DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) is not a favor to give but a right to avail!

In the competitive world, the success of a company is usually measured by financial gains or company turnover. However, true success should be measured by the employee, stakeholder, and client happiness and satisfaction quotient.

More and more organizations are initiating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DIE) upon the realization that professionals nowadays prefer those companies that are committed to a cause, confront systemic racism, and discrimination, and provide equal growth opportunities to diverse workforce. In addition, organizations are now very well aware that keeping a diverse workforce has numerous benefits overall.

A logical question arises here – Are we doing any favor to people by providing them equal opportunities or is it their right to avail irrespective of their gender, race, socio-economic background, religious views, sexual orientation, disability, or diversity of any type?

The answer is simple yet honest- “NO”. We are not doing any favors. It is their right to work with dignity.

Every individual is unique with different physical and mental abilities and skill sets. Everyone has the right to live and in the same way, everyone has the right to work to survive and thrive in this competitive world.

The need of the hour is ‘Inclusion’ where each individual feels like a part of a collective or a group, affording them the same opportunities and rights to level up in their professional and personal lives, making them feel valued and heard. This acceptance & inclusion gives them a sense of belongingness with a feeling of support and security.

Diversity and inclusion is a total culture change in organizational structure, operational procedures, human resource policies, and style of leadership. (Miller, 1998).

The organization/ companies should focus on DEI in terms of scope, policies, practices, strategies, organizational values, and culture that they can practically amend or use to promote a healthy work environment where each individual can flourish.

According to April & Shockley, (2007); Kossek et al., (2004); and Fredman & Davidson, (2002), the productivity, financial performance, and predictions for growth and survival of the organizations are mostly influenced by the diversified workgroups.

DEI with honest and clear focus has proven that it can drive enormous gains to nearly any division of businesses. Some areas where organizations can see improvements by prioritizing DEI are:

1. Attracting top talents: According to one research study, 70% of job seekers choose an employer who embraces DEI. Thus, DEI initiatives, practices, and policies within the organizations help attract and retain a vast pool of qualified and talented candidates.
2. Fostering a sense of belongingness: Honest and clear D&I initiatives, along with equal access to opportunities, resources, and support ensure that employees see themselves represented at all levels. This makes them feel valued and understood and thus fosters a sense of community and belongingness.
3. Improves decision-making: Research has shown that diverse teams see a 60% improvement in decision-making abilities. Inclusion brings people from diverse backgrounds and cultures together to the table while approaching a project or problem from a fresh array of eclectic, intelligent, and unique perspectives that lead to better problem-solving and increased productivity.
4. Increased levels of innovation and creativity: A diverse workforce when come together shows a significant increase in innovation and creativity. As per one study by Boston Consulting Group, companies with above-average diversity in leadership teams had innovation revenue rates 19% scores higher than those with below-average diversity.
5. Financial outperformance: According to some research, diversity significantly improves financial performance since team members from diverse backgrounds make better investment decisions, leading to investments that are more profitable and higher overall fund returns. However, business returns being just an outcome should not be a sole motivator for prioritizing DEI initiatives.
6. Reduce workplace burnout: An inclusive feeling at the workplace helps build a more positive work culture and fewer instances of workplace burnout. According to one study, employees who strongly agree that they are accepted and valued as a person are 52% less likely to have high levels of burnout.
7. Build trust and brand image: A brand is known by its culture. A company that nurtures inclusion, confronts biases, and provides equal opportunities knows very well how to win its workforce’s heart and this type of positive culture helps build employee’s trust who in turn actively engage, feel motivated, and contribute meaningfully by aligning themselves with the organization goals and mission.

Why Choose Aidosol?

At Aidosol, we are committed to maintaining a healthy diversified culture where everyone gets equal opportunities to work and thrive. We practice what we preach and follow strategies that include DEI goals. We provide diversity training; and implement flexible, work-from-home and hybrid work arrangements to ignite innovative minds. We also promote inclusive leadership and leverage technology to achieve our DEI goals. Aidosol is a safe and happy place to work and grow in your professional journey without attachment to the validation of others. Be yourself, work your way, come smiling, go home satisfied and be part of our success journey!