How Diversity At Work Can Change The World It's like having the 6 Thinking Hats concept applied everyday to everything
By Bhavik Chinai •
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It's time we start hiring talent which adds to the diversity in our organizations even if the trade-off is some essential skills. It's worth it.
One evening, there was a 2 minute video of Mckinsey careers on my FB feed in which they shared what has been the one reason which has made them one of the world's largest organizations, and that one reason was diversity.
Toward the end of the video, I realized that unknowingly, the first 15 employees weren't from logistics and thinking deeper made me realize the other aspects of our workforce which made us fairly diverse. Though we're yet to hire Non n male/female genders, we were 15 people (back then) from different age groups, industries, academic backgrounds and so on.
After researching online, one core learning was that most global enterprises publicize their diversity at workforce and share that as the reason for their continued growth and dominance.
Let's look at some known and lesser known ways in which diversity can help: Known
1. Unbelievable ideas
Diversity brings infinite ideas to solve common challenges. Try having a brainstorming session with a group having similar past experience and one with a diverse group, and you'll realize the new avenues of thoughts which open up due to different philosophies of a diverse group.
2. Perspectives poles apart
One starts thinking of Obama and diversity makes it Russell Peters. Each situation is looked from many different ways, it's like having the 6 Thinking Hats concept applied everyday to everything.
3. Adding to the team's combined skills for achieving larger goals
One of my colleague is good at stalking (yes that's a skill), and by spending quality time on Instagram, she was able to discover a logistics startup in the first week of its operations and we've been tracking it ever since. Some skills of a diverse group can help with all levels of goals for any organization.
Lesser Known
4. Network - activating access to the good, bad and ugly
We need all of them. A diverse workforce brings an incredible network which could help in small aspects like finding an architect to larger like connecting with industry leaders. In companies of all sizes, their network does influence their net worth.
5. Team's knowledge
Another colleague had shared the importance of click bait titles (like this one) for content and how it influences the number of views and shares. Diversity helps in expanding the entire team's knowledge on different aspects of life and helps broaden their perspective. A broader thinking talent is invaluable to any organization.
6. Levelling up other teams
Our marketing team was finding ideas for a unique approach to our mannequin challenge last year and our tech team suggested we could merge it with our blood donation drive. A mannequin challenge in the middle of donating blood generated excellent PR and levelled up our marketing team's achievements. Diversity can help level up other teams in the organization in a range of unforecasted ways.
These are just some ways in which diversity can evidently help organizations. Global enterprises have made diversity a KRA in their recruitment strategy and fortunately for startups, having this KRA early will help build an unstoppable organization.
It's time we start hiring talent which adds to the diversity in our organizations even if the trade-off is some essential skills. It's worth it.
