The Importance of Skills Diversity in the Workplace

It is important that a team has a range of skills.

Within each organization, there is a mixture of personalities, races and ethnicities, all combining to create a team. Whether this team is effective and successful or not largely depends on the skills of each team member, and whether the skill base is diverse enough to ensure that a task is carried out completely and accurately.

Definition

On many occasions in a workplace, teams are formed to carry out specific tasks, and as such, must work together. Business Dictionary defines 'teamwork' as "The process of working collaboratively with a group of people, in order to achieve a goal...Teamwork means that people will try to cooperate, using their individual skills." A team should therefore be comprised of a number of people, each with different skills that can be used in the proper completion of the task.

Importance

It is important for a team to be made up of several individuals, each with his own skills and expertise. Each member will have a unique approach and strategy on how to complete the task, based on the skills that they possess, and can use these skills to ensure the project results are of a high standard.

Knowledge Sharing

A team with a diverse range of skills allows members to learn from one another. This enhances the skills that each already possesses. This results in a workforce with a high level of expertise and knowledge, resulting in an increased level of efficiency and accuracy.

Challenges

With each person having a different approach to the task at hand, this can cause conflict within the group as each member voices a strategy for completing the task. It is important that this is managed correctly, with the team leader allowing each member to have a say and then collectively agreeing on a project strategy.

Warning

If a team has an expertise in just one skill, or if there is a lack of skills diversity in the team, then the team will be imbalanced, completing the task from just one perspective. There is a danger that results will therefore be inaccurate.

References

• Business Dictionary: Teamwork
• Time Management Guide: Team Work and Team Building Essentials