Diversity and Inclusion Policies (D&I) have become increasingly important in corporate agendas. They improve business design and innovation, generate greater levels of productivity, impact motivation within the company, and even help reduce employee turnover and absences.
The numbers prove it. According to a study carried out by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on 13,000 companies in 70 countries, 74% of companies that trace the impact of gender diversity reported an increase in profits from 5% to 20%, while those with a culture of gender inclusion reported have 9% more chances of improving their business performance. And the list goes on: exclusion of people with disabilities can represent a loss of 3% to 7% of a country’s GNP while, when D&I stocks are identified in business strategy, workers are 13% more likely to inform high levels of wellbeing, and 21% are more likely to feel encouraged in their career, states another study from ILO.
Diversity refers to more than just similarities and differences regarding gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, age, ethnicity, or religion. It also includes values and lifestyles. In the corporate world, it implies that the people who belong to an organization accurately represent the members of the society in which it operates.
Inclusion takes this idea a bit further, by stating that these diverse people may also be granted the same opportunities for development and receive equal treatment. This is related to their experience in the workplace. In other words, as someone once said, “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”
Because age–that implies life experience and acquired education–conditions our way of thinking, is it reasonable to believe that a younger person tends to develop a more open mind and further understanding of D&I? It could be said that an 18 year old, who is still learning to comprehend the way the world works, tends to be more accepting of social changes. Yet age isn’t necessarily a determining factor.
Throughout our lives, as we acquire more skills for interacting with society and different social groups, and experience situations that shift our mental models, we develop a more diverse, open mentality. We deconstruct ourselves, regardless of age.
How can organizations drive this change? If transferred strictly to the corporate world, as the statistics have shown, it’s safe to say that a diverse and inclusive business is a better organization in the broader sense: from revenue, to the impact it has on society, and the social role it creates.
The problem is that often–due to subconscious biases–we fail to identify the limitations within our vision. This is why it’s crucial to become aware of the part we may not be seeing.
A shortcut exists to help us achieve this: approaching people who are different from us. If we force ourselves to interact with people of different age groups, genders, and backgrounds, we’ll be able to view the world from their perspective. This allows us to understand much more than what we comprehend today: we’ll be more willing to accept visions different from our own.
Aiming for the highest level of diversity is key when planning innovation. In order to develop a solution, we need different perspectives that observe the same situations, but see different things.
This could serve as a simple explanation for the reason behind diversity quotas, which act as an accelerator for creating this perception within the organization, and allow it to drive businesses that focus on the future and are capable of thriving in a global, organizational environment that is constantly evolving.
By Alberto Bethke, CEO and Founding Partner at OLIVIA
