Author: Tanya Channing, Chief People & Culture Officer at Pipedrive
Diversity is of paramount importance to growing businesses. Ambitious SMEs are resource-hungry, leaning on the skills and engagement of a dedicated workforce to scale and beat market headwinds. With a people-first strategy, prioritising the drive and determination of a core team building the product or service, there needs to be real company cohesion backing them.
However big the team is, both those on the ground floor in sales or product engineering, in the engine room of the business, and those leading at the top, need to collaborate effectively. Coding diversity and inclusion into your business DNA can help ensure that the process is as smooth as possible.
To create a conscious and evolving diversity strategy, following a key set of three guidelines will set you up for success. With that in mind, I have outlined the steps to take when building out a diversity strategy.
1). Implement a diversity policy that sets your company up for positive engagement
The cornerstone of diversity and inclusion (D&I) is human thinking – having empathy or sympathy with the people you work alongside. When looking at a diversity policy for your business, start with psychological safety and show, from the top down, that not only is diversity welcomed, its part of the company culture and strategy for success, with training around diversity and open forums or spaces coded into policy.
With competition in the market, it’s in the interest of leaders to get D&I right; Gartner found that organisations championing D&I see a 12% improvement in performance and a 20% increase in employee intent to stay.
You can prove D&I in action when communicating company milestones – shining a spotlight on the people that grow and develop your business, whether that’s through panel discussions, workshop sessions or newsletter Q&As shared within the company, demonstrating that there’s a positive and welcoming energy across departments.
2). Talk to your team to understand all aspects of neurodiversity
It’s important for leaders to not only focus on the ‘big’ diversity issues that opened up the field such as gender, race and sexuality. Cultural diversity and neurodiversity are valuable parts of the community that bring strength to the business when acknowledged and supported.
In an organisation, neurodiversity blends with leadership in many cases, as 45% of the C-Suite identify as neurodivergent, according to research from CYPHER Learning. Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human brain function and behavior. It encompasses conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more, promoting the idea that neurological differences are diverse ways of thinking and experiencing the world, contributing uniquely to society and workplaces.
Neurodiversity can be better understood by organising conversations with individual employees, to ensure they feel seen and heard.
Teams that include neurodivergent professionals can be up to 30% more productive than those without them, according to research from Deloitte. This is due to the unique cognitive strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring, such as attention to detail, pattern recognition, and creative thinking.
3). Ensure that there is fair and equal representation as you begin to scale
Weaving these visibility and engagement strands together, with a resolve to reevaluate, review, and reinvigorate strategies, can bring your colleagues together, grow understanding and trust, and make business that not only succeeds, but thrives – helping all to enjoy the journey at work all the more.
As a business grows and scales, ensuring diverse representation at the top fosters better decision-making, innovation, and financial performance. The Global Parity Alliance found that companies with diverse leadership are 36% more likely to outperform in profitability, as varied perspectives enhance problem-solving and drive market growth. Inclusive leadership attracts top talent and reflects a global customer base.
Building a better business
Integrating D&I strategies, and accommodating as well as celebrating neurodiversity, brings considerable advantages to businesses. Diverse teams drive innovation, leading to improved prospects for growth, and neurodiverse teams enhance productivity and creativity, contributing unique perspectives that enrich problem-solving processes.
Inclusive workplaces not only improve employee engagement and retention but also build a supportive and dynamic work environment. By embedding D&I into core operations, companies can achieve greater performance and cultivate a forward-thinking, equitable culture. This approach provides a strategic advantage in today’s competitive market and aligns with positive societal values.