Week 12: Notes

Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in the Workplace

What is Diversity?

Diversity is the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different
social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc. Diversity is the
quality of what is diverse, a varied set of things or people that make up a whole. The importance
of diversity is intrinsic to our daily lives. It is in the multiplicity that we find opportunities for
learning and practising different skills: empathy, emotional intelligence and understanding.

Diversity at Workplace:

Diversity in the workplace means the acceptance and inclusion of employees of all backgrounds.
A diverse workplace is an important asset, since it acknowledges the individual strengths of each
employee and the potential they bring. Valuing the differences of others is what ultimately brings
us all together and can be the secret to a successful, thriving workplace and a fair work culture.

Workplace diversity means respecting and valuing the skills and differences that each staff
member brings into the workspace. A diverse workplace is an inclusive environment that
provides equal rights and opportunities for all workers, regardless of gender, colour, age,
ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and so on.

It’s important to recognise the types of diversity and to provide ways to ensure that you as a
workplace, employer, or employee are contributing toward a more diverse and inclusive
workplace. Employing staff with barriers to employment and treating them fairly is one of the
ways employers can attract a more diverse workplace and diversify the skill sets within a
workplace.

Benefits of Workplace Diversity:

Having a diverse and multicultural workplace brings several advantages. Since today’s world is
increasingly more globalised and interconnected, workplaces should take advantage of the
diverse range of skills individuals from different backgrounds and languages can bring. The top
five benefits of workplace diversity include:

Increased Productivity: A diverse workplace allows for more ideas and processes. This
diversity of talent means a broader range of skills among employees, as well as a diversity of
experiences and perspectives which increases the potential for increased productivity.
Increased Creativity: As various cultures and backgrounds work together, the opportunity for
increased creativity exists. This is because there are more people with differing perspectives and
solutions to problems, allowing for a greater chance of a workable solution to a workplace
problem.

Improved Cultural Awareness: A diverse range of cultures within the workplace allows
companies to deal with the different nuances within a global marketplace. If a company does
business with China, for example, having an employee who can speak Mandarin is an asset and
can lead to improved workplace relations.

A Positive Reputation: Companies that have a diverse workplace are often perceived as better
employers. Potential employees want an employer who accepts and is tolerant of all backgrounds
and who treats their employees fairly.

Increased Marketing Opportunities: If potential employees or customers see that a company

represents a diverse workplace, it makes them feel like they can relate to the company more.
Using advertising that depicts mature-aged, differently-abled, or ethnically diverse people
encourages applicants to apply, promotes a positive reputation, increases marketplace awareness,
and generates a more diverse client-base.

What is Inclusion?

The act of including someone or something as part of a group, list, etc., or a person or thing that
is included. Inclusion is the culture in which the mix of people can come to work, feel
comfortable and confident to be themselves and work in a way that suits them and delivers your
business or service needs. Inclusion will ensure that everyone feels valued and, importantly, adds
value.

What is Inclusion in the Workplace?

An inclusive culture empowers diverse talent to think differently and share their experiences and
perspectives, which is a key driver for innovation, development and engagement. Inclusive
cultures enable our colleagues to do things differently, working in ways that suit them, flex
working patterns to ensure their life-work balance is healthy and that they can deliver their best
for their organisation. Feeling included is a key aspect of human life. Many of us can recall a
sense of exclusion: moments when we felt left out; other; different; that we weren’t welcome or
weren’t appreciated.
Inclusion is the reverse: making people feel welcome; ensuring that it is safe for them to express
who they choose to be; demonstrating our appreciation for their input; working collaboratively
and showing we care.

People spend the majority of their time at work, so it’s critical that they feel safe and respected.
The advantages of inclusion and diversity in the workplace are numerous, with main benefits
including a large pool of talent, a positive culture, and mutual respect throughout.

Improving inclusion in the workplace is an ongoing task – people are becoming more
comfortable with expressing what they need from a job and what makes them feel safe in the
workplace.

The challenges of diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Inclusivity in the workplace can be challenging. People have different requirements and different
things that are important to them.

Some challenges you may face are:

 Communication
 Unconscious bias
 A lack of trust
 Trying to tick every box
 Discrimination
 Hostility in the organisation
 A lack of senior buy in

The most important thing is to actively take action to be an inclusive organisation and create a
safe space for people to be their most authentic selves.

What is Equity?

The term “equity” refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality: Whereas
equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from
the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances.

Equity in the Workplace:

Workplace equity starts by closing racial and gender gaps in employee pay and advancement.
We all carry bias that impacts our decisions, mindsets, and behaviors. Equity recognizes this
truth and refers to a distribution or allocation of those resources or opportunities to create a level
playing field. Equity in the workplace hinges on equality, openness, and belonging. And even
diverse workplaces can still struggle to create a business that is completely free of bias and
discrimination. But while prioritizing equity takes hard work research shows that businesses
benefit from creating an equitable workplace.

A company that is serious about improving workplace equity should take a serious look at the
makeup of its workforce and leadership. If necessary, leadership changes should be made in
order to reflect a new commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Workplace leadership should also evaluate whether or not there are diverse employees. Look at
workplace data to gain a deeper understanding of workforce demographics, if your company
does such a thing.

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