Question

Why does diversity matter for business? Provide 2-3 benefits and 2-3 challenges

Answer 1

• Benefits:-
• 1.Talent pool:-Individuals from diverse backgrounds can offer a selection of different talents, skills and experiences, that may be of benefit to the organisation and their work performance.
• Though some crossover of skills can be beneficial when it comes to assisting each other, it’s important to hire people with the appropriate skills to fit each of the roles within the company. A variety of skills and experiences among the team also means that employees can learn from each other.
• 2.Innovation:-By working alongside people of different backgrounds, experiences and working styles, creative concepts can be born from bouncing ideas off of each other and offering feedback and suggestions. Whereas one person may be great at generating exciting, out of the box ideas, another individual may have the necessary experience to execute it; so it is essential to play on each individual’s strengths and collaborate with others in the team.
• 3.Language barriers and cultural differences can often act as a bit of an obstacle for a company who want to expand their business over shores; however by hiring employees who speak different languages it can make it possible for a company to work on a global basis and interact with a broader client-base. Representing a number of nationalities within your company can also help to make it more relatable.
• 4.Improves employees performance:-Employees are more likely to feel comfortable and happy in an environment where inclusivity is a priority. Equality in the workplace is important for encouraging workers from all backgrounds to feel confident in their ability and achieve their best. The higher the team morale, the more productive employees are.
• Challenges:-
• Employees often can misinterpret tone, e-mails and body language, and fail to interact appropriately. Employees resisting change is a significant diversity barrier. If someone has been raised a certain way, it's difficult for him or her to adapt overnight. It's easier for some, more difficult for others.
• Either way, even one resistant employee could throw off the balance. If management is not 100 percent behind the diversity plan, this serves as stumbling block. A business needs its manager on board with major decisions for maximum results. Diversity cannot thrive without a supportive manager.
  
• Negative cultural stereotypes can be seriously detrimental to company morale and affect productivity. For instance, the centuries-long antipathy between the British and French, or the Polish and Germans can sometimes creep into the workplace.
• There can also be a real risk of communication getting lost in translation among multicultural colleagues. Language barriers are just one challenge. Even in an office where everyone speaks English, comprehending a range of accents, or understanding a native-speaker’s use of idioms, can be difficult.
• Non-verbal communication is a delicate and nuanced part of cultural interaction that can lead to misunderstandings or even offense between team members from different countries. Things like comfortable levels of physical space, making or maintaining eye contact, and gesturing can all be vastly different across cultures.
• Even something as simple as a greeting or handshake has cultural implications that should be considered in a work environment.
• Colleagues from different cultures can also bring with them different workplace attitudes, values, behaviors, and etiquette. While these can be enriching and even beneficial in a diverse professional environment, they can also cause misunderstandings or ill feelings between team members.
• For instance, the expectation of formality, organizational hierarchy, and even working hours can conflict across cultures. Where a Japanese colleague may not feel it appropriate to leave work before their manager (or, indeed, anyone else), a Swedish professional may be used to a 6-hour working day.