Promoting the ideas of diversity, equity and inclusion certainly go beyond being a trend that every organization or a leader must partake in in order not to go out of business. One definitely should not do it without the proper understanding of the application of these ideas and where they originally sprout from – and what purpose they serve. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend all the associated aspects of the implementation of the strategies that adhere to the ideals of inclusiveness, equity, and diversity. The main purpose of them is to enhance the organization’s effectiveness and a major contribution to promoting a greater change in society as a whole.
It is quite intuitive that an increased and diversified workforce results in a better and more effective outcome for a company. However, it is now becoming universally accepted that “higher levels of excellence and innovation can be achieved by organizations that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion” across race, sexuality, and gender (Henningfield et al., 2021, p. 871). Generally, it is subconsciously understood by the majority of people – that a better society or better functioning of a definite social group is directly connected to every member of it feeling valuable, represented, and having equal rights as everyone else. The concepts of diversity and inclusivity are interrelated but not equal: diversity is measurable and depends on how many social groups – minorities and other underrepresented, but present individuals are a part of an active discussion or a company as a whole (Henningfield et al., 2021). Inclusion, on the contrary, cannot be measured as well as the other domains, being “related to the degree people feel welcomed and empowered” regardless of their gender and racial affiliation (Henningdield et al., 2021). Equity is, therefore, the consequent outcome and a characteristic of a progressive, modern society and ties these concepts together.
Implementing the strategies that promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace or in the educational sphere is of uttermost importance because the historic underrepresentation of minority groups should remain a thing of the past. All companies and organizations should introduce and follow these ideals in their practice since it does not only adhere to the characteristics of modern and civilized society but also enhances effectiveness.
References
Henningfield, J., et al. (2021). Advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP): advances, challenges, and opportunities to accelerate progress. Neuropsychopharmacology 46 (1), pp. 871–876