Research has shown that when leaders commit to Inclusion & Diversity, they can impact teams and overall company’s performance in a few ways:
Attract & retain talent: 2 out of 3 job candidates seek companies that have diverse workforces. It is business-critical to build a workforce that mirrors the diversity in society. Remote work and flexible work schedules have opened new pathways to overlooked talent pools e.g. single parents, working parents, non-city dwellers.
One Team, One Spirit: Employees have a sense of belonging, are motivated to do better and have greater job satisfaction.
Not all great minds have to think alike: Diversity brings different perspectives and therefore unique solutions to problems. This is especially so when team members are encouraged to bring their real selves to work and participate actively. Diverse teams are 87% better at making decisions.
Spur innovation: They are more cognisant of shifting consumer needs and become a catalyst for developing new products & services. More diverse companies had 19% higher innovation revenue.
Trust building with partners & consumers: People trust business to do what is right and to be both ethical and effective. 74% say a brand’s impact on society is a reason why brand trust has become more important.
Well, turning inwards, the team here was in a meeting recently and almost took for granted that 5 out of 6 of us are women, and most of us are working mums with young children. That is not all. We have cultural influences from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia. Individually we have forged different career paths but are now supporting each other with complementary skills towards a common goal.
We are diversity at work and it is working for us!