Diversity in the workplace is not a trend or an elective. It is an intrinsic part of a company's DNA and their path to financial, employee and cultural success. In the current 2020 landscape, it's also an expected and very public part of business.
According to the Harvard Business Journal, "understanding your company's DNA can help you know what you can and can't do, and how to achieve agility and authenticity in a changing world." The question is no longer "does my business need to focus more on diversity and inclusion?" or even "how does my business focus more on diversity and inclusion?". Rather, to ensure long term success, we must identify the DNA of the business and address, "what is my business' diversity DNA and how do we want to express it?" The same article from Harvard Business Journal notes that "a company must stay true to its DNA, but has a lot of room to express that DNA in new ways whether in external strategy or internal management."
Our team of experts believe that each company has a Diversity Posture, which is the active part of your DNA that's expressed externally.
Posture: a particular way of dealing with or considering something; an approach or attitude.
Diversity Posture: the attitude, belief system, associated practices and demonstrated values in which the company portrays itself and operates in regards to diversity.
Our goal is to help you uncover that posture, as it directly correlates to your ability to remain relevant in the market and be a best place to work. Our thinking closely aligns with a recent study by McKinsey, which concludes that "the most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse peers on profitability." The study further stresses that hiring for diversity isn't enough, as "it's the workplace experience that shapes whether people remain and thrive." For both profitability and a successful employee experience, there is nothing casual about it. The company's posture, both internally and externally, keenly impacts its value.
In a series of subsequent blogs, we are going to explore key concepts of Diversity Posture that will challenge you, force self-reflection and perhaps make you uncomfortable. That's ok. We are here to engage you, challenge you and guide you during your journey. Stick with us as we explore:
- Tough questions for the C-Suite
- Diversity Posture and Emotional Intelligence
- Diversity Posture and the bottom line
- Personal accounts of finding your Diversity Posture
- How to assess your Diversity Posture and why it should be important to you
Our team of experts include executives in Change Management, HR and Operations and spans a variety of industries. Our passion rivals our experience. Our passion is to help people and businesses thrive where they live, work, play and pray. Our corporate mission is to help organizations be relevant and competitive in today's changing market and emerge as a best place to work. We look forward to helping you thrive and emerge during this blog series and beyond.
