How to Fix a Lack of Diversity in Your Workplace

In the United States, we live in a diverse and vibrant blend of different cultures. But if you look at the workforce of many prominent companies, you won’t find that diversity represented. Not only is this a problem for equality’s sake, but it’s also holding companies back from their growth and performance goals.

Many industries and individual organizations struggle with a lack of diversity. Fixing that problem starts with HR. It takes strategic effort to create a welcoming environment that encourages diversity, but it’s well worth the investment.

If you’re an HR professional, you need to spearhead these initiatives and dedicate yourself to creating a more diverse environment. Here are some steps you can take to improve diversity within your organization.

Understand What Hinders Workplace Diversity

Most organizations know that diversity is good for business. So why are so few companies able to build a truly diverse workforce? Unsurprisingly, there are several factors that can influence a company’s lack of diversity.

First, foundational issues within the larger company culture can make long-term diversity goals impossible to reach. If the company culture is not truly inclusive or welcoming to diverse employees, then an organization will have trouble retaining diverse talent.

Second, many organizations stop at the hiring process. They make an effort to hire diverse talent but do not set new employees up for success. Once a new hire is brought on board, very few companies offer mentoring programs or other initiatives to increase retention and create opportunities for growth and advancement.

Finally, many HR professionals don’t understand how to successfully attract a diverse candidate pool. Unconscious bias, a poor understanding of how to find diverse candidates, and even the words used in job postings can all reduce the number of qualified, diverse candidates applying for openings.

Because there are multiple factors that affect long-term diversity within an organization, HR has to create a multifaceted strategy. You can’t just stop at diverse hiring, you have to improve retention and improve the company culture. 

Ensure Your Employees Understand the Benefits of a Diverse Workforce 

To create a company culture that celebrates diversity, you have to get buy-in at every level of the company. While many employees will already understand the importance of diversity within an organization, others might need education and training on the subject.

It’s important to ensure that your entire workforce understands all of the benefits of building a diverse workforce. Not only are diverse companies more profitable, but they also gain the benefit of multiple perspectives, lower turnover rates, and a more engaged workforce.

Changing culture is challenging and takes ongoing effort. It’s important to engage employees at every level with the process so that they understand why these changes are taking place and what their role is. People are often resistant to change, so it’s important to be transparent and engage them in the process.

Have Leadership Reflect Your Vision for Diversity 

If your company is struggling with diversity, look up. Many companies say they value diversity, but their leadership teams often tell another story. If you want to create a more diverse and inclusive culture, your organization’s leadership team needs to reflect that.

Diverse leadership accomplishes a few different goals. First, it demonstrates that everyone’s ideas and input will be valued within the company. Second, it provides role models and helps new hires feel that they could advance within the organization, even if they’re not white and male. Finally, it means that your decision-makers will have different perspectives, leading to cultural shifts and innovation.

Let Recruiters Know You’re Looking to Diversify Your Workforce 

When you’re building a more diverse workforce, you may need to get a little creative with your recruiting efforts. Whether you work with in-house recruiters or not, it’s important to give them updated criteria regularly. Let them know you are looking for a diverse pool of candidates, and try to work with diverse recruiters as well!

As an HR professional, it’s easy to get swamped with all of your different responsibilities. But it’s important to remember that a lack of diversity is a huge problem that will take time and multiple initiatives to solve. It’s an ongoing project that will require consistent action.

You don’t have to tackle every problem all at once, but you should get started as soon as possible on a plan to create a stronger, more diverse workplace with a healthy and welcoming culture.