A511.8.3.RB – Gender

Most companies in America recognize that there are significant advantages to diversity in the workplace. By integrating workers from culturally diverse backgrounds into their workforce companies become much stronger. However, many firms don’t understand the importance or challenges of workplace diversity. Diversity needs to be seen as an integral part of the business plan, essential to successful products and increased sales. This is especially true in today’s global marketplace, as companies interact with different cultures and clients.

Businesses have started to recognize diversity in the workplace as a business strategy that maximizes productivity, creativity and loyalty of employees while meeting the needs of their clients or customers. If a company is only as good as their employees, then it stands to reason that a great deal of energy should be devoted to hiring the most talented individuals. And I think this is the whole point or emphasis by Mrs. Rosabeth Moss Kanter answers in her interview. By branching out to a diverse workforce, employers have access to a greater pool of candidates thereby improving the odds of hiring the best person. In a competitive marketplace, an organization that puts people first – regardless of their race, religion, gender, age, sexual preference, or physical disability has an advantage over the other players.

Workplace diversity has become an increasingly important part of the American workplace. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was created in 1965 to open the door for women and minorities to find better employment opportunities in America’s workplace. New visa categories and programs facilitating entry of information technology professionals, technical consultants, scientists, and business and management professionals from a cross section of countries have made the workplace even more diverse. Businesses benefit in many ways from having employees with differing backgrounds and perspectives.

Just as the workforce is becoming more diverse. Employees who mirror the customers they serve can benefit an organization since they will feel as if they hold a common ground. Furthermore, employees with different perspectives can help provide companies with a holistic view of the market, identify unmet needs and identify new opportunities. As the value of diversity continues to grow in the business community and elsewhere, recruiting and retaining diverse employees is becoming even more important to continued organizational success.

Men and women have different viewpoints, ideas, and market insights, which enables better problem solving.

Gender diversity is vital to any workplace. Not just because it's a commendable goal; it simply makes bottom-line business sense. If you need proof, look no further than a recent Gallup study, which finds that hiring a demographically diverse workforce can improve a company's financial performance.

Having a diverse workforce, more women and minorities in leadership positions increases the female and minority workforce participation both by creating role models for female and minority workers and improving rates of recruitment for both.