In light of recent events, many companies and organizations have been driven to learn more about and embrace the concept of diversity and inclusion within corporate cultures. Aside from the obvious positive advantages of recruiting team members of different (racial, ethnic, religious, etc.) backgrounds, having a company culture that is well-versed and immersed in creating a universally inclusive work experience builds a stronger foundation for innovation, creativity, and productivity in the workplace. In fact, people are now seeking diversity over high salary and convenience when narrowing their job search. Here are some ways that diversity and inclusion will impact your company’s culture.

Wider Range of Skills and Experience

Having diverse teams to work with is highly beneficial to company culture. Thus, hiring employees with diverse backgrounds will ultimately broaden the pool of talents and experiences that companies can work with. People are likely to learn skills in ways that are unique to the environments they came from and are then able to share and contribute their specific skillsets to team projects and workshops. The more places and environments team members are recruited from, the more expansive the range of skill and work experience will be.

Increased Productivity

According to an academic study titled The economic value of cultural diversity: evidence from US cities, there is a “dominant positive effect of diversity on productivity: a more multicultural urban environment makes US-born citizens more productive.” This is because teams made up of individuals from different places can share their differing points of view with the people they collaborate with. With this dynamic stream of flowing ideas, the combined effort of a diverse and inclusive work environment is bound to cultivate efficient teamwork and be more productive.

Enhanced Creativity

A Forbes article references “that multicultural experiences enhanced idea flexibility and an awareness of the underlying connections between ideas.” This suggests that members of teams comprised of people coming from various cultural backgrounds can share their knowledge with one another can ultimately learn from each other. They are likely able to produce work that can cater to more demographics of audiences and consumers across cultures. The article also states that “research on creativity and innovation has been consistent in showing the value of exposing individuals to experiences with multiple perspectives and worldviews.” By combining the efforts of these individuals, organizations have the advantage of working with this a wholesome source of inspiration and creativity. 

Positive Effect on Reputation

Companies that recruit inclusively make an overall better impression on customers and potential hires. Having a diverse team usually means that the employer has a broader understanding of inclusiveness and values their employees for related reasons. Clients may feel more inclined to work with these companies because they may feel more connected with and consume products and services that come from a friendly and inclusive source. 

As mentioned before, diversity also promotes the creation of ideas and products that are suitable on a global scale and can gear towards a broader range of demographics. This creates room for more people of all backgrounds to appreciate an organization’s brand and image.

Challenges to Navigate

An article written for HBR discusses how deep-level diversity is key to managing diversity and inclusivity. Deep-level diversity or diversity that is rooted more in psychological breadth in addition to cultural diversity is essential to promoting creativity within teams. Misunderstandings and conflicts can occur in teams that are demographically diverse, so it is important to also encourage deep-level diversity and organized leadership to help facilitate group ideas and collaboration. People with different backgrounds and experiences will also likely have varying opinions and beliefs. Some of these opinions may conflict with each other and negatively impact the workplace. Therefore, it is crucial to have appointed leaders that are good communicators and can navigate any work-related tension. These individuals can ideally bridge the gap between disagreeing parties and effectively lead their teams toward success and productivity. While this may seem like a difficult setback, the payoff is grand because of the overall positive effect diversity has on company culture. 

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