Why is diversity important?

	Story
Once upon a time, a giraffe and elephant met at a conference and decided to set up a business together. They arranged to meet at Giraffe’s house to discuss plans. Elephant came but had difficulties with getting into the house – the door was very tall and narrow. Giraffe impatiently waited as Elephant heaved and hoed and squeezed through the door. ‘Haven’t you thought of going on a diet?’ asked Giraffe. ‘It would make it easier for you to fit through the door’. Elephant said ‘No’. Inside, Giraffe invited Elephant to have a cup of tea in the kitchen, before their meeting. Elephant looked at the stool where he was to sit and tried to get on to it... but it was very high and Elephant didn’t think that he would fit on to it, so he decided to stand. ‘Haven’t you thought of joining the gym’, asked Giraffe, ‘You need to limber up’. ‘No’, said Elephant, ‘I’ve never had a problem before.’ Giraffe asked Elephant to go to the office, which was upstairs... but the steps were designed for Giraffe’s feet and were narrow and widely spaced out. Elephant couldn’t make his way upstairs. ‘This is hopeless’, he said... ‘I’ll never make it up.’ ‘Haven’t you thought of taking up ballet’, said Giraffe. ‘You need to get light on your feet.’ The meeting never happened... Giraffe blamed Elephant and Elephant blamed Giraffe’s house.

The story of the elephant and the giraffe highlights that when we use a tunnel-visioned approach, we not only exclude people to the detriment of their feelings, but we are missing out on business opportunities.

This section contains the three commonly-held arguments for implementing a diversity approach in the workplace.

The business case

Adopting a diversity approach makes business sense.

Potential

Policies based on diversity bring wide benefits. For example, by hiring people according to evidence of their abilities and without being influenced unfairly about matters of lifestyle, companies can be more confident of getting the best people available for their jobs while encouraging them to work to their full potential.

Customer relations

Over time, effective policies lead to a more diverse workforce and perhaps one that is more closely representative of the community in which a business is based. This naturally brings benefits for business.

Creativity

A diverse workforce can also be more creative than one that has been recruited in the image of a particular manager. It can help establish new clients for the business and reach a wider market.

Relationships

• Diversity refutes the misconception that only the things we see can make a difference; invisible differences may lead to radically different workplace values, behaviours and perceptions.
• It reduces the perception among some employees that groups supported by legislation, such as women or the disabled, are a ‘problem’.
• Since the concept of diversity includes everyone in the workplace, everyone has a vested interest in understanding diversity and trying to make it work.

Image

While people may be a company’s greatest asset, its image is increasingly important. Whether it is gained through publicity or the grapevine, the costs of a poor reputation on employment matters and service delivery can be all too obvious. At any point in the economic cycle, a reputation based on good practice and equality can only help to build a stronger business in the long term

Gain

The reasons why an organisation takes up diversity management will vary according to the sector in which it operates, but all sectors claim that the approach gives organisations a competitive advantage in the marketplace

Efficiency

Managing diversity can ensure that the skills of everyone who wishes to work are brought out and made available to the employer. Improved access to expertise and the employment of the best qualities of workers leads to efficiency and effectiveness.

The moral case

As employers and employees, we have legal obligations to discourage and outlaw certain types of behaviour. These are founded on our moral or social obligations to ensure that people can be comfortable and confident in their work environments. The moral obligations of an employer are ambiguous, but rely heavily on what is seen as acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour.

For example, think about an organisation where bullying and harassment are allowed to exist. Think about the effects of these on the organisation. What are the implications for an organisation like this?

The obvious upshot is staff who are uncomfortable and unhappy and this results in staff who are not interested in being creative or motivated. In turn, this environment of apathy and distress leads to a low morale that extends beyond the individual and into the team. Sickness levels increase. Staff turnover swells. The risk of tribunals rises. And all this leads to low productivity, a poor reputation and increased costs.

The legal case

Legal requirements are set down to ensure that all segments of society are protected by the law. The diversity of our society is protected through the law and you can learn more about this in Employment Contracts.