Workplace Diversity: necessary reality or elusive fiction?

What would Martin Luther King think about workplace diversity today?

One could argue that diversity and equality has come a long way since Martin Luther King Jr. lead the March on Washington and delivered his famous speech in 1963. Sanctioned segregation is illegal, African Americans have the right to vote and we even elected an African American as President of the United States. However, it is undeniable that there are still obstacles standing in the way of minorities and we still have a long way to go.

What is workplace diversity?

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

For starters, when we talk about “workplace diversity” we are not referring to the color of your coworker’s skin. Diversity is much deeper than that. A diverse workforce includes talented people from all walks of life: age, class, race, sex, disabilities, religion, etc. Diversity is not only how we perceive people from different walks of life, but how they in turn perceive themselves.

How a person perceives him/herself will determine their actions. If someone is told their entire life that they are a second class citizen that will never amount to more than their parents, is it less likely that they will dream of going to college and starting their own business? If that person actually did beat the odds and lands a position in business leadership, they would be the perfect model to help others reach their full potential.

How does a diverse talent pool benefit my company?

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Diversity drives economic growth and captures a greater representation of the target market. A diverse talent community helps businesses speak the languages of the market.

Diversity fosters more innovative ideas and educates the group as they learn from one another. Companies can offer a wider range of services by providing cultural understanding and breaking language barriers for clients and customers. Bringing together qualified people from different backgrounds and experiences sparks more ideas, increases productivity and overall has a positive effect on revenue.

A study by McKinsey & Company concludes that the increase in women in the US workforce has accounted for a quarter of growth in gross domestic product. Women went from holding 37% of jobs to 47% in the last 40 years. For a company looking to target women in the US, who better to lead the team than a female CEO? 

What are the challenges of a diverse population?

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”-Martin Luther King Jr.

Taking advantage of workplace diversity does open up some new challenges. The most basic barrier is communication. Working with people who speak a different language or simply think a different way can be difficult at first. It’s important to make an effort to overcome these barriers to avoid confusion and lack of team work. You may also find people that are resistant to the change who need some extra coaching.

Implementing diversity in itself can be a challenge. According to the US Census Bureau, 77.4% of Americans identify as “white.” In our small state of Rhode Island, that number increases to 85.1% of the population. Rhode Islanders identified themselves as 14% Hispanic, 7/7% African American and 3.5% Asian. 27.3% of Rhode Island private firms are owned by women (Silverman McGovern included) and 3.3% of firms are owned by African Americans.

So even finding the right people people from different backgrounds can be easier said than done, but that’s certainly no excuse.

How do I improve diversity in my company?

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”  -Martin Luther King Jr.

To increase diversity in your company, start by assessing the current situation. Conduct reports or surveys on the diversity of your employees, your clients and your target market. This can help your team determine which challenges and obstacles are present in your workforce and which policies need to be added or reassessed.

Then executives and managers need to make a personal commitment to honor the company’s vision and goals by incorporating diversity and cultural understanding into the organization’s function and purpose. Like everything else, attitudes towards diversity originate with leaders at the top and filter downward.

Involve every employee possible when formulating and executing diversity initiatives. Hire leaders from different social groups. Utilize diversity trainings and conferences. There are lots of ways to open your doors to the best and brightest talent from all walks of life, you just need to commit to finding and welcoming them.

Silverman McGovern is constantly interviewing diverse candidates to fill jobs for our clients. We have an ongoing list of the most talented and qualified employees in the state. If you want our help diversifying and improving your workforce, contact us today!