The COVID-19 crisis has shown that betting on diversity and inclusion strategies can become a great competitive advantage in the business market. This is due to the effectiveness and adaptability demonstrated by the teams of the companies that already had diverse and inclusive policies.
Although diversity and inclusion strategies were postulated years ago as a HR trend, they have now become a more than necessary ally to achieve the values of flexibility, innovation, creativity, commitment and adaptation to changes, that society has demanded in the pandemic context.
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Companies play a fundamental role in economic and social evolution. For this reason, businesses that are committed to reinforcing the values of the diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunities during the new normality, they position themselves as leaders in the recovery, resilience and reinvention of the business fabric.
What is diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is about bet on strategies and practices to create a diverse work environment with equal opportunities for all talents.
More and more companies are taking diversity, equity and inclusion as central strategies for corporate management. This consists of accepting, understanding and valuing different ethnic groups, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, different capacities, experiences, etc.
According to a survey conducted by Forbes Insights, the 56% of the companies surveyed state that diversity is closely related to innovation. This makes it a fundamental tool for technology companies and startup.
Having a diversity and inclusion plan helps retain a diverse workforce, increases employee satisfaction, reduces conflict, and improves business competitiveness. In addition to ensuring business success and innovation.
How to promote diversity from the HR department?
Talent is the differential value of a company. People are the foundation of a company and betting on diversity and inclusion at work means making all team members feel valued and listened to.
A diverse company is able to retain and attract more talent while being at the forefront of innovation and productivity. To increase commitment, satisfaction, talent and leadership, the Human Resources department can follow these tips:
1. Inclusive job offers:
The first door to diverse profiles opens with the publication of job offers. To reach all types of talent, it is important to create inclusive descriptions focused on raising awareness about the organization and company culture.
It is advisable to avoid excessive requirement lists that overwhelm candidates, gender pronouns, pre-qualification and requirement biases.
Reserving space in the job description to explain the importance of having a diverse and inclusive environment will help reach more potential talent.
2. Diversity in hierarchical positions and employees:
According to a study conducted by Boston Consulting Groups, companies with diversity among their managers have 19% more revenue thanks to innovation in their team. This shows that diversity, inclusion and equality is positioned as one of the keys to business growth.
Offering training for inclusive leaders, who know how to lead from diversity and equity, is enriching for the team, but also having inclusive professionals, regardless of the position they hold.
3. End unconscious biases:
It is called unconscious bias to the inherent prejudices that arise towards an individual without knowing him. Often these biases affect decision-making within the workplace or the way people of different origins or experiences relate to each other. Therefore, having a diversity and inclusion policy is essential to end workplace discrimination.
The need to confront these uncontrollable biases and open up to potential audiences has made artificial intelligence a great ally in achieving a more diverse and inclusive business fabric.
4. Multigenerational teams:
Currently the active population is very diverse, coexisting for the first time with 5 different generations: The Silent Generation (1928-45), Baby Boomers (1946-64), Generation X (1965-80), Millennials (1981-96) and the recently incorporated into the labor market, Generation Z (since 1997).
It has been detected that teams that maintain intergenerational relationships have a broader range of experiences, visions and expectations that foster competitiveness and a good work environment.
To bring out the best in the team, it is necessary to have leaders and managers who know the most outstanding skills of each generation and their attributes.
5. Measure the success of initiatives:
After developing a diverse and inclusive culture, the success of the initiatives must be measured from the HR department. Both in the hiring processes and in the development of the work activity, it is very helpful to evaluate the results by defining some KPI's through surveys or reviews of the entire company, and later present the results to value them.
In conclusion, in a time of crisis and change, having a diversity and inclusion strategy is essential for companies to face a new stage of competitiveness and success.