Diversity and equality are two of the most important factors when it comes to the success of your business. It is very easy to get stuck in your ways and fall behind the curve if you don’t have enough variety in the voices at your table. That’s why today, we’re sharing five simple tips to help you develop diversity and equality in the workplace:
Make It A Priority
The simplest way to ensure that you have a diverse and equal workforce is to make it a priority. Have policies in place that ensure you’re hiring the best person for the job, no matter what, and ensure that you have a solid workplace diversity strategy in place.
You can also talk with employees about what would make them feel more valued as this is central to developing harmony and equality at work.
Consider Going Remote
Allowing staff to work remotely is a great way to foster goodwill amongst current hires, but it also (quite literally) opens up the world to you in terms of your recruitment options. In turn, this means you’ll be able to create more diversity within your team.
Though your work environment may shift heavily into the digital sphere, it will be an inclusive and diverse virtual space. If you still want (or need) a central base of operations with a prestigious street address, consider making use of a virtual office rather than dealing with all the overheads of a place you don’t really need.
Provide The Appropriate Infrastructure
If you simply must have a physical location for your team to work from the majority of the time, it’s essential that you have the appropriate infrastructure. Workplaces must cater to the needs of those with both physical and hidden disabilities. This is essential if you wish to ensure that you’re being inclusive.
People with disabilities do face certain limitations in life, but they also have unique capabilities, and their contributions can be powerfully valuable for your team. By recognizing this and making the required accommodations, you’ll be able to build a well-rounded and well-supported team.
Practice Social Procurement
Social procurement is a process by which goods provide more value to the community than their inherent value. For example, if you choose to sell handmade goods within your store that have been crafted by the local mothers club, you’re providing value to your customers through the high-quality products they are purchasing.
However, you’re also benefiting the local mother’s club as it means they have extra funds to put toward their worthy cause. The same applies to the simple act of purchasing from local small businesses rather than multinational chain stores. Social procurement empowers you to do good with every dollar spent.
Ensure Everyone Is Heard
Finally, it is important to ensure that all voices at the table are heard. That new hire who started half an hour ago may have valuable new ideas for the advancement of your company.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to implement every single concept, but if you really want to foster diversity and inclusively, they must all be heard. This also makes employees feel valued, which tends to raise productivity and improve company culture.
Developing diversity and equality in your workplace should always be a priority. Not only is it the right thing to do, but in many places, it is also a legal requirement. By rising to the occasion and showing your employees that you care about creating an inclusive environment, you’re sure to reap plenty of benefits.
