What is the importance of a diversified workplace?

Although some people think that diversity does nothing but create problems and challenges, it offers remarkable benefits. While legal ground for diversity was and continues to be one motivating factor in organizations seeking to achieve employee diversity, profits and ultimately long-term success will become the new motivators. Educating managers and staff on how to work effectively in a diverse environment helps organizations prevent discrimination and promote inclusiveness. There is evidence that managing a diverse workforce well can contribute to increased staff retention and productivity. It can enhance the organization’s responsiveness to an increasingly diverse world of customers, improve relations with the surrounding community, increase the organization’s ability to cope with change and expand the creativity of the organization. Good management of diversity can: increase productivity, enhance innovation, and improve the organization’s ability to maneuver in an increasingly competitive, complex and diverse environment.

Companies that have managers who are equipped to successfully leverage the distinct and rich talents and skills and knowledge of all employees will not only avoid drains on profitability; they will actually attain a number of strategic benefits. Tapping into diversity is ESSENTIAL for success in any business. Diversity breads creativity and creativity drives innovation. To be successful in business your people need to be able to innovate so that you can remain differentiated from the competition. Otherwise, your company becomes a collection of “commoditized” people that produce “commoditized" products and services. The bottom line: the ability to manage diversity is extremely valuable to any organization. High productivity increasingly depends on effective functioning teams. A team that