From financial corporations and law firms to commercial office cleaning companies and HVAC contractors, businesses thrive here in Chicago.
I believe one reason that we do so well is because our city embraces diversity. Inclusiveness has always been an important part of my restoration contracting business.
Whether you own a large company or manage a small operation, a diverse workplace helps you work towards lasting success.
At the end of the day, we want two things from our businesses: professional success and personal satisfaction. When we factor in the benefits of diversity in the workplace, we put both goals within easier reach.
The Key Benefits of Workplace Diversity
Growing your business presents new challenges almost every day. If you're like me, you look for workable strategies that target professional and personal goals. I find that incorporating diversity into my workplace delivers immediate advantages and long-term benefits.
1. Increased Recruiting Opportunities
I actively recruit women to join our teams even though my business operates in a male-dominated industry. My company has a solid reputation for hiring across all cultures, and that opens up my opportunities to connect with the best. When workers know you value both talent and diversity, they want to be a part of your success.
2. Open-Minded Learning
Open minds are just naturally better learners. By supporting inclusiveness at your business, you foster attitudes that help eliminate cultural tunnel vision. Experienced employees teach without bias, and new hires know that they're all starting off on the same level playing field.
3. Better Employee Relationships
When you hire people with diverse cultures and lifestyles, you give them the opportunity to know each other as individuals instead of members of a specific group. As they work with and learn from each other, co-workers build mutual respect that cuts across divides based on race, religion, sexual orientation, age and education.
4. More Productive Teams
By focusing diverse talents on production, you blend an invaluable array of skills and creativity into a goal-oriented team. Everyone commits to working together and staying on the same page. Production goes up, business grows, and your employees take real pride in the success of their hard work.
5. Cutting-Edge Competitiveness
You know how hard it is to maintain a competitive edge. Get ahead of the game by attracting and retaining a wide array of in-house talent. Hire individuals who understand cross-cultural marketing and speak across language barriers. Employee diversity greatly increases your ability to rise above the competition.
6. Effective Problem Solving
When I brainstorm with my teams here at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba, they always come up with an impressive range of creative ideas. Their different backgrounds give them unique problem-solving skills that cover everything from handling mold remediation in Chicago homes to better serving the local hospitality industry.
7. Upgraded Tech Smarts
I'm always amazed at how well my employees expand my tech horizons. Through their diverse backgrounds and job experiences, they're comfortable with all kinds of platforms and hardware, and they enjoy sharing their tech knowledge. Even their cultural take on things like getting the most from social media works as a huge plus.
8. Extended Market Reach
It's not always easy to identify outside of your own demographic. Even your best marketing plans become better focused when you have a diverse group identifying your client base and planning effective sales strategies. My bilingual staff makes a real difference in how well I reach out to all potential customers.
9. Fewer Litigation Liabilities
The number of workplace discrimination lawsuits currently considered actionable by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shouldn't be so high. While these cases are valid, many businesses could have avoided litigation by simply opening up their doors and minds to diversity.
10. A Stronger Company Culture
Uniting diverse individuals with different backgrounds pools their strengths into a common company culture. Employees value the confidence and trust that you put into each one of them every day. That diverse group becomes a strong team with a commitment to doing their best and securing company success.
The Best In All of Us
When we share common goals, our differences give way to our united cause. Growing a small business takes an enormous investment of time and hard work. It's a job better done when we bring all available talents to the table regardless of age, race or lifestyle.
By embracing diversity in the workplace, you keep the doors to a successful future open for everyone. It's a strategy that increases productivity and sales, and it's an attitude that speaks to the very best in all of us. At the end of the day, that's what really counts.