Why Diversity in the Workplace Matters
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T-ROC Staff
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Apr 5, 2022 -
3 mins read
While sipping my coffee one Saturday morning, I was listening to a talk show, and a group of women were talking about hiring, and whether diversity should matter in the selection process. Or, should the best person for the job be selected regardless of sex, race, ethnicity or age? The natural reaction for the majority of us would be, of course hire the best person for the job. But it’s more complex than that. Some people believe that inclusive recruiting strategies unfairly favor unqualified candidates due to their minority background. And other people think—mistakenly—that the goal of diversity recruitment is to increase workplace diversity just for the sake of diversity.
Here’s what it’s really about: The goal of diversity hiring is to identify and reduce potential biases in sourcing, screening, and shortlisting candidates that may be ignoring, turning off, or accidentally discriminating against qualified, diverse candidates. And, if you’re like me, you are thinking, “I don’t have any bias!” Well, the truth is, everyone has bias, and it’s ingrained on a subconscious level. Researchers way back in the 1970s first identified the existence of deep-seated biases, how they affect decision-making, and how people who hold these beliefs are completely unaware. These pre-conceived notions affect who gets hired—and who doesn’t.
When you do hire with diversity in mind, there’s more excitement, energy and creativity in your organization! As just one example, when you’re brainstorming ways to market a product or service, you benefit from a diversity of perspective, whether it’s across age or gender or cultures. By understanding how we think differently—and respecting those differences—we can catapult solutions to a new level.
I believe with all my heart that diversity is key to a healthy culture and when deciding on the mix of players to join your organization, diversity should be front and center in the interview process. At T-ROC, we believe in diversity. The globe in our TROC logo makes me smile as it reminds me of the colorful culture we have created here at T-ROC by making diversity a priority.
Mary Jo Liesch (MJ) is Vice President of Business Development with T-ROC, a global retail solutions provider. To learn more about how MJ and T-ROC can work with your brand or manufacturer on innovative solutions, you can reach her at [email protected].
