The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

October 19, 2021March 3, 2023 Sono

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace have become buzzwords recently. But, why are they actually important?

Keep reading this article to find out the 411 on why it’s important to introduce strong policies that push for more diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Table of Contents

What Is Diversity?

Diversity generally refers to the practice of trying to include people that are historically excluded. This can include different people based on different situations. People of color and people with disabilities are nearly always people who are classified as diverse. LGBTQ+ people, especially trans people, are considered diverse.

And, it’s important to consider that some people have multiple identities, and may fall into more than one diverse category.

What Is Inclusion?

Inclusion is the process of making sure people who have historically been excluded are included at every level of your workplace environment. This could include changing hiring practices, or mandating that a certain percentage of hires are made up of BIPOC people, for example.

Inclusive practices are sometimes thought to be difficult to introduce, but that’s a misconception.

Why Is Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Important?

Obviously, it’s important to encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace for the advancement of societal equity.

But, encouraging workplace diversity and inclusion is actually very beneficial for your business for a lot of different reasons. It’s been proven that making these policies clear help encourage new talent to consider joining your business, which will help keep your company competitive. Plus, a diverse workplace helps encourage employees to stay at your company, because it encourages a more positive company culture.

These policies also help keep your company in the news, since articles on companies with good inclusive initiatives are continuously published.

And, having more voices in the room is always a good thing. The more diversity you have at the upper levels of your company, the less prone you’ll be to making silly mistakes. And, they may have amazing suggestions for new ideas or processes for your business that will take your returns to the next level.

How to Encourage Workplace Diversity and Inclusion?

There are many different ways you can strengthen the diversity and inclusion initiatives in your workplace. Diversity training for your employees is a great strategy for keeping your company educated and accountable. You can bring in a consultant to help you see where your company may be falling short when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

Create stronger communication strategies, so your employees know what you’re currently doing and what you’re planning on every front â€” not just when it comes to inclusivity and diversity. That way, they can let you know when they spot a problem.