Diverse Directors: Benefits of Workplace Diversity

This article by Ben Falk first appeared on WMPeople.co.uk on 2 October 2023. The assets of WMPeople.co.uk have been acquired by 55/Redefined.

The percentage of seats on the board filled by ethnically diverse directors has risen to 22%. With gender balance, 54% of new board seats have been taken by women. Boards are changing.

With a squad of workers from all walks of life, you can truly promote team development and ensure that your company is as efficient as it can be.

Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at Impact, says: “Pulling from a wide range of experiences, a diverse team is more likely to make sound, educated decisions. In fact, according to studies, they tend to make smarter choices than non-diverse workforces up to 87% of the time.”

How to Create a Diverse Workplace

As a manager or business owner, it is your responsibility to encourage a diverse workplace culture. But where to start?

Currently, 47% of employers in the UK don’t have an inclusion and diversity strategy in place. If you’re one of them or have plans to nurture your workplace diversity even further, here are some tips to take into consideration.

Diversity Recruitment Processes

The reality is that, at times, unconscious bias can step in the way of assessing applicants on their qualities only. A good start to nip the problem in the bud is to use software that filters out candidate information, including ethnicity and gender, meaning you can concentrate solely on people’s suitability for the role.

Conduct Diversity and Inclusivity Training

If you are already investing in training to enhance your team’s knowledge and skills, think about adding programmes to promote the importance of diversity and inclusivity. This will provide your people with the right tools and knowledge to facilitate an inclusive environment.

In fact, there may be instances where a non-inclusive workplace is the result of colleagues being oblivious to actions that might upset or affect others. Training sessions can prevent these situations by raising awareness. They can also help managers and seniors understand each team member’s needs, making sure everyone has the opportunity to participate in business activities and enjoy their time at work.

Refresh Any Outdated Policies

As society continues to evolve and diversity begins to receive more attention, now is the perfect time to review your company policies. If you’ve been open for quite some time, there are bound to be policies that are a tad outdated. So, it is a good idea to look over your current approaches and update any policies that have remained stuck in the past.