Diversity and inclusion in the workplace leads to improved business outcomes. Companies with diverse executive teams are more profitable - those with gender diverse teams are 33% more likely to outperform, and those with ethnically/culturally diverse teams are 21% more likely. However, organizations often fail to implement diversity initiatives effectively and sustain them over time. To ensure diversity and inclusion, companies must define their goals, develop mentoring programs, address unconscious biases, empower learning, and take measurable steps like auditing their spaces and policies. Sustaining initiatives requires ongoing efforts like community involvement and taking stands on important issues.

1. DIVERSITY AND ITS IMPACT IN AN
ORGANIZATION

2. IMPORTANCE OF
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
IN THE WORKPLACE
Companies embracing diversity are more likely to
outperform others on profitability
Gender Diversity
Likelihood that companies in
the top-quartile for gender
diversity in their executive
teams will have above-
average profitability than
those in the fourth quartile.
Ethnic/ Cultural Diversity
Likelihood that companies
in the top-quartile for
ethnic/ cultural diversity
in their executive teams
will have above-average
profitability than those in
the fourth quartile.
33%
21%

3. PERSPECTIVES RELATED TO REALIZING THE
BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY
Diversity is a big source of
insight, talent and skill as
diverse people possess
different sets of exquisite
skills and traditional
knowledge, acquired and
perfected over time in
distant and different parts
of the world.
Markets are culturally
diverse. Organizations
require a perfect
understanding of the
socio-cultural dynamics
and sensitivities of each
market if they want to
effectively engage with it.
A diverse workforce inspires
a sense of justice and fair
treatment to all members of
the society, employees and
customers alike. It helps
companies increase their
overall employee
satisfaction and improve
their global image.
Integration and Learning Access and Legitimacy Discrimination and Fairness

4. HOW ORGANIZATIONS GET
IMPLEMENTATION OF
DIVERSITY WRONG?
Short term focus on attracting diverse talent
Maintaining organizational diversity and inclusion
initiatives requires frequent and ongoing maintenance
otherwise it’s going to break down. Organizations
should continue to maintain inclusive workshops even
after hiring the underrepresented individuals.
Focus on quantity more than quality
Organizations are just focused on hiring diverse candidates,
there are no other initiatives to create a diversity lead
environment as a whole.
• A research by EY revealed that a high
proportion of men feel they will be
overlooked for their next promotion in favor
of a “diverse” candidate.
• The feelings of fear this belief causes are
not spoken out loud.
• The impact is far more likely to be toxic and
hidden. This makes dealing with it difficult
and could slow our progress toward an
inclusive workplace.
Are there any negatives of diversity?

5. HOW TO ENSURE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Define Diversity and Inclusion
Many people have different definitions of D&I and we must be clear about the differences between each and how one
begets the other. We must understand why we should be creating inclusive workplaces where all capable comers can play
a role. These include neurodiverse talent and millennial digital disruptors.
• Developing a formal mentoring program that allows incoming employees to be paired with senior -level
employees can create effective connections that provide the support employees need to feel valued at the
organization.
• Management must also be aware of their unconscious and unchecked bias which could be causing unintentional
behaviors such as microaggressions, making employees feel undervalued.
Ensure that each employee feels supported and valued

6. Practical, Achievable Management
While we are driving culture change, we have to support the process with metrics. It’s important to start by assessing
the inclusion indicators in employee engagement survey results and then identifying four or five metrics that show a
move toward inclusion in your teams.
Measurable, Sustainable Change
Think about what your team has done to drive inclusion throughout your meetings over the last quarter? Embed these
questions across all managerial levels as part of the regular performance process. Whether evaluations are done
monthly, quarterly or annually, make them part of your business-as-usual measurement.
Empowering Learning
Encourage learning outside your organization and look for role models in those who have done such training.

7. HOW TO SUSTAIN
DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION
INITIATIVES
Vote with your wallet
Where you spend your money is a powerful indicator of how you feel. So
spending your money with an organization that meets your values is a key way of
immediately fostering diversity in your company.
Measure something new
One of the huge issues around diversity and inclusion in a workplace is that, the
vast majority of conversations happens on a moral, sentimental level. So, the
challenge here is to figure out something new to measure in this space. Some sort
of statistic, measurement, or element of what you are doing that will help you
have a better bedrock of data as you measure diversity and inclusion.
Take on a responsibility for diversity and inclusion in the community
There are all kinds of opportunities out there in your community to foster
diversity and inclusion on a broad level that is not being realized. If you pick an
area of responsibility and focus on it, it is by definition an act of inclusion, and
depending on the focus can really move the needle in terms of diversity and
inclusion as well.
Take a stand
You can find an area where your company can take a stand for diversity and
inclusion in whatever fashion. One example is domestic violation policy.
Generally speaking, domestic violence policies allows up to one month of paid
leave, effectively no questions asked, to people who come forward (privately)
as victims of domestic violence.
Do a diversity and inclusion space audit
You can do a space audit today without any help. A space audit, basically, is
when you walk around the space and you try and determine if it is set up
appropriately for your purposes.

8. SOURCES
https://theundercoverrecruiter.com/diversity-in-your-organization/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/316482
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2018/07/12/494731.htm
http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/hub/ct-bsi-hub-tom-alexander-diversity-20180705-story.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2018/07/09/why-your-diverse-talent-is-leaving-and-what-
your-organization-can-do-about-it/#49fe7c156de1