In our globalised world, many of us are fortunate enough to experience diversity on a daily basis outside of work. For some of us, once we get to work, it may be a different situation. Management and colleagues may be from a similar cultural background, ability and gender.
Research by MIT showed homogeneous groups of people are not as thorough when it comes to making decisions as diverse groups with differing points of view. In our fast paced global economy, studies have shown that diverse companies also produce 19% higher revenue because they create more innovative teams with new ideas.
All said, diversifying a homogeneous business requires change and, in business, change can be difficult. Even carefully managed change can have unexpected consequences. Although there are many positives associated with developing a more diverse workforce, there are also going to be challenges. Some of the most common challenges include: