Diversity and Inclusion: 10 Effective Practices To Implement

Diversity and inclusion at the workplace go hand in hand but have different meanings. Diversity refers to various aspects (like gender, race, age, etc.) that make an individual different. So, an organization involves diverse employees that reflect the society in which it operates. Whereas, inclusion refers to providing an atmosphere to the employees where they are equally and fairly treated and are given equal opportunities to excel.

Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

It is evident that both diversity and inclusion are important for an organization and its employees. To get the best out of the employees, it is necessary to provide them with opportunities that will help them to give better results. Here are some of the benefits of diversity and inclusion :

1. Provides Better Financial Results

It provides equal opportunities to every individual working in the organization, which will help employees to give 100% in order to shine amongst the lot. As a result, it gives a drive or motivation to employees to give the best of their abilities, helping organizations to achieve their goals and provide better financial results.

2. Enhanced Performance of Employees

Inclusivity helps employees to be open, transparent about ideas and contribute to each other's success. The process helps everyone learn and grow, improving overall performance levels. 

3. Increased Base of Knowledge

Diversity in the workplace helps in a strong base of knowledge as employees bring insights from various cultures, thereby providing a good source of information regarding local societal demands or expectations.

4. Employee Retention Rate is High

The employee turnover ratio is reduced for the companies that implement diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This gives employees liberation to participate in the activities, thus building great connections within the workplace with people from diverse cultures. And relatively increasing the rate of employee retention.

5. Innovation and Decision Making 

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace help in better decision-making due to the enhanced involvement of the employees coming from different cultures. It also helps in providing creative solutions to any problems. Employees also feel privileged when valued for their talent and unique traits. This provides a blend of perspective in the process of decision-making.

Types of Diversity in the Workplace

Here is a list of 4 different types of diversity in the workplace. 

1. Internal diversity 

It refers to the diversity on which no one has their control and is natural in a way. It includes factors like age, gender, race, etc.

2. External diversity

It usually refers to the diversity on which an individual has control and can be changed. The factors included are education, socioeconomic status, religion, etc.

3. Organizational diversity 

This type of diversity comes up in the organization or the workplace. This includes work location, department, job function, etc.

4. World views diversity

It is about the unique differences in people's world views that might include knowledge of history, their own system of belief, cultural events, etc.

10 Ways to Improve Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace 

Promoting and improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace is crucial. Here are 10 ways how an organization can perform an inclusive workspace.

1. Acknowledge Multiple Religious and Cultural Practices

Try to introduce a policy where a variety of cultural and religious practices are acknowledged and respected. For this, it is important to create an inclusive culture to succeed in diversity efforts that will benefit engagement and productivity in the workplace. You can do this by honoring every culture's holidays and celebrations.

2. Create a Work Environment Where Every Voice is Respected and Welcomed

Appreciate employees' authentic self and uniqueness to make them feel valued. Make sure to provide an environment where they feel a sense of connectedness to the company. Employees need to feel free to express themselves in order to feel the importance of their diversified cultures. 

Remember not to provide promotions on the basis of favoritism or any kind of biases in order to support diversity and inclusion in the work environment. Rather, try to embrace non-discriminatory practices and policies in the company. 

3. Openness on Gender Pay Inequality

Pay should be provided based on individual talent and efforts. Performance and not on the basis of their gender. Companies that have gender pay imbalances should create a channel of communication for employees to express feelings and opinions. Ensure to address the gap of gender pay inequality to make employees feel safe by taking actions through proper practices and strategies. 

4. Incorporate a Multilingual Workforce

Language is often considered a barrier in workplaces. A workplace should incorporate and welcome employees from various languages to respect every community and their respective cultures. This also bridges the gap between 2 different cultures.

5. Encourage Diverse Thinking

This is important as people have vastly different perspectives on all sorts of issues like from what they choose to wear to work or the way they compose an email or to the kind of feedback they give on employee reviews and to what kinds of ideas they pitch in meetings. Thus, it helps to know and understand how other people think.

6. Indulge a Multigenerational Workforce

Generation gaps lead to many factors that can change the company. Thus, it is necessary to accommodate people from various generations in order to build a diverse and inclusive workforce. 

7. Remove Biases in the Process of Evaluation and Promotion

Biases towards a certain employee can make others feel less valued by the company and lead to inefficient work. It is necessary that everyone should be treated equally, and discrimination against any kind should be banned by the company. A few strategies to combat bias are as follows:

• Ensure to use words that are gender-neutral in the job descriptions.

• Set a goal of diversity as an organization; this will help you to trace the progress and incorporate policies or strategies that will help the same.

8. Try to Conduct Focus Groups

Focus groups are a way to collect qualitative data in order to gain employees' deeper insights. Sometimes it is convenient and comfortable for employees to speak freely about any issue to an outside facilitator that will help the company know its employees' actual thought processes or perspectives. 

9. Incorporate One-on-one Discussions 

Communication is the key to wiping out the disparity. To know the main concerns of your employees, make sure that there are no barriers in communication between the managers, boss, and the employees. One-on-one talks help the employees to freely put across their point of view to their leaders. Thus, inclusivity makes sure every individual has a say in the matters of the company that are considered vital.

10. Accessible Technology

With diversified people working in the company, not everyone needs to be equipped with the technology. So, you have to make sure that technology is accessible to every employee present in the company. 

In a Nutshell 

A company's main requirement is its employees. Thus, providing an atmosphere of diversity and inclusion helps employees to bring their best to the table, considering that their opinions matter to the company. People coming from different backgrounds, generations, cultures, and perspectives will help the company bring the best by teaching all and satisfying employees. Thus, a company must incorporate diversity and inclusivity in the workplace to attain the benefits of the same.