Remember when you were in school and had lunch with your friends in the canteen? It was fun - wasn’t it? - reason? - well, everyone came from different backgrounds, there was a huge spread of a variety in the home cooked meals they brought and they had their own stories to share. The same idea can help make workplaces better too!
Why Diversity is Important?
Diversity means having people from different backgrounds working together. It's like adding different spices to a meal - it makes things more interesting and tasty!
When people with different experiences work together, they can:
Come up with new ideas
Solve problems in different ways
Understand customers better - Be more empathetic!
Why Does Inclusion Matter?
Inclusion means making everyone feel welcome and valued. It's not enough to have different people if they don't feel like they belong.
Inclusion helps because:
People feel comfortable sharing their ideas
Everyone can do their best work
People want to stay at the company longer
There is a strong sense of belongingness
How Diversity and Inclusion Help a Company Grow?
When a company welcomes different people and makes everyone feel included:
They can come up with better ideas
They can solve problems more easily
More people want to work there
They understand different types of customers better
Simple Ways to Encourage Diversity
Fair Hiring: When hiring new people, make sure to give everyone a fair chance. Tap into or leverage networks that have individuals who don’t identify with the norm - the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities etc.
Support Groups: Create support groups where people with similar backgrounds can support each other. Facilitate dialogues and empathy sessions with the larger community
Help Everyone Grow: Make sure all employees have chances to learn new skills and get better at their jobs. Offer good Learning & Development opportunities, tie-up with institutes / courses that can provide for upskilling at subsidised rates.
Keep reviewing Company policies: Make sure policies are not rooted in ‘one size fits all’ cover for all types of employees.
Learn About Different Cultures: Help employees learn about and respect different cultures. Conduct ‘empathy building sessions’
Simple Ways to Make Everyone Feel Included
Listen to Everyone: Create ways for all employees to share their thoughts and ideas.
Be Clear About Decisions: Explain how decisions are made so everyone understands.
Take Turns: In meetings, let different people lead or take notes.
Celebrate Differences: Have events that celebrate the different backgrounds of your employees.
Remember, making your workplace diverse and inclusive is like making that school lunch table fun - when everyone feels welcome and valued, great things can happen! By trying these simple ideas, you can help create a workplace where everyone can do their best work and help the company grow..
