Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Meaning, Difference, and Benefits

“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone,” says Sundar Pichai.

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) are two different yet interconnected concepts that create a vital impact on workforce performance and organizational growth. Post Covid-19, many business enterprises are abandoning traditional working methods and opting for a shared workspace to create and implement policies that promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.  

Providing managed office spaces to your workforce is not enough, the modern-day workforce needs to be valued by their organizations. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are gaining more popularity and momentum in the corporate sector than ever before. The D&I at the workplace is indeed leading organizations to greater innovation, productivity, and overall profits.  

Meaning of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace 

Diversity at the workplace is all about the organization’s workforce comprising people from different genders, religions, ages, colors, sexual orientations, and so on. It is all about building a team of people that belong to different cultures, perspectives, and values to work in a predefined manner for organizational benefits. It is significant for organizations to achieve a diverse workplace because this will promote cultural diversity that can enhance the performance of the workforce. 

On the other hand, Inclusion at the workplace is the practice of creating an engaging and lively ecosystem for the workforce. It ensures that every employee is treated equally and respected at the workplace. Once the workforce feels that they’re valued, heard, and seen at the workplace, they tend to give their best. 

Hiring candidates from different cultures, religions, and other backgrounds and giving them equal opportunities is what states diversity and inclusion in the workplace. D&I can significantly create a direct impact on innovation, cooperation, and increased employee engagement.  

Difference between Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace 

Being associated with each other, Diversity and Culture are two different concepts that share different meanings. It is quite evident that both the terms and their successful implementation are dependent on the other one. Let us understand the difference between diversity and inclusion. 

Diversity	Inclusion
Diversity at the workplace means having a team of different cultures, genders, ages, colors, locations, physical and mental abilities, etc.	Inclusion refers to the behavior, norms, efforts, and policies of the organization to make every employee feel valued and safe at the workplace.
Diversity brings different people together in the same place.	Inclusion focuses on creating and implementing strategies or methods that help diversity to work well in a business organization.
Diversity is achieved by recruiters that stand against any biases in the hiring process.	Inclusion can only be achieved when all the existing members of an organization feel safe and respected by the other members.
Inclusion can only be achieved when all the existing members of an organization feel safe and respected by the other members.	Inclusion can’t be achieved if diversity didn’t take place at the time of hiring.

Therefore, these are some of the key differences between diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Diversity without the proper implementation of inclusion will not create any significant impact on employee satisfaction and the company’s culture.  

Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace 

Implementation of diversity and inclusion in a managed office space is one of the most significant factors of growth and employee satisfaction for modern-day employers. Being an employer, you always need to find more innovative ways and implement them with the motive of increased employee morale. There are several pros of D&I at the workplace, such as: 

Cost-Reduction and Time-Saving:

The concept of diversity and inclusion helps recruiters to find the most suitable candidate for a job role. Diversity allows them to seek candidates dynamically without considering factors like age, color, religion, culture, and so on. When they seek candidates with a broader range, they can fill the vacant seats on time. 

D&I Drives Innovation:  

It is next to impossible for a business to sustain without diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. It is a significant step towards innovation and equality in the workplace because a diverse set of backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives is prominent for organizational growth. 

Attracting and Retaining Talent:  

People are attracted to companies that promote diversity and ensure inclusion in the workplace. Their vacancies gain more interest because people from different backgrounds are accepted and invited. When the workforce is motivated and satisfied by the management or employers, employee retention becomes just as easy as it could be. Businesses that believe in diversity are likely to offer more value to their manpower as well as their employees.  

Customer Expansion:  

The concept of D&I doesn’t only help internally but also expands your customer base. A dynamic workforce is capable of marketing the products by understanding the needs and requirements of the customers.  

Boost Company’s Reputation:  

Big brands like Nike and Disney are paying serious attention to the D&I concept in the workplace. Apart from them, there are many small business enterprises as well that are implementing positive changes in their working structure. Eliminating racism, favoritism, and partiality from the workplace will reward the company with a unique and positive reputation in the market. 

These are some of the pros of implementing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. There’s no point in acquiring or renting a shared workspace if the workforce is not pleased with the company's environment and ecosystem. Building a dynamic team and integrating the workforce in the managed office spaces will enhance the productivity and satisfaction of both employers and employees.  

Also Read: 7 Things Your Office Must Have To Cope With Post-pandemic Changes