It has become more common to hear employers talk about valuing workplace diversity and inclusion. For Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers, this meant including a certain number of people of different genders or races in the workplace. Today’s Millennial generation, however, prefers “cognitive diversity,” or the blending of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives within a team.
As employers seek to hire people with diverse racial, sexual, class or religious backgrounds, you can drive the conversation about the value that your own diversity brings to a company.
Use these shifts in values to your advantage when applying and interviewing for jobs. Here are eight benefits of a diverse workplace that you can cite when talking with employers:
- Adaptability—Having a workforce of diverse experiences and backgrounds will better prepare organizations to adapt to unforeseen challenges and opportunities.
- Range of Service—A diverse workforce can impact the range of services the organization can provide.
- Varying Perspectives—Employing professionals from a variety of industries and backgrounds can bring new and different perspectives to the table.
- Learning and Growth—Having a diverse staff will create opportunities for people to get to learn more about different backgrounds and professions.
- Communication—A staff that can conduct business and provide customer service in multiple languages means opportunities to grow and expand into new markets.
- Increased Productivity—An organization with a diverse workforce can often increase productivity by tapping into the wealth of knowledge on staff.
- Increased Innovation—Having a wide variety of opinions, skills, experiences and backgrounds on staff is a great way to encourage innovation in the workplace.
- Satisfy a Diverse Customer Base—An organization whose staff represents its diverse customer base is a great way to create connections between the staff and the customer.
