How diversity is key to business success

“The higher the team morale, the more productive our employees are. Our customers also benefit, as the more diverse our workforce, the greater the ideas and solutions we can offer.” Rachael Harris

When United States think tank, The Boston Group, conducted a survey around diversity and its link to the bottom line, the results were illuminating. Over 1700 companies from eight countries took part; it was revealed that the companies with greater diversity in leadership earned 19 per cent higher revenue, due to the increased innovation. New Zealand’s accounting firms are reflecting international “best practice” in business and embracing diversity in the workforce. In the Sunday Star-Times Top 30 Accounting Firms survey, over 50 per cent of the firms reported that they had a diverse team or a clear diversity policy in place. The survey also found that the majority (53 per cent) of new graduates hired by the accounting firms were female. This is a departure from what was traditionally a maledominated industry, and will hopefully address the gender balance of those in leadership roles (the survey revealed only 12 per cent of partners were female) as we head further into the 21st century. Flexible work policies are essential if firms want to encourage more women into their rank; women often fall far behind their male colleagues when they take time off to have children. If there aren’t women in leadership roles, business is missing out on the brain power of 50 per cent of the population. Accounting firm Rightway is working to address this issue. They are strong advocates for the flexible work policies, which work in favour of staff with children. “The beauty of the flexible work policy is we have access to a highly talented workforce who may not otherwise have been able to continue working in the industry due to family commitments,” says Rachael Harris, People and HR advisor. One of their clients, Charlotte Minty from Charlotte Minty Interior Design, says that working alongside Rightway’s female team has been really helpful. “The accountant and business manager are both female, and while this is not critical to the success of my business, it does help me in many ways. This includes the fact that I am– like many other working women– a mum (I have a little toddler). They are innately sensitive to the pressures and challenges that I face having to balance a business with the needs of my family. They get it and that means a lot to me.” Harris says that equality in the workplace is important for encouraging individuals from all backgrounds to feel confident in their ability and also helps them to achieve their best. “The higher the team morale, the more productive our employees are. Our customers also benefit, as the more diverse our workforce, the greater the ideas and solutions we can offer.” Embracing different abilities also fosters workplace morale. Lower Hutt-based firm Kendons has two hearing-impared staff members who are valued members of the team. “It has been great having these guys join the team. Day to day we don’t see them as someone who has a disability and they don’t particularly need any special treatment,” explains Practice Manager, Liz Eveleigh. She believes that their input is invaluable, and that having compassion and acceptance as a bottom line in their firm is good for everybody. “Everyone here at Kendons were very accepting of them from their first day and are very patient and accepting. We live our core values and one of our values is family focused, and having a diverse Kendons’ family has helped all of us grow,” She says that when hiring staff, they look at who is the best fit for the position needed; this has naturally lead to a diverse mix. “We have a number of ethnicities here from Indian, Cambodian, Chinese and South African. We feel that we have a good female/male and cultural balance.” A wide ethnic mix is important for businesses operating in our multicultural country. Auckland, in particular, is a cultural melting pot– the 2013 census revealed 40 per cent of Aucklanders were born overseas. The workforce at The Business Advisory Group reflects Auckland’s diverse community and this, in turn, allows them to attract a broader client base. “We are a diverse company with eight nationalities represented. By having such a diverse team, our staff learn about different cultures; experience and celebrate the various elements of these cultures and this, in turn, adds immense value to our business and the people that work with us,” says Sudhir Lala, one of the company directors. He says that there has been a big change in the demographics within the accounting industry. “Our partners have been in the accounting industry for over 19 years and they have noticed a remarkable change in the demographic make-up of the industry,” he says. He continues that this change has been a result of Auckland becoming a multicultural city; with opportunities open to a wider range of people in the business community.