10 Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace

By Lorena Roberts on February 13, 2018

The phrase “workplace diversity” might not come up in your everyday life. Typically, when people think of diversity, they think of skin color. But diversity doesn’t just take skin color into account. Anything with variety has diversity. So why do employers value diversity in the workplace? Why is workplace diversity sought after by employers around the nation and around the world?

The benefits of diversity in the workplace can have endless effects on the company. Whether it’s financially furthering the company, making the company more “people-friendly,” or reaching further into the market, diversity in the workplace can be of great benefit to an employer or company. Here are 10 benefits of diversity in the workplace:

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via pexels.com

1. Gain access to more customers.

Language diversity in the workplace means you’ll have more access to customers whose primary language isn’t English. Simply having the resources to communicate with a larger number of people will give you the opportunity to increase profits.

2. Increase creativity in your employees.

The more diversity a company has in the office, the more likely it is that creative juices are flowing. With more people, there’s a higher chance employees will work together to come up with new solutions to era-long problems. Simply having a better mix of people can engage employees in a way that wasn’t possible before.

3. Different perspectives.

Bringing together people from different walks of life will benefit your company by allowing various different perspectives to flourish. This may lead to an increase in productivity. You’ll appreciate how much

4. More positive reputation in the community.

If you’re looking to boost the way your company is received by the community, increase the ways your workplace is diverse. Whether it’s through language, gender, socioeconomic difference, or credentials, a more diverse workforce means you’ll be able to connect with more people in the community. You’ll leave a more positive image in the minds of the community because you’re accepting of all kinds of different people.

5. Greater range of skills.

It’s a given fact that more people will mean a higher likelihood that more skills will be represented within in the company. Suddenly, you won’t have to outsource your graphic designing tasks, or you’ll be able to finagle with technology on a more advanced level. If you bring in people with diverse background experiences, you’ll likely be able to operate at a higher, more successful level.

6. Become a more “worldly” organization.

The more often you interact with people who are different from you, the more likely you are to be able to interact with people and cultures around the world. You’ll become more comfortable around people who are different from you. So when you travel to new places for work, or you meet people new to your area, you won’t be as uncomfortable about making conversation or discussing general topics. Appreciating difference is the easiest way to go about becoming an organization that’s considered “worldly” and well-respected.

7. Increase cultural awareness.

Some people literally live their lives by not even recognizing cultures that are different, or the ways cultures do things differently. There’s a richness that can be added to life by simply recognizing how different people live in different ways.

8. Decrease stereotypes.

It is likely that creating an environment made up of very different people will result in your employees lowering the stereotypes they have about those who are different from them. It’s hard to hold onto stereotypes once you’ve worked closely with someone who repeatedly defies that stereotype. Increasing diversity in the workplace could potentially be the answer to the racism in this country.

9. Your company will seem “up with the times.”

Forbes.com suggests that diversity and inclusion is such a big part of the lives of millennials, pitching your company as a place where diversity and inclusion are important is a sure-fire way to get young blood into the workplace.

10. Encourage people to be themselves. Their true selves.

More and more, people are feeling as though they must downplay the parts of themselves that don’t fall in line with what’s “normal.” The ways in which people are different are what they’re hiding from the world. Because when it comes down to it, no one wants to be thought of as “different” or “weird.” So when employees are a part of a place where everyone is truly accepted, they won’t feel as though they have to hide behind the mainstream parts of themselves.

Why it’s important to be understanding about differences between you and your fellow coworkers/employees: 

As time goes on, diversity is becoming more and more of a central focus in conversations, workplaces, and everyday life. Diversity used to be thought of as defining differences in race, but it’s becoming a more inclusive definition. Sexual orientation, marital status, age, and gender are all categories in which diversity should be welcomed. There are many various benefits to diversity in the workplace, but generally, diversity in life should be appreciated.

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