and is not limited to race, gender, and ethnicity. Organizations must actively create an inclusive culture by providing diversity and inclusion training, creating employee resource groups, and implementing inclusive policies and practices. Leaders must be committed to continuous improvement by regularly assessing and evaluating diversity and inclusion efforts, being open to feedback, and willing to make changes as needed.

References

Ayyala, R. S., Artunduaga, M., Morin, C. E., & Coley, B. D. (2022). Leveraging diversity, equity and inclusion for promoting wellness in the radiology workplace. Pediatric radiology, 52(9), 1724-1729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-022-05292-z

Bonaccio, S., Connelly, C.E., Gellatly, I.R. et al. The participation of people with disabilities in the workplace across the employment cycle: Employer concerns and research evidence. J Bus Psychol 35, 135–158 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-018-9602-5

Bowman Williams, J., & Cox, J. M. (2022). The new principle-practice gap: The disconnect between diversity beliefs and actions in the workplace. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 8(2), 301-314. https://doi.org/10.1177/23326492221078293

DeHart‐Davis, L., & Borry, E. L. (2022). Managerial Practice and Diversity Climate: The Roles of Workplace Voice, Centralization, and Teamwork. Public Administration Review, 82(3), 459-472. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13494

https://blog.vantagecircle.com/inclusion-at-the-workplace/retrieved February 2023.

Lyman, B., Parchment, J., & George, K. C. (2022). Diversity, equity, inclusion: Crucial for organizational learning and health equity. Nurse Leader, 20(2), 193-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2021.10.012

Pal, I., Galinsky, E., & Kim, S. (2022). Employee health and well-being after a crisis–re-imagining the role of workplace inclusion. Community, Work & Family, 25(1), 30-62. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2021.1987859