5 Reasons To Build A Diverse Workforce
- More Diverse Perspectives
- Appeal To More Customers
- Good PR
- Reduced Turnover
- Access To A Bigger Talent Pool
There are innumerable benefits to diversity in any organization. “Diverse” can mean candidates from different age groups, orientations, races, stations in life and more. It could also mean simply hiring employees with different personalities. Aside from it being the right thing to do to avoid discriminating against anyone, diverse employees bring new skills and perspectives to the table. Remember these significant benefits of actively hiring and supporting diverse groups of individuals in any company.
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1. More Diverse Perspectives
The first significant benefit to a diverse workforce is a greater variety of perspectives, which can help companies in a number of ways. Different ways of thinking generate a wider variety of ideas teams can draw upon for more creative and nuanced ideas. These ideas may never have been considered by a similar group of people with only one perspective. Supporting employees of different backgrounds also encourages them to speak out more, which can be difficult to do in an environment where they otherwise stick out. It’s important to have different voices in the room and listen to everyone’s voice.
2. Appeal To More Customers
The new perspectives that a more diverse workforce offers helps a company appeal to more customers. For example, hiring more older individuals can help a company better appeal to older customers and in doing so expand their base. Having employees who speak different languages can help a company expand into different markets both locally and abroad, as noted by the Houston Chronicle. This wider appeal, rooted in having greater diversity in an organization, offers significant opportunities for growth.
3. Good PR
Having a more diverse workforce also helps companies enjoy a better reputation. Consumers and employees alike prefer companies that make a genuine commitment to working with people of different backgrounds. Having a good reputation helps attract quality employees to open positions, as well as encourages a more diverse group of people to be interested in working for an organization. Customers will make a point to do business with organizations that they perceive as being fair, open and supportive to all.
4. Reduced Turnover
When employees feel they are valued they are less likely to grow dissatisfied and seek employment elsewhere. Companies that work to earn the loyalty of their employees enjoy reduced turnover rates, which saves them significant amounts of money and time. Companies can fail at this by hiring diverse candidates but then not supporting them or listening to what they have to say. Making a solid commitment to working with employees of different backgrounds and life situations will result in employees who genuinely like working there and won’t be as likely to leave.
5. Access To A Bigger Talent Pool
When employers are open to hiring candidates of different skillsets, ages, races and orientations, they end up with a much wider talent pool to draw upon when hiring new employees. Candidates who might not have seemed as attractive could surprise. It’s important to hire based on how well an individual’s personality might fit with a company’s culture and specific team, but it is equally as important to seek balance.
Building and supporting a more diverse workforce does a lot more for a business than just making it look good from a PR standpoint. The benefits of diversity are varied and nuanced, and employers need to realize this in order to have their organization reach its maximum potential.
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