Diversity in a Small Business Equals Success
Diversity is a crucial part of any business, even the smallest of them out there, and according to numerous studies, it has proven to greatly benefit any type of business endeavour.
Imagine a world in which everyone is the same; everyone shares the same skin complexion, the same hair style and colour, and even the same skills, abilities, and personality.
What kind of a place would that be?
Or even worse, can you imagine working in a place like that?
Small Businesses Thrive Better with Diverse Team Members
Diversity doesn’t exclusively imply inherent differences such as personal traits, religion, gender, and even disability, but also acquired distinctions including one’s background, knowledge, and prowess that are in essence the key to the growth of a business. A team of distinct individuals is more likely to bring a conglomeration of different, innovative ideas to the table, which in turn leads to more fruitful results. Research based statistics conducted at Harvard University also lend more credibility to the theory that diverse teams, as opposed to homogeneous ones, are far more creative, productive and better at problem solving.
In other words, each employee has their own uniqueness, strengths, weaknesses, cognitive style, tenure, and organizational function which create a great platform for brainstorming, as well as learning from each other.
Overall productivity is sure to increase as diverse employees contribute a variety of skill sets, perspectives, and methodologies, which naturally bring about a substantial boost in business growth. It also includes employees being able to maximize their unique ways of working whether they are office-bound or working from home.
How to Increase Workplace Diversity?
Before you start recruiting a team of diverse individuals, make sure to have a vision of what you are aiming for. More precisely, identify the community your present workforce resembles, and think about what demographic you are hoping to serve.
Make sure you discern what your business lacks, and accordingly, look for individuals who will provide just the right services you need.
A great way to find such new team members is through various local community connections, such as churches or cultural institutions. Additionally, since we are talking about a small business, limiting your search to locals would be an efficient and financially safe idea. Also, remember to spread the word among your current employees, as they might know an expert or two in the industry, who might be just the perfect addition to your team.
All in all, the unquestionable truth is that you are setting yourself up for bigger success if you recognize and embrace the importance of diversity in your business. And at the end of the day, it’s just more fun to be surrounded by different individuals who bring a special and unique flavour to your milieu.
