Many business administrators speak about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. However, it is also necessary to explain their benefits for organizations. First, one can mention improved decision-making. The thing is that people, who come from various ethnic or cultural backgrounds, can look at the same situation from different viewpoints.
If they work together, they will better identify possible solutions to the same problems. However, this result can be achieved only if the management encourages employees to work together and participate in brainstorming. The second benefit is that the diversified workforce can eventually improve the relations of the company with its clients.
The thing is that modern organizations work with customers, who may represent different cultures. The needs of these people can be better understood and met by a diversified workforce. Additionally, diversity is also important for maintaining the reputation of an organization.
This advantage is probably the most important one for modern organizations because a growing number of customers want to use the products and services of those companies that promote diversity. Inclusion and diversity also contribute to better retention of good employees. A person can be more loyal to the company that values fairness and equal treatment of people regardless of their race, gender, or disability status.
Finally, organizations that promote diversity are less likely to face lawsuits filed by candidates or workers. However, the advantages of diversity can be gained only if companies assess the skills and performance of employees, rather than their ethnic, racial, or cultural diversity.
If I were a manager of a large organization, I would take several steps to promote inclusion and diversity. First, I will try to minimize the risk of possible discrimination, especially at the stage when workers are recruited. While hiring new employees, the company should rely more on standardized tests or specific job tasks. In this case, the assessment will be more objective.
For example, when this organization has to hire a software designer, the recruiters should only evaluate his or her recent projects, without knowing the identity of this person, especially name, gender, race or disability status. In this way, the organization can recruit the most competent candidate and eliminate the possibility of discrimination. The second task is to support those individuals who have a disability.
For instance, it may be necessary to purchase the equipment that these people need to work productively. Apart from that, in the majority of organizations, the employees are divided into teams, departments or any other groups. So, I would try to make sure that these groups are made up of people who represent different races or cultures.
Possible problems or conflicts usually occur because many people are not accustomed to working in a diverse environment. Additionally, this organization should have a counselor who can help workers cope with any conflicts, especially those related to race, ethnicity, gender, or disability.
The main task of this counselor is to make sure that workers are not afraid of speaking about such problems as glass ceiling or racial discrimination. Provided that the case of discrimination has been proven, the person, who is responsible for it, should either be penalized or fired.
Finally, it is important to develop a performance appraisal system that takes into account the individual contribution of every employee. The assessment should take into account both quantitative and qualitative aspects of performance. This evaluation of a person’s performance should be made not only by managers but also by co-workers.
In this way, management can achieve a higher degree of subjectivity. So, these are the strategies that I would adopt to foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Another aspect that should be discussed is the retention of good employees. This task can be done only if the management skillfully combines both monetary and non-monetary rewards.
For instance, the management should offer talented employees an opportunity to acquire and develop new skills. This is why the company should develop on-the-job training programs. Additionally, these employees can have more a more flexible schedule, so that they could find more time for their families or friends.
Furthermore, if a person consistently produces good results and take initiatives, he or she should be promoted. On the whole, non-monetary rewards can show that the successes of an employee are recognized and valued by the management. This is one of the key approaches to the retention of workers.
Also, there are some financial rewards that can help management retain employees. For example, this organization can give these workers extra days of paid vacation or give them cash bonuses. These expenses can be justified because the company will not have to spend both time and money on the recruitment and training of new hires.
As it has been said before, the retention of employees can be improved if the company promotes diversity, because people are more likely to stay in that company that values fairness and promotes equality in the workplace. By combining these strategies, a manager can improve retention in a large organization.