The importance of diversity and inclusion in business today

It is important that business owners are aware of the importance of diversity in today’s workplace and they must take steps to ensure that they are creating an inclusive atmosphere. In addition to the importance of diversity, business owners will also find that there are also a handful of benefits to this as well so it is a win-win situation for all.

Creating Parity

Parity is required in the workplace and people should be treated equally regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexuality, disability or any other factor. This does not only come down to the recruitment process as employers also need to make sure that they are creating an environment which is inclusive where people can work happily, with confidence and have the opportunity to progress and develop their career.

A Historical Issue

While inclusion and parity may seem obvious and something that should not be an issue, this is unfortunately not the case and throughout history it has been a major issue in business (and society) in the UK. While things have improved, there is still a lot of work to be done and it is up to employers to build an inclusive culture and to stamp out any form of inequality. This is something that was reflected on in an interview with RSM International CEO Jean Stephens by IAB reporter Isabella Colletta:

"I feel someone’s gender should not bring unfair advantages to anyone’s career in the same way it shouldn’t bring disadvantages, which is why I have always found the disparity between men and women in senior leadership positions to be troubling”.

Benefits to Diversity

Building an inclusive culture and diverse workforce is important in terms of equality, but business owners will also find that it can actually bring a wide range of benefits. The most obvious is that when there is equality and a supportive environment, it will improve individual performance which can take the business forward and create a positive atmosphere in the workplace.

Another major benefit of having a diverse workforce is that you get a variety of different perspectives as you will have a team built up of people with different backgrounds, ideas and experiences. As an example, if you have an employee that requires the use of a wheelchair then they will have ideas on the best ways to make your business both more accessible and appealing to other wheelchair users. This was reiterated by Stephens:

“As a global organisation, the diversity across our firms is our strength, and our belief in collaborating to bring together varied opinions and insight is fundamental to being able to provide our middle-market clients with innovative solutions”.

Another important benefit to consider is that when you are a business that prioritises diversity and inclusion, you will benefit from a positive reputation which is so important in a time where consumers are becoming incredibly socially-conscious and selective of the brands that they use.

Diversity and inclusion is something that every business owner needs to make a priority and is not only important for equality but can also benefit the business in many ways too.