Diversity in the Workplace and Why It Is Important

What is diversity? Diversity is a range of things that differentiates a person from another, this can be age, gender, sex, sexuality, education, disability and more. It’s about respecting, accepting and empowering that person for what makes them different.

Diversity in the workplace is so important because it shows signs of a well-managed and respected company. Diversity in the workplace is sought after and expected in this day and age. Companies now aim to have this nailed! So what are some of the benefits of having diversity in the workplace?

Better decision making and creativity

Having diversity in your company means that those you employ will have different characteristics and will have come from different backgrounds. Between them, this makes a very powerful workforce. Everyone knows that two heads are better than one and with different perspectives, comes a different way of thinking. Your diverse team will have been through many different experiences, every one of them being different from one another. This is very beneficial for decision making and letting the creative juices flow! 

Company reputation

If your employees are happy, they’re more likely to shout about how good it is to work for your company. This builds up your reputation as an employer and a place of work. Having diversity in a business portrays you as being a socially responsible business and caring about your employees. Diversity in the workplace opens doors to more and more creative individuals wanting to join your team. 

Reduction in staff turnover

If you’re seen as a great employer and all-round good person, why would any of your employees want to leave? Having diversity in the workplace makes everyone feel as though they are equal and have a sense of inclusion. Feeling valued does wonders for an employee’s state of mind within a workplace and increases the years they choose to stay employed with a particular company. 

Employee performance skyrockets

The points above speak for themselves as to why employee performance increases. Having diversity in your workforce allows everyone to feel confident in their ability and feel equal. Everyone should feel as though they have a voice, and those who feel they do are more likely to share their opinions and speak openly about their ideas or concerns. A happy employee won’t be able to do enough for your company.   

With Southampton Pride just around the corner, we wanted to stress the importance of diversity. Diversity should be celebrated both inside and out of the workplace. Pride builds community, equality and empowers those around us – there’s no better excuse to get your work pals together and getting yourselves down to Southampton Pride on the 24th August.