THE DIVERSE WORKFORCE

DIVERSITY 101
Prepared by: Raul Caudilla Jr.
What exactly are diversity and inclusion?
•Diversity is a term that refers to the variety of different
perspectives represented on a team. While diversity is related to
race and social justice issues, they are facets of a larger
conversation. The term represents a broad range of
experiences, including gender, sex, socioeconomic background,
upbringing, religion, education, sexual orientation,
gender identity, ethnicity, neurodiversity, and life experience.
•Inclusion, on the other hand, means that every individual
should have an equal opportunity to access education,
resources, opportunities, or any other treatment based on the
qualities that make them unique.
• Essentially, diversity and inclusion is a conversation about
rewriting implicit bias — rooting it out wherever it exists and
challenging the idea that different means inferior.
•The United Nations recognizes over thirty
characteristics that represent diversity, but in truth,
there are many more than that. Some are visible and
some are not. Still, others are immutable parts of who
we are, while some change many times over the
course of our lives.
• Broadly speaking, there are four types of diversity:
internal, external, organizational, and
worldview.
1. Internal diversity: Internal diversity refers to any trait or
characteristic that a person is born with. These might
include sex, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
nationality, or physical ability. You may recognize many of
these as protected characteristics — that is, attributes
specifically covered under the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2. External diversity: External diversity includes any
attribute, experience, or circumstance that helps to define
a person’s identity — but is not something that they were
born with. Examples include socioeconomic status,
education, marital status, religion, appearance, or
location. These characteristics are often influenced by
others and may change over time. They’re considered
external since they can be consciously changed.
3. Organizational diversity: Differences in job
function, work experience, seniority, department, or
management level are referred to as organizational
diversity. Often, entire departments or levels of a
company can be homogeneous — that is, everyone
looks the same, comes from the same background, or
has the same experience.
4. Worldview diversity: Finally, worldview diversity
encompasses a broad range of beliefs, political
affiliations, culture, and travel experiences. Our
worldview, or our perspectives, contributes to an
innovative, inclusive work environment that is forward-
focused. Anything that influences the way we interpret
and view the world is part of worldview diversity.
LAYER OF DIVERSITY
What is diversity in the workplace?
•The definition of diversity in the workplace goes further than having
representation from different races. While it is crucial for any
organization to develop a team with ethnic diversity, focusing on just
one characteristic can quickly begin to seem inauthentic. In fact, it
may further isolate members of that community, especially when that
diversity is thought of only as a visible or superficial identifier.
•Truly diverse and inclusive leaders and organizations don’t just have
people that “look like” members of an underrepresented group. They
pay attention to — and value — the differences that we can’t see, like
economic background, immigration status, neurodiversity, and
education.
•Diversity in the workplace means having a workforce inclusive of
different backgrounds and national origins. It means gender,
socioeconomic, and cultural diversity — and beyond. It also means
that the organization fosters a sense of belonging that makes
everyone feel like they are part of the team.
Examples of diversity in the workplace

•There are many examples of diversity (and lack of)

in the workplace. Homogeneity can be in the eye of
the beholder. It’s worth taking a moment and asking:
what does diversity mean to you in a given situation?
•People often fall into an unconscious habit of
thinking of diversity in only one or two dimensions.
But depending on the situation, you can almost
always find a way to increase the level of diversity on
a team, on a decision, in planning, or in a
conversation.
Here are some examples of all the different
levels of diversity you can see at work:
 Cross-functional representation: The first level of
diversity (that we almost take for granted now) is cross-
functional representation. If you look around and only see
engineers, you know that is a problem.
 Racial and gender diversity: The team is tasked with
developing a product for a national market. That’s tough
to do if, on the next level, there’s a lack of gender and
racial diversity.
 Socioeconomic status: In most professional situations,
everyone has achieved a similar band of income and
economic security which can lead to a loss of perspective
on value, pricing, and relevance.
Here are some examples of all the different
levels of diversity you can see at work:
 Educational background: Does everyone
come from one or two schools? Has anyone
worked their way up through a community
college or other means?
 Work experience: This is particularly an
issue in large firms that have very structured
career tracks.
 Location/background: Did they all grow up
in similar environments despite coming from
across the globe? Different groups from
different geographic areas are important,
even if everyone is from the same country.
Why is diversity so important?
•The data show that diversity is good for business.
The truth is a little more complicated. Diversity is
good for business when the organization knows how
to truly embrace, value, and make use of diversity in
its leadership and workforce. Why?
•Because when managers and leaders know how to
draw out diverse perspectives, build on them, and be
inclusive of all the perspectives available on their
teams, they get better ideas, question assumptions,
identify blind spots, develop new approaches, and
create better solutions. As a result, they see massive
team innovation, performance, and growth.
10 benefits of diversity in the workplace

• Diversity benefits organizations at all levels.

Beyond the moral imperative or a sense of
fairness, the business case for investing in
diversity is clear. Studies have shown that
groups of people that are diverse in gender, race,
and age perform better
, make better decisions, and experience more
profitability.
Here are a few more ways that diversity
benefits the workplace:
1. Decreased groupthink at work
•Avoiding groupthink is one of the biggest benefits of workplace diversity.
•First documented in 1971, groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when
individuals avoid disagreeing with a group or expressing doubt. The larger and
more similar the group, the less likely individuals are to dissent.
•Even groups with the best intentions can fall prey to groupthink.
•But a diverse team provides access to a wider range of skill sets and experiences
and different ways of thinking, behaving, and communicating. This facilitates the
growth of new ideas and reduces groupthink.
2. Increased creativity and innovation
•According to a study by Josh Bersin and Deloitte, inclusive companies are almost
twice as likely to be considered innovation leaders in their market.
•A diverse workforce brings together individuals with different backgrounds,
experiences, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches. This diversity of
thought fosters creativity and leads to innovative solutions. Diverse teams are
more likely to generate fresh ideas and develop unique approaches to challenges.
3. Broader range of skills and knowledge
•Employees from diverse backgrounds often possess a wide array of
skills, knowledge, and expertise. This diversity of talents allows
organizations to tap into a broader range of capabilities, enhancing their
ability to adapt, learn, and excel in different areas.

4. Improved decision-making
•When teams consist of diverse individuals, decision-making processes
are enriched. Diverse perspectives enable a more comprehensive
analysis of problems and a consideration of different viewpoints. This
can lead to better-informed decisions and minimize the potential for
groupthink.

5. Enhanced problem-solving
•Diverse teams can effectively tackle complex problems. Different
backgrounds and experiences offer alternative approaches to problem-
solving, resulting in more robust and effective solutions. Diverse
perspectives challenge assumptions and encourage critical thinking.
•6. Expanded market reach
•A diverse workforce can better understand and cater to diverse
customer bases. When employees reflect the diversity of customers,
they can offer insights into different cultural preferences, needs, and
expectations, leading to improved products, services, and customer
experiences.
•7. Increased employee engagement and retention
•Inclusive workplaces that value diversity foster a sense of belonging
and create an environment where employees feel respected and
valued for their unique contributions. This inclusivity boosts
employee morale, satisfaction, and engagement, ultimately
increasing retention rates and reducing turnover.
•The Diversity and Inclusion Study conducted by Glassdoor found
that
76% of job seekers consider diversity an important factor when consi
dering job offers
.
8. Enhanced employer brand reputation
•According to LinkedIn's Global Recruiting Trends 2018 report,
78% of companies surveyed cited diversity as a key driver of their employer
brand
. Organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion cultivate a positive
reputation, both internally and externally. They become more appealing to
potential employees who seek inclusive work environments, and customers
often prefer to support companies that demonstrate a commitment to
diversity and equality.

•9. Global perspective and cultural competence

•Diverse workplaces provide exposure to different cultures, languages,
customs, and perspectives. This exposure nurtures cultural competence,
expanding employees' understanding of global markets and facilitating
collaboration in an increasingly interconnected world.

•10. Improved financial performance

•A large study of European firms found that those with a larger share of
women in senior positions have significantly higher financial performance ,
especially in high-tech and other sectors where critical thinking, creativity,
and knowledge work matter.
7 ways to promote diversity and inclusion
•Changing the culture of a workplace is challenging
but rewarding work. Many shy away from it because
they don’t know where to start or aren’t sure that
they’re doing it right. If an organization has previously
tried — and failed — to implement a diversity initiative
, they may decide that such initiatives don’t work or
that the benefits are no longer worth the effort.
•However, there will always be a demand for inclusive
and diverse workplaces. Now is always a good time
to start, but if previous efforts failed, the organization
needs to take a different approach.
Here are seven ways to start examining — and
shifting — your workplace to a more inclusive one:
1. Hiring practices
•Ensure diversity in your hiring and recruiting practices by making sure that you are
looking at talent from all backgrounds. Don't needlessly apply barriers to entry in the
hiring process, like advanced degrees, expensive certifications, or experience with
certain firms.
•Restate your organization's commitment to inclusive hiring, regardless of background
and disability, in the job description. Make sure that when conducting interviews, you
represent diversity among the panel of interviewers as well as in potential employees.
2. Employee groups
•Your employees are whole people, and they bring their entire selves to work every
day. There is no way to separate work you and home you. Providing spaces where
employees can gather with other people of their background, ethnicity, and/or who
share certain interests are a way to make sure that people feel included and
represented at work.
•For example, you could create employee resource groups centered around
being a female engineer or LGBTQ+ representation in the tech world. This creates a
specific, safe place for people from underrepresented groups to feel less alone at
work.
3. Inclusive leadership
•Leaders set the pace for their organizations in more ways than one.
Inclusive leadership boards make better decisions and are a powerful
reminder to the rest of the company of the
values the organization embodies.
•Many people from underrepresented backgrounds are concerned about
their ability to progress in their careers (that ever-present glass ceiling), so
seeing someone they can relate to in the C-suite reassures them that your
organization is a place where they can thrive.

4. Transparency
•Don't try to build diversity on your own. Be transparent about your efforts
and ask your teams for help. One person can't see or fix everything by
themselves.
•Consider implementing regular meetings and feedback devices where
your team can report on what they see, and what needs to be improved.
They can then discuss in a neutral space any concerns they may have. Be
sure you follow up by acknowledging their concerns and implementing
meaningful changes.
•5. Allyship
•Social justice issues are prevalent, and organizations can’t
be quiet about where they stand. There's possibly no faster way to lose
the trust of your people than by putting out a statement that isn't reflected
in their day-to-day experience.
•Take an unequivocal stance against racism, discrimination, sexism,
prejudice, and harassment. These are human rights issues, not limited to
special interest groups. Building an environment where people feel safe
and valued means standing up for their rights.
•6. Be vulnerable
•A diverse workforce means diversity of thought. Ask people to contribute
to the discussion, especially if they haven't spoken up before. Remember,
when a conversation becomes too homogeneous (in other words, when
there is groupthink) it becomes harder for people to speak up with
dissenting opinions.
•Play your own devil's advocate and discuss the pros and cons of your
own ideas. This will demonstrate that you are interested in the best idea,
not just the most popular one.
•7. Do the research
•Share the benefits of diversity with your team. Research
continues to be done on the benefits of a diverse workplace.
Across the board, employees are happier, healthier, stay
longer, and produce more when they feel respected, valued,
and included. Inclusivity builds trust within an organization.

•Fostering diversity long term

•Diversity isn’t just a conversation for others. Everyone has
something that makes them different. Whether it's a unique
upbringing, educational background, way of thinking, or
perspective on the world, we all bring our own strengths to
the table. A diverse and inclusive organization is one that is
at the forefront of innovation and social change.
THANK YOU..