The temptation to ignore Diversity and Inclusion because of the perception that it is too much work, or that addressing the issue is not valuable, is a costly mistake. Trust us; we have three big reasons why you shouldn’t ignore this trend.
Bias is normal.
Most people are not prepared to admit that they may have an unintentional bias in their workplace culture, yet research suggests that implicit bias is present in most of us. Let’s face it, regardless of our cultural background; we spend a good portion of our formative years in the company of individuals with similar backgrounds. People are naturally more open to people that they share a culture with, and, unintentionally, biased against people with a different ancestral culture.
This unintentional bias comes from isolation rather than inclusion. It is present, to some degree, in nearly all of us and, like most issues, the first step in solving the problem is to acknowledge that it exists. Diversity and inclusion in the workforce can lessen this bias. You can discover more about implicit bias here.
Diversity increases an organizations ability to relate.
Business relationships, both internal and external, are about collaboration rather than dominance. Organizations that embrace diversity create healthy relationships “built on influence rather than control, and on openness instead of suppression.” Healthy, collaborative relationships breed trust and loyalty in both associates and clients.
According to Yale Business School, a diverse workforce allows members to discover ways to relate to a diverse customer base. Workforce diversity and inclusion reduce bias by enabling individuals to interact with people from groups that they may otherwise have limited contact. This reduced bias among associates gives them an advantage when dealing with a diverse client base.
Diversity and inclusion affect your profits.
Most importantly, diversity and inclusion can have financial implications. Research has shown that organizations with the highest levels of diversity outperform those with low levels by as much as 35%. Sales revenue is almost 15 times greater in companies with high diversity levels. Diversity and inclusion impact positively on performance levels and is good business!
Acknowledging diversity and inclusion can positively impact an organization and help them reach their core objectives.
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