People are creatures of habit.  Just think of how many times you’ve gone to your local coffee shop and ordered the exact same coffee order. Once you find something that you like and works, you tend to stick with it.

However, in business, this “stick with what you know” mentality often means that companies hire the exact same type of employee over and over again. Workplaces need to be inclusive. When your workforce is exposed to more than one cultural opinion, solutions are created from different perspectives and are always more inclusive.

​​A diverse workforce allows you to foster creativity and innovation. Your older employees have a long-term insight, while your younger employees are tech-savvy. 

What Is A Diverse Team?

Diversity occurs when people from all walks of life come together and collaborate. 

When we think about diversity, the first things that come to mind are gender, race, ethnicity. This type of diversity is inherent diversity or attributes that one is born with. Meanwhile, acquired diversity is something that’s gained through experience.

The Importance of Diversity

By addressing different aspects of diversity, you can ensure that no one is left out and improve your team dynamics. Team members will also learn how to work with one another. It is well-known that diverse organizations outperform less-diverse competitors in revenue, profits, productivity, and employee satisfaction.

Steps To Building A Diverse Team

Start by seeing where you fall on the diversity meter.
Identify where you are falling short in terms of diversity and if your bias unconsciously impacts your ability to hit inclusivity targets. Is one team composed exclusively of a specific gender? Are certain roles filled primarily by people from the same racial background? 

Implement Changes In Your Hiring Process
Any recruitment process should reflect diversity in the interview panel, job descriptions should promote gender equality and technical processes should have blindness to differences built in. Don’t let bias cloud your judgment; ask the same questions in the same way to all candidates.

Promote flexibility & remote work
Flexible and remote work options are no longer “nice to haves,” they are “must haves.” You can read our other blog posts to see the many benefits remote work brings to a company but the importance of it goes beyond business success. Many people are at a disadvantage when applying for jobs— single parents (who are disproportionately women) may have to choose between child care and employment, or people with disabilities who find it difficult to commute to work everyday. By offering flexible hours or other forms of flexibility you enable yourself to a wider pool of candidates.

Initiate An Employee Referral Programs
Referrals can also help you build a diverse workforce as it allows your employees to tap into their network. A referral system can encourage a more diverse pool of applicants. When it comes to diversifying the workforce, extending remote and flexible work options creates a culture where people from all walks of life can share their talents and feel a true sense of belonging. 

To Sum Up

Creating diverse teams takes time and effort, but its benefits are significant for both companies and workers. A company with a strong culture of inclusion and diversity will be better prepared for the future and will be more prone to success, thanks to its workers’ gain in motivation, commitment and will to innovate.

At ATHENAWORKS we believe that diversity in companies is a competitive advantage. The cultural range, the styles and the different ways of seeing the world definitely offer better business prospects, but more importantly, the free development of employees.

Building two-way communication when we find ourselves in front of a diverse and open group is an opportunity to value all the ideas and proposals, since a more transparent, reliable and close conversation is generated. In a diverse group, there will be different perspectives because each person has their own way of dealing with situations. The important thing is to maintain a good understanding of the business.

We see how little by little fear is lost and acceptance advances. We dream of the moment in which each and every person, regardless of their gender, race, age or sexual orientation, can have enriching work experiences to build their identity and boost them professionally.

At ATHENAWORKS, we contribute every day with the aim of reducing misconceptions and prejudices that fuel discrimination.