In today’s society with the Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, #LoveWins and many other social justice movements, it's not hard to see that diversity and the fight towards equal rights has taken the forefront. The workplace has been directly affected by this and the call for greater diversity in the workplace has increased exponentially. According to TeamStage, diversity in the workplace is important to 67% of job seekers. Now, more than ever, is the time for businesses to focus on their workplace diversity to create accepting and inclusive environments for their employees. We’ve compiled a few definitions, facts, legal aspects and HR strategies to help get you started.
What is workplace diversity?
Diversity is typically defined as the coexistence of people with different characteristics (ex. race, age, gender, sexual orientation), skills and personality traits. Promoting diversity involves going beyond stereotypes and valuing differences to promote togetherness.
An example of this in the workplace is creating a diverse team that includes employees that come from different cultural, academic and professional backgrounds. A diverse team should also maintain a balance in gender, age and race.
Diversity and Inclusion
That being said, once you create a diverse team, your work is not done. It is vital that you also promote and maintain equity and inclusion in your workplace. You must create initiatives and workplace cultures that allow employees to feel that they are included and have equal opportunities to their colleagues. The act of building an inclusive workplace is an ongoing process and companies should revisit their procedures as needed to ensure that they remain respectful to all people.
The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion
Now that you know what the term diversity means, we can review why it is important in the workplace and why it should be a priority at your company.
1) Reflects societies more accurately
Societies are naturally diverse in age, race, gender and socio-economic class. An organization that creates a diverse workforce is better aligned with the demographics of their surrounding area. This can help with marketing tactics because you can better understand your target audience, which aids in predicting and adapting to changes in the market.
2) Reaches a larger audience
People usually relate to those who have similar backgrounds and characteristics to them. If you have employees that come from various backgrounds, they can better understand the needs, interests and sensitive topics of those similar to them. This allows your company to extend the reach of their messages and speak to a larger customer base.
3) Promotes more creativity
The term ‘diversity’ also refers to the diversity of thought and by having a diverse group of employees you can bring fresh and innovative ideas to your company. Sometimes it takes many different ideas and approaches to solve a problem.
4) Improves company culture
Company cultures that do not value diversity exclude certain people which leads to an unhealthy work environment. By incorporating inclusion into your workplace culture, you can create a space where everyone feels welcome. To learn more about company culture read our previous blog post all about it!
5) Increases profits
Diversity can also have an economic impact on your company. According to a 2015 McKinsey report, companies with ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean.
The Legal Aspect of Diversity in the Workplace
Let’s get down to business and take a closer look at the legal aspects regarding diversity in the workplace.
To promote diversity in the workplace, there is legislation that protects minorities or underrepresented groups from discrimination. There are also various regulations that work to reinforce human rights in the workplace. For example, in many countries companies cannot include age or gender requirements in their job ads unless it is absolutely necessary or relevant to the position. It is crucial that you comply with the legislation that applies in your area.
In Canada, the Human Rights Act has various laws and regulations that protect people from discriminatory practices. There are also regulations that pertain to equal pay and the Canadian Human Rights Commission where employees can report instances of unfair treatment. It is always best to consult a lawyer to ensure that your company is compliant with all the legislation that applies in your location.
The Responsibilities of HR and Recruiters
Your human resources and recruitment departments play a huge role in ensuring diversity at your company. From attracting and recruiting diverse candidates to implementing guidelines for fair treatment, these areas of the workplace are vital to the inclusivity at your organization. Here are some ways that HR professionals and recruiters can foster diversity in the workplace:
1) Remove bias in the hiring process
Your hiring process should be focused on finding the best people for the job, not the ones that you prefer the most. Shift the focus to the skillset of the applicants rather than their characteristics. For example, create gender-neutral job descriptions and skill-based interview questions.
2) Find areas to improve
No company is perfect and there are always ways that you can improve your workplace to better promote inclusivity and belonging. A great way to identify weaker areas is to investigate the statistics of your company. For example, what’s the gender ratio at your company? How many of your female employees have a leadership role?
3) Consider overlooked minority groups
As we mentioned above, diversity is not just about gender and race. It is important that you make an effort to also consider those who face discrimination for various other reasons such as age, disability or unconventional career paths.
4) Involve all of your team members
The responsibility of creating a diverse company does not just fall on human resources and recruiters. It is important that all employees, no matter their level at the company, understand the importance of diversity in the workplace. Everyone should know the expectations, values and appropriate behaviours in terms of inclusion.
Ultimately, diversity in the workplace is crucial to ensure that you create a place where employees are treated equally, and everyone feels included. By advocating for a diverse workplace, you can positively impact both your company and your employees.
That being said, there are many aspects involved in workplace diversity and the legal aspects can be hard to navigate. Allow us to help guide you. At STEPS, we offer small business HR services that can assist you with your workplace diversity and help you create an inclusive and welcoming environment for your employees. Learn more about our services on our home page or reach out to us on our contact page.
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