Why is creating a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) important? As the Vulcans say, “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” When diverse groups of people feel supported, valued, and safe, these groups of individuals bring and share their diverse ideas and experiences. Diverse ideas and experiences contribute to increased ideas and innovations. This contributes to maximizing growth. A win/win. A positive employee experience and a positive outcome for the organization.
The workforce is changing – rapidly. Fifty years ago, offices were fairly homogenous and roles were often clearly established based on gender and race; watch early seasons of Mad Men, or the movie 9-5 and you’ll get the picture. Although there were exceptions, it was pretty much a given that in order to truly succeed and grow in the workplace, you needed to be white and male…or a tough as nails women!
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“This is the last straw! Look, I’ve got a gun out there in my purse. Up until now I’ve been forgivin’ and forgettin’ because of the way I was brought up, but I’ll tell you one thing. If you ever say another word about me or make another indecent proposal, I’m gonna get that gun of mine, and I’m gonna change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot!” –Dolly Parton (Doralee)
Now that strategy may have worked once upon a time – not anymore – it hasn’t worked in years. The #Metoo movement. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Now more than ever, with increasing demographic shifts and globalization, embracing DEI is imperative to achieving success and long term sustainability. The face of the population is changing. The workforce is coming to reflect that. And people around the globe people are paying more and more attention to social justice DEI and business DEI.
So why is DEI often such a challenge?
It would seem as though nowadays most people in the workplace understand that presenting a diverse (yet strategically aligned) set of ideas, services and solutions is beneficial. Showing your organization values, not just diversity, but also equity and inclusion is a necessity. Think of it this way, you not only need to give diverse folks a seat at the table, but you also need to create a sense of safety and belonging where they feel free to share their voice. Everyone should have their voice heard equally. In most cases, your customers themselves are made of diverse groups of individuals. You should be presenting them with a diverse set of ideas and solutions reflecting such.
Workplace diversity doesn’t just refer to just gender and race anymore either. As the VP of Supplier Diversity at a global Fortune 500 company recently told me, “…our database of vendors and suppliers, like our workforce, is so diverse that we ran out of boxes on our supplier registration form. We’ve recently switched to a new online portal that allows for multiple combinations of self-identification. Within our own organization, our focus has shifted from just diversity to include equity and inclusion. So, we want to see that reflected in our supply chain as well.”
Businesses must account for diversity in race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture, and various combinations of all of the above. And businesses must provide a safe space for these diverse groups to have their voices heard. Generational diversity has also become equally important; with aging baby boomers and incoming Millennials and Gen Z. The opportunities for embracing DEI are greater than ever.
Having diverse teams and giving those individuals the opportunity to have their voices heard can lead to growth as an organization in many ways.
- A diverse workforce and supplier relationships represent the diverse population that is your customer base. Having diverse teams where team members are included and feel safe to speak up, can help raise awareness and increase trust and communication. Thus not only helping enhance team performance, but also helping you to remain innovative and shape your strategy, communication, and products and services for a diverse group of customers. For example, a middle-aged man with lots of industry knowledge and experience might still have trouble identifying with the way an African American teenage girl makes purchasing decisions. A 20-something, or a 20-something African American woman, might have an easier time targeting the needs of that particular client base as they can better relate. Working together, the two can teach and learn from one another and put together a strategy and solution that works best for both the company and the customer. All should have a seat at the table and all should feel safe to use their voice.
- A diverse team that has built trust and respect has a wealth of creative ideas and strategies to choose from. A homogenous team might not. Knowing your peers and your client base is only one step to figuring out the best strategy. Creating a safe space for sharing those creative ideas and experiences and applying them in support of the company mission is equally as important. You can’t just stop at diversity. You need to remain focused on equity and inclusion as well. And not just with employees, but also with vendors and suppliers.
- Communication is a necessity. No two people have the same history and experience. Everyone brings something different to the table. Diverse teams have a great opportunity to learn from each other. And applying those learnings benefits the organization, peers, and customers. For a diverse team to truly be high performing, they must feel comfortable having open and honest communication of ideas. A sense of belonging. A culture that values DEI and provides for open and honest communication can help diverse teams learn, grow, and be successful. In turn, helping the entire organization be successful.
- There are some basic economic facts that make fostering team diversity appealing as well. Companies that foster cultures of diversity, equity, and inclusion tend to see lower turnover rates, and are able to avoid some basic litigation. And in the days of ‘cancel culture,’ these organizations can also avoid alienating customers. So while it’s true that companies should seek to encourage DEI because it is good corporate citizenship, there are certainly some simple financial incentives as well. Creating high-performing diverse teams, embracing a diverse workforce, creating a culture where all voices are heard equally, and providing a sense of belonging for employees, is not just the right thing to do but ultimately it’s good for the organization’s bottom line and long term growth.
So yes, the idea of encouraging and embracing DEI in the workforce is extremely important. In the end, companies that are able to adapt to changing demographics, embrace the diversity of the individual, and diversity of thought, are likely the companies that will thrive in this ever changing competitive world of business.
About Scott Span, MSOD, CSM: is CEO at Tolero Solutions. His focus is – people. He is a Leadership Coach & People Strategist, Communications and Change Management. He supports leaders, teams, and individuals to survive and thrive through personal and professional change and transition. He supports organizations to engage and retain talent and wow customers, achieving success through people, creating places where people enjoy working and customers enjoy doing business.
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