Cultural diversity in the workplace is no longer a buzz word thrown around by middle-aged white men in a boardroom. It’s not a nicety—it’s a necessity! Companies with a culturally diverse workforce have a competitive advantage, and the proof is in the statistics.
- A highly diverse company is more likely to meet their financial objectives by up to 120%
- Diverse team members, including members of different genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds and ages, are 87% better decision makers
- Seventy-eight percent of people think that a company that embraces cultural diversity has a competitive advantage
- Diverse management increases revenue by 19%
When a company hires and employs individuals of the same ethnicity, culture, gender, socio-economic status, religious beliefs or ages, they end up with a team of people who have the same experiences, viewpoints and ideas. As a result, creativity is limited.
Alternatively, a diverse group of employees bring unique experiences, viewpoints, and ideas resulting in out-of-the-box thinking and a competitive edge. A diverse and inclusive work environment has big financial rewards. This, however, is not the only benefit of cultural diversity in the workplace. Other benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace include:
Improved Employee Performance
When cultural diversity is promoted and celebrated in the workplace, employees feel more comfortable, confident and happier. When an employee believes in the company they are working for, they are more likely to be more productive and motivated.
Skilled Talent and Better Employee Retention
The majority of millennials judge an employment opportunity based on the values of the company and want their employer to have a diverse team. Within five years, these millennials will make up 75% of the workforce. By having a diverse culture, companies will attract and keep talented employees.
International Growth Through Language and Cultural Understanding
Many businesses hope for global reach and to find success in international markets. This is difficult to achieve when no one in the company speaks the language or understands the culture. Business etiquette in other countries can vary significantly, and what might be interpreted as a friendly gesture in the US, could be viewed as a sign of disrespect overseas. Employees who speak multiple languages and are familiar with other cultures will be an asset when trying to conduct business with other countries.
There are only benefits to having a culturally diverse workforce. In fact, many business awards and grants look at a company’s diversity as a part of the application process. Want to foster cultural diversity in your workplace? Here are 10 Supportek-approved recommendations to do just that.
How to Hire with Cultural Diversity in Mind
When you move forward with hiring, you need to keep cultural diversity top of mind. Build a culturally diverse team by implementing these practices into your hiring process.
1. Highlight Company Commitment to Diversity
A culturally diverse employer will attract promising new talent. As a company, this commitment to diversity and inclusion should be clear on the company’s website and in the company’s job postings.
Businesses can also showcase their dedication to enhancing workplace diversity and inclusion by joining organizations—national and local—that encourage the development and expansion of opportunities and advancement for underrepresented individuals in the workplace.
For instance, Supportek is a member of:
- The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce: This organization is committed to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for the LGBT community.
- Disability:IN: This nonprofit is a valuable resource for business disability inclusion worldwide, expanding opportunities for people with disabilities across enterprises.
2. Expand Your Company’s Interview Panel to Include Underrepresented Groups
If your hiring process includes an interview panel, or multiple interviews with different departments, diversify the group of interviewers as much as possible. Many companies make the mistake of having an interview panel that consists of individuals from the same background, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and age demographic. By having a diverse interview panel, you remove unconscious bias and improve equality in the workplace.
3. Unconscious Bias Training for Recruiters
Offer your recruiters the opportunity to complete diversity and inclusion training that focuses on unconscious biases so that they may effectively recruit, interview and hire diverse talent for your organization.
4. Reference Diverse Job Boards to Recruit Diverse Applicants
When you’re looking for a new employee, venture off the beaten path. Rather than posting job descriptions on Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor (the usual suspects), post the position on a more diverse job board, including:
These job boards attract diverse talent and will provide you with a greater number of diverse applicants to interview. Many of these job boards also have a list of candidate resumes employers can access in order to recruit.
How to Boost Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
A promise to cultural diversity in the workplace doesn’t end after you make a hiring. It’s an ongoing commitment that requires continual enhancements to policies, training and company values.
5. Craft Diversity-Friendly Policies
Diversity friendly policies are a legal requirement; however, as a business you should strive to go above and beyond existing requirements. Offering flexible schedules, leave options, meal choices, and recreational activities that accommodate all cultures, genders, religions, races, and ages, will improve your diversity standing.
6. Review Employee Benefits
Ensure employee benefits are fair to all employees. This includes health benefits for all genders, time off for all religious holidays, leaves, financial benefits and more.
7. Offer Diversity Training to Employees
Employees should be trained and held to the same standard when it comes to cultural diversity in the workplace. Schedule recurrent diversity and inclusion training for employees so everyone is up-to-date on the latest information.
8. Get Connected
Diversity in the workplace cannot be created and enacted in a silo. It involves communication among diverse individuals. Establishing a diversity team within your organization that reviews, enforces, and promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace is a great initiative.
Ensuring programs or mentorship opportunities are in place that provide equal opportunities for promotions should be available to employees as well. Mentorship and shadowing opportunities ensure employees have equal access to individuals who are higher up in the organization.
9. Acknowledge Various Religious and Cultural Practices
Acknowledging the specific religious and cultural practices and holidays of all your employees will greatly improve company culture. Where to start? Create a designated quiet, private space in the office where people can go to pray or meditate. Institute flexible hours for employees so that they can leave work early on Friday to make Jummah prayer or to take Eid as a holiday instead of Christmas.
10. Ensure Everyone Feels Heard
To be considered truly diverse and inclusive, every employee should feel heard regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, physical conditions, cultural background or country of origin. They should feel comfortable speaking up, especially if they feel that they’ve experienced any form of discrimination. A reporting system either through a diversity team, online, or through human resources should be non-punitive and anonymous.
Increasing diversity and building an inclusive work environment makes for happy, healthy and more productive employees. Start building cultural diversity in the workplace today.