How to Encourage Diversity in the Workplace
Unless you get everyone on board, you won't have diversity in the workplace. You can't encourage tolerance by forcing your employees to accept people from different backgrounds. But by surrounding them with positive messages about diversity, you can make them understand why it's important to embrace other cultures. Follow these steps to bring more diversity tolerance into your business.
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Instructions
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Encourage managers to take a leadership role in embracing diversity in the workplace. Get a company membership in the American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD) that allows key personnel to attend conferences, workshops and other educational events.
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Set up a continuing education program for your managers. Make sure you address specific diversity issues your company grapples with on a day-to-day basis. Make the events as pleasant as possible to encourage participation.
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Offer bonuses and incentives for encouraging diversity in the workplace. Let both management and staff know your diversity initiative goals. Offer resources for creatively integrating employees from different backgrounds.
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Develop a mentor program that pairs white employees with nonwhites. Mentorship arrangements should be based on skills. Your employees get to know each other on a personal level and help expand each other's capabilities.
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Create a committee involving all levels of staff. Encourage employees who are dedicated to diversity in the workplace to take a leadership role in fostering tolerance throughout your company.
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Establish volunteer programs where employees get to assist people from diverse backgrounds in learning about the problems they deal with firsthand. Offer recognition to those who participate.
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Introduce your staff to different cultures to encourage tolerance in the workplace. Display paintings from nonwhite artists in your lobby. Offer free lectures on the history and lifestyle of different cultures.
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Tips & Warnings
Set rules of discipline in the workplace and follow through on them.
Avoid designating mentors who are all white or nonwhite.
Don't force any of your employees to participate in diversity-encouraging activities.
