Creating workplace diversity requires the effort of everyone on your team. It’s about hiring people from a wide range of backgrounds, but also utilizing what they have to offer. The benefits of making a workplace more diverse include higher stock returns, better relationships between employees and lower employee turnover. Diverse workplaces are also linked to bonds with customers, improvements in customer service and increased creativity.
How to Define Diversity
Diversity means differences in culture, gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, language, age, perspective, experience and ability. Workplaces may have dissimilar ideas about what constitutes diversity. The underlying question is about what type of spectrum a company has at the end of the day. Questions beyond nationality to ask about the company you manage or want to work for include:
- What geographic area do employees come from?
- Where did they go to school?
- What education did they receive?
- What challenges did they overcome?
- What other work did they do before coming to this business?
Creating true diversity involves including widely different employees who can do their job but each bring something unique to the table. The task also requires acknowledging and appreciating differences to show that each person is welcomed. If you have questions about how to motivate employees from different backgrounds, we welcome you to visit Madison Approach’s past posts on employee engagement and workplace trends.
Diversity in the Hiring Process
As you develop or go through a hiring process, look for questions that show the company values people from a wide array of backgrounds. If you are over 50 or are interviewing someone who is, determine whether the company acknowledges a person’s life history and ability to train others. If you speak a language other than English or are interviewing someone who does, figure out how the company can utilize that skill. Hiring questions should be inquisitive and open-ended. They should also be respectful and sensitive of people’s personal histories. If you are hiring, check with Human Resources or your company’s attorney to make sure all of your questions are legal.
If you are looking to create a diverse workplace, connect with Madison Approach Staffing! We are here to help you find the right employee.
