Build on diversity in workplace and give staff a voice

ORGANISATIONAL success and competitiveness depends on the ability to manage diversity in the workplace effectively.

How do managers get team members to appreciate the benefits of the mix? And how do they harness diversity in an organisation for greater success?

“Diversity” refers to differences in race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organisational function, education and background.

It also relates to perceptions; how we see ourselves and others.

These differences can cause divisions that, at best, are counterproductive but, if left unmanaged, can be much more damaging.

Draw attention to perceptions

Stereotyping causes us to typify a person, a group, or a thing using oversimplified conceptions, beliefs or opinions. Stereotyping can substitute thinking, analysis and open-mindedness to a new situation.

Staff must be encouraged to continuously identify and challenge thinking, conclusions and actions based on stereotypes.

Employees should focus on the positive contributions that each person makes to the workplace rather than negative attributes. The best team players are supportive and positive.

Encourage this behaviour in your employees but know that many prejudices are a lifetime in the making; you will not break down these walls overnight.

Freedom to express

You cannot take full advantage of diversity if your employees do not have a voice.

Review your culture; does it allow for employees to speak their minds, to debate problems and possible solutions openly?

If a business is run in an autocratic way, where employees are expected to follow instructions without question and management are not open to feedback, the employee voice will be lost.

Businesses need to foster an environment where people listen to each

Inclusion

other respectfully and where changes suggested by staff are implemented.

Managers have an opportunity to lead by behaving like this. By doing this, they set an example and expectation of how people should be treated in the business.

Discover common ground

Humans are naturally social and are drawn to those who are similar to themselves.

Finding genuine things in common with colleagues can be an effective way to overcome hostility and is the basis of every successful working relationship.

Start by playing a game: ask staff members to pair up and to try to find out five things they have in common.

Offer a prize to the pair who discover the most unusual commonality.

On a more serious note, mature businesses have clear vision and mission statements.

These provide a foundational commonality shared by all staff; they are all working towards the achievement of the same goal.

How they get there may be different but the end game is the same.

Businesses can further ward off resistance to diversity in the workplace by involving every employee possible in operational decisions.

Inclusion breaks down barriers and gives employees a sense of value.

Try to foster an environment where all ideas and suggestions are considered and measured on their merit. This way, employees are empowered to approach managers with their suggestions that can help solve problems.

Encouraging thinking in is a good way to tap into the benefits of a diverse workforce.

Diversity really does bring strength and resilience to teams. The challenge is to get teams to look beyond their differences to their common ground; whether it be as fundamental as their shared humanity or as complex as their shared values.