Recent worldwide events have highlighted that when it comes to diversity in business, we must do better.
One of the problems we’re facing today is that diversity is often deemed to be a form of social engineering which compromises excellence. As a result of this, it’s treated as a box-ticking exercise. But diversifying your team isn’t just the moral thing to do; it’s the intelligent thing to do.
And the business case for diversity is compelling – Diversity is linked to higher sales revenues and increased profits. McKinsey & Company found that businesses amongst the most ethnically diverse are 33% more likely to outperform their peers on profitability. Another study found that the most diverse organisations make nearly 15 times more revenue and profit on average than those who are amongst the least diverse.
But diversity isn’t just good news for business performance, it’s good for our employees too:
- Employees of racially diverse companies are more engaged. In fact, 83% of millennials are more engaged when they believe their company is inclusive.
- Diversity is also linked to better employee experience. 81% of employees feel more comfortable to be themselves and express their identities when they believe they’re working in a diverse organisation.
Part of the problem is that when teams are comprised of demographically and cognitively similar individuals, they won’t add much to one another. Their views won’t be challenged.
“Diversity isn’t an optional add-on. It is not the icing on the cake. Rather, it is the basic ingredient of collective intelligence.”
~ Matthew Syed, Rebel Ideas.
The advantage of diverse teams is that they contribute to a wide range of perspectives. This means individuals are challenged to see issues through alternative lenses; albeit less comforting, this can drive organisational and individual growth.
Using employee voice to promote diversity
Although companies are usually more diverse at lower grades or levels, as you move up hierarchy this is often not the case. So, despite the fact that organisations may tick the diversity box, the power still lies in the hands of a privileged few. It’s a vicious circle, those at the top are more likely to listen to, value and promote those most like themselves. But just how do you begin to address this?
Organisations need to actively create systems that invite diverse opinions. And to do this, individuals need to feel psychologically safe enough to express their views. Your approach to employee voice can help to establish and promote this. And when employees hear more diverse views and opinions, this in turn promotes psychological safety.
A practical example of how companies can achieve this comes from Amazon’s ‘golden silence’. At Amazon, they don’t start their meetings with a twenty-page power point; they start with a thirty-minute silence. When an idea is generated, this individual must write a six-page memo. The team then spends the beginning of the meeting in total silence, fully developing their opinion on the proposal. Everyone is then invited to share their views, with the most senior executives speaking last.
This is a powerful technique for a number of reasons: it empowers individuals to be honest about their views, and it ensures the views of the most senior person in the room are shared last.
Employee voice is a powerful way to ensure not only ‘diverse voices’ are heard, but also to promote inclusion too. This way we can invite those who’ve lived with more systemic barriers to openly express their views, and in turn, reach their full potential.
There’s never been a better time to reflect on the way our organisations are run. By adopting a fresh perspective on diversity and inclusion, we have the power to not only contribute to creating a fairer society, but to build organisations where our people feel more engaged, and empowered.
