If you go back in time and look at the business industry, you will notice how different things were. In the early-1900’s, the U.S. workforce was predominantly white male. Women were expected to stay home and raise their children while the men worked and served as the breadwinners for their families.
In the mid-1900’s, people of color began to enter the workforce, but were given the lower-paying jobs, which were typically less desirable and more dangerous. It wasn’t until the 1970’s when people of color were truly immersed into the workforce and were given the opportunity to work white-collar jobs.
Since the integration of different ethnicities into the workforce, it has become more diverse over time. As a result, many companies have seen more creativity, stronger connections, innovation, and overall financial and organizational success.
What does it mean to be diverse?
To properly incorporate diversity into your workplace, it’s essential to understand what diversity really is. Diversity comes in many forms of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, age, socioeconomic background, and much more. All these aspects contribute to an individual’s unique experience in the world.
Diversity is critical for organizational success in the 21st century, yet many organizations still lack diversity. When was the last time you took a step back and evaluated the diversity in your business? If you find that it has become difficult to solve issues, you may want to consider adding some diversity to your organization.
Here are some of the reasons why having a diverse team is important and what it could help improve your business:
Enhances Creativity
Being around people that are different from one another makes the team more creative when it comes to problem solving. Diversity is hugely beneficial to an organization because of the concept of informational diversity. Those who are different from each other in race, gender, and other aspects bring unique, valuable information and experience to solve the problem at hand.
For instance, a male and a female doctor might have perspectives different from one another which could be beneficial when working towards solving problems.
In the retail industry, business owners tend to encounter several challenges. Sometimes the best way to overcome these challenges is to put different minds together to determine the best solution.
Boosts Productivity
Working with people of different backgrounds with different life experiences can help generate ideas that people of similar backgrounds might not have considered. Every person has their own way of interpreting a problem and coming up with a way to solve that problem. When solving an issue at hand in your business, wouldn’t you rather have several interpretations rather than a single point of view from a team that lacks diversification?
With a team of diverse individuals, you will be able to solve problems more quickly and efficiently so you can focus on other pressing items.
Allows Businesses to Relate with A Larger Audience
When you have a team of diverse individuals, you are able to think outside the box and come up with ideas that others might be interested in.
Without the perspective of varied backgrounds, you are limited to serving only one type of customer. Sure, you could assume what others may be interested in, but how could you really know?
A team of diverse individuals offers insight into how others from a similar demographic may think and feel. This allows you to connect with a larger number of customers on different levels. When you connect with a greater audience, you maximize your customer base and ultimately maximize success.
Helps Educate the Team About Different Cultures
If you already work to understand people from different backgrounds and cultures - that is wonderful! You are off to a great start. It is important to be openminded when gathering your own research before making assumptions and drawing your own conclusions.
However, assumptions will only get you so far. The next step is to incorporate ideas from those of a different background or culture. By working with these individuals, you can learn new information based on their experiences and factual evidence.
Understanding different cultures and backgrounds is critical for your business’ success so you can connect with customers on a deeper level and deliver them the products and services they need.
More Innovation
Innovation is vital for businesses today because it gives businesses a competitive edge when penetrating new markets. It also helps to build better connections in developing markets, which can lead to more opportunities.
Innovation today is more significant than ever, thanks to personal experience and technology. With a diverse team of individuals, you have a chance for more people to collaborate and share ideas that a less diverse team may never have thought of. A diverse team could give your company a competitive edge.
There have been several studies to show the correlation between diversity and organizational success. In a 2003 study by Orlando Richard, a professor of management at the University of Texas at Dallas, he and his colleagues surveyed executives of nearly 200 banks in the U.S, then compiled a database comparing financial performance, racial diversity, and the emphasis the bank presidents put on innovation. The survey found that the banks that prioritized innovation had a more diverse team.
Jordan Alliance Group: Bringing You Creative Solutions
Diversity is important for many reasons, but it is a key element for success in terms of your business. Our differences joined make a stronger, more intelligent, and beautiful community.
At Jordan Alliance Group, we are proud to say we are a diverse group, all from different backgrounds and cultures. When you work with our diverse team, we’ll bring you our creative solutions and an entirely new train of thought that will help you solve all of your supply chain problems.
Want to change the way your team works together to solves issues? Jordan Alliance Group is here to help. Schedule your free virtual consultation, and let’s take your business to the next level!
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