“The business case for diversity is clear. More women at the table mean better decision-making.”
“Having a diverse and inclusive workforce leads to greater financial impact.”
These are a few of the many used workplace diversity cases. However, new research has found startling information on how linking diversity to direct business benefits is not necessary for executing diversity initiatives. This is not to eliminate the proven benefits of diversity as a business case but to observe and study a more humane angle on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
The findings suggest that the sole use of the business case might result in talents:
- Losing the anticipated sense of belonging
- Concerned about being stereotyped
- Fear of getting replaced
And all these factors will add up to making underrepresented job talents feel disinterested in joining the organization.
So, what can organizations do to look beyond projecting diversity as a business case?
Diversity as a fairness case
DEI experts view that diversity as a fairness case has the upper hand. The fairness case of diversity relies on moral grounds of equal and fair opportunities.
No justification for diversity
Researchers point out that organizations can scrap their justification of diversity. Innovation, resilience, and productivity are value add-ons that automatically thrive in an inclusive environment. Hence, hiring underrepresented talent should be the norm instead of making it a point that needs explanation.
A report on HBR https://hbr.org/2022/06/stop-making-the-business-case-for-diversity quotes,” If you don’t need an explanation for the presence of well-represented groups in the workplace beyond their expertise, then you don’t need a justification for the presence of underrepresented groups either.”
Doing more than just ‘add diversity & stir’
Only adding diversity to the workforce mix will not reap benefits if a company fails to harness that diversity. Organizations should incline towards a “learning and effectiveness” approach to producing sustained and meaningful change.
While organizational benefits are a matter of priority, business leaders and managers should work towards building trust, boosting opportunities to thrive, and embracing the cultural differences of underrepresented talent to bring about the change that diversity truly ushers in.
