Hiring diverse team members to help give your company more talent, skills, and experiences.
However, understanding what “diversity” means can be a challenge for managers.
Diversity is a general term that’s often thrown out without much explanation. Whether you’re looking to improve your hiring process or diversity training, understanding the term in-depth is critical. Here’s what you should know.
1. Race
This type of diversity is generally considered a social construct by science, but it’s a clear metric of diversity because it’s so visible. It allows people to group others based on what they look like physically.
Examples of the race include Latino, Asian, and Caucasian.
2. Religion
Diversity is a subject that has been debated for centuries, with varying opinions and stances held on the matter.
In recent years, diversity has become more of an accepted practice in almost every culture around the world, making it important to understand the different types of diversity and how they can be beneficial to both individuals and organizations.
One such type of diversity is religious diversity. According to Diversity, understanding religious traditions and beliefs can help promote greater acceptance and appreciation among people from all walks of life.
Organizations that value religious diversity provides their employees with a variety of options when it comes to faith-based programs or activities within the workplace. This allows everyone to feel included regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
Additionally, these initiatives create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing matters pertaining to their religion without fear of discrimination or judgment.
3. Cultural
Cultural diversity focuses on how someone’s ethnicity and set of norms (particularly those instilled in them by their family/society) formed their perspective. Someone’s culture is unique to how they were raised.
Cultural differences are often found between individuals from various ethnicities — Chinese vs. German vs. Irish vs. American.
4. Sexual Orientation
This part of someone’s identity is the gender(s) that they’re sexually attracted to. We often hear someone’s sexual orientation identified through a label — heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, questioning, etc.
5. Gender
Another social construct, gender includes the norms, behaviors, and roles associated with men and women (the two traditional gender labels). However, newer views on gender have emerged, and this expands the identity beyond the traditional labels.
The way an individual communicates gender in the workplace includes dress, hairstyle, interaction with others, and movement.
6. Age
You may also hear age diversity referred to as generational diversity in the workplace. This type exists when people of a wide range are working together — meaning there are various generations like Millennials, Gen Z, Boomers, Gen Xers, etc. all collaborating.
7. People with Disabilities
Ability is an important component of diversity.
It identifies those who live with disabilities and chronic conditions whether they’re mental or physical. These are important for a company to keep in mind because they’re required by law to make reasonable accommodations that help individuals integrate into the workplace.
8. Mental Health
Mental health is a type of diversity that addresses a person’s emotional, social, and psychological well-being. As an employer, you should be concerned about this aspect of diversity because your employees are people outside of their jobs.
Enhancing their mental health allows them to be present in their personal and professional lives.
Final Thoughts
Enhancing your understanding of diversity matters can only help your company. And building a company with different backgrounds, attributes, and perspectives will move you toward innovation and progress. In other words, it all starts with diversity.
Visit here to learn more about our 2023 Diversity Calendar, an easy way to improve diversity and inclusion in your workplace.