Workplace diversity is not a new topic. And yet, the world of work hasn’t made nearly enough progress in gender, cultural, and ethnic diversity.
The prevailing wisdom: Today’s business leaders (many of whom are older white males) still don’t fully understand the importance of workplace diversity. That perhaps, if those leaders were aware of diversity’s impact on their bottom line, they’d deliberately tie business goals to building a diverse workforce.
Consider the latest data points available to us, as shown in the infographic below from CoachDiversity Institute:
- 60 percent of employees have seen or experienced discrimination at work
- 41 percent of managers say they are too busy to incorporate diversity into their work routines
- Of those people in the C-suite, only 4 percent are women of color, and just 10 percent are men of color
- By almost 4:1, white men outnumber white women in executive positions
Workplace Diversity: Time for Change
Yes, it is time for real change. In fact, for several years, the carefully-gathered evidence has been irrefutable: The businesses that maintain a diverse culture far outperform the competition:
- Companies with the highest gender diversity are 25 percent more likely to have higher profits
- Companies with higher cultural and ethnic diversity are 36 percent more likely to have above-average profits
- 57 percent of employees want their companies to be more diverse
- 64 percent of job candidates say diversity and inclusion are critical considerations when accepting a job
- 87 percent of the time, more diverse teams make better decisions than individual decision-makers
- More diverse companies are 1.7x more innovative than less diverse companies
The data is clear: Business leaders must begin to create diverse workplaces more deliberately. But first, they must start intentional conversations.
How to Talk About Diversity
For some time, meaningful conversations about diversity have taken a back seat to lip service. After all, when pressed, business leaders have shown a tendency to say all the right things versus doing what is right. So how do we start the tough conversations that lead to quantifiable change?
This is where we really appreciate the infographic by CoachDiversity. Here, you’ll see how to start and continue the much-needed conversations in your business. From expecting and welcoming diverse viewpoints to encouraging more listening than talking and underscoring the common goal even during the most challenging conversations, it’s in here.
Take a few minutes to review this insightful infographic. Embrace just how essential diversity is to the business world. Then start a tough but oh-so-necessary conversation about workplace diversity in your company.
Editors’ Note: March is Women’s History Month, where we commemorate and encourage the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. To learn more, click here.
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