If you’re a businessperson or an employer, then it’s likely you’ve heard the words “diversity” and “inclusion” quite a bit in the past few years or so. They’ve become hot topics in recent years due to a renewed call for equality among genders, races, socioeconomic classes, and ethnicities in the workplace.
These values are something that employers are keen to adopt for many reasons, and rightly so. But diversity and inclusion, though both positive things to strive for, are not the same. Despite this fact, the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Where do the question of diversity vs inclusion, where do the differences—and similarities lie? This guide will aim to answer this question and much more for you. Read on to gain a better understanding of these important concepts.
Diversity vs. Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are similar, so it’s perhaps not so surprising that the two terms are so often confused. But they are, in fact, distinctly different.
Diversity, as it pertains to the workplace, refers to a professional setting that’s made up of people from a wide range of different backgrounds. This can mean different genders, ethnicities and social classes, but also ages, sexual orientations, and religions. The aim is to avoid homogeneity and fill your workplace with as many different kinds of perspectives as possible.
This is different from inclusion, however. Inclusion refers to the active practise of making sure that all of the members of this diverse workplace feel heard, valued, and comfortable in their roles. Diversity begins at the hiring stage, while inclusion is more focused on after a hire is made.
Both things aim to contribute to a more positive company culture and revolve around a similar ethos. But they manifest in different ways.
The Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion
There’s a reason that so many companies are beginning to make D&I a priority. In fact, there are many reasons why this is the case.
For a start, the younger generation of workers expect and seek out diverse workplaces, so it can be helpful to attract top talent to your company. There’s also plenty of data to suggest that a more diverse workplace means a more innovative, creative, and profitable workplace. A broader range of perspectives and ideas means more potential for success.
As well as this, creating a diverse and inclusive work environment is helpful and even necessary for employee retention. If you want to avoid high turnover rates and make sure your brightest stars stick around, D&I is a great place to start.
Finally, it can help your company’s reputation among stakeholders. Being a proudly diverse company will garner the respect and attention of your peers. This can be done through strong brand messaging and having things like a black or women owned business certification.
Create a more inclusive and Diverse Workplace Today
It doesn’t have to be difficult to build a diverse and inclusive company culture. It begins with being more mindful about who and how you hire and making sure to ask employees for their input about what would make a better workplace for them.
And being aware of the difference between diversity and inclusion. If you’re looking for more business tips, check out the rest of our content now.
