Glenn Llopis from Forbes Magazine cites that there are several different areas where diversity can make a huge and positive impact. One of the most basic forms of diversity can be found in the form of ideas. No matter the cultural demographic of an office, the company will benefit from embracing different thoughts of all levels of employees.
Having a diverse workforce of employees also can help companies better market themselves to different demographics. Employees from different backgrounds may be able to speak to consumers more effectively from different ethnic backgrounds, races, and sexual orientations. AmericanProgress.org states that diversifying the workplace will help businesses increase their market share.
Concerning staffing and recruitment, Harvard published an article to advise on how to implement diversity. To be able to meet the diversity needs of companies, they suggest to branch outside of basic qualifications and proactively start networking with people of a diverse talent pool. Particularly, they suggest that women in non-traditional fields and professionals of minority cultures tend to be greatly sought after by employers. Staffing companies would most likely face competition when recruiting these candidates.
Implementing diversity in your workplace, whether on a small or large scale, will undoubtedly have positive effects on many aspects of your company. Diversity and inclusion are universal to all job markets and essential for growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be 222,600 open software engineering jobs by 2020. Without diversity focus on the recruitment of female and/or minority talent, employers will effectively cut the talent pool in half. Increasing workforce diversity isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.
Blog Contributor: Emily Murr