It’s not just a buzzword or a hiring trend: Diversity is a key component of successful, thriving workplaces. It’s a method for improving and expanding the creativity of your team while helping employees feel supported and welcomed. 

But there are better ways to support and work toward diversity than just talking about it or including some language on documents that sit in a file somewhere but are never utilized or enforced. 

Here are ways to ensure diversity is a priority for your company and the approach taken to improve it is a sustainable and effective one. 

• Define diversity. First thing’s first: In order for everyone in your company to buy in and support diversity efforts, spell out exactly what you mean by diversity. Diversity might mean different things to different management teams or different work environments: It might mean not just working to hire people from different national and ethnic backgrounds but, in fields typically dominated by men, making an effort to include more women. Establish and root your definition of diversity in working to expand your team to include different attributes, backgrounds, belief systems, nationalities, identities, etc. 

• Admit and understand unconscious bias. What is your favorite sports team? Do you automatically think favorably about people who support the same team? That’s a bias. The same can be true for a number of affiliations and associations — it’s human nature to feel a kinship and fondness, at least on the surface, for people who share our likes, or to think less kindly at times of those who disagree or support other things. At many times these unconscious biases are harmless, but when it comes to hiring, it can lead to unfair advantages in who gets interviews and who is passed over — someone who went to your same high school or college should not get picked over someone who didn’t just because of that association. 

• Work to review applications and resumes based only on pertinent information. To help weed out unconscious bias, adopt practices that take away any information that could hit a baseless preference:  Name, age, any college or university information other than the degree or certificate earned, in short, any information that might tap into or unduly influence a decision. Review each person’s application based solely on their qualifications on paper so as to open up the possibility of the broadest possible range of candidates. 

• Work to improve pay equity. Real diversity means not only that all are welcome and accepted, but that all are provided the same opportunities to succeed and be fairly compensated for their work. By implementing a policy — and enforcing it — that all employees with the same job title and same amount of experience are paid the same wage, you will ensure a level playing field for success across your employees. Any practices that justify differences in pay for the same work by people with the same expertise and skill level are, by default and in execution, discriminatory and tend to benefit only a small subset of workers. 

• Incorporate training to enshrine the importance of diversity at all levels of your company. To further drive home the importance of diversity, what it means, what your company is doing to improve it and to make sure every person in your company values and prioritizes diversity at all turns, you need to talk about it. Make it a central part of everything your company does — incorporate more cultural observances, encourage creativity and unconventional problem solving approaches, etc. — and see how your business flourishes. 

Diversity is a surefire way to help your company succeed and your employees thrive. Companies with a more diverse group of employees are viewed as more progressive, more open to change, more innovative and better equipped to deal with adversity while moving boldly into the future. A more diverse team opens more doors for new clients and partners and improves the way people view and think of your company. Prioritizing diversity benefits everyone. 

If you’re looking for other ideas on how to promote and improve diversity, or if you’re looking to add to your team, call Davis Staffing today. We have qualified candidates eager to take on new work and they’re ready to start right away. Contact Davis Staffing to learn more!