Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, or DEI&B, is not a spectator sport. In addition to developing a diverse population of workers, effective efforts require intentional action and advocacy for underrepresented groups—and these days the support, even the quiet support, of DEI&B programs remains important to a business’s future.

Actively pursuing diversity strengthens workplace culture even as it brings measurable financial benefits to the business. Research consistently shows that diverse teams are more innovative and more profitable. What’s more, our "Elevating HR in the Age of AI" report shows that most think a decrease in DEI&B investment is likely to lead to higher turnover, marginalized groups feeling undervalued and long-term cultural and structural issues.

By leveraging varied experiences, perspectives and approaches, organizations do a better job of problem-solving. Those that don’t take advantage of background mix risk being outperformed by competitors that do. That’s because today’s customers are diverse not only in terms of race and gender, but in areas such as family, finances, skills and perspective. To succeed today, businesses must leverage the same diversity of thought that their customers possess. Their teams require more than shared experiences. They need to regard those experiences through the prism of their own knowledge and involvement.

Aligning With Your Customers

Two people can attend the same event or read the same research but come away with two different points of view. That dynamic holds true in the marketplace as well as the workplace. Uniform teams tend to have uniform thoughts, which can diverge sharply from the diverse perspective of their customer base. A truly diverse team considers everything from communications to work style in ways that better connect with their customers. They minimize the risk of looking past their differences and avoid pursuing solutions in a uniform way that may influence one audience while neglecting another.

Such diverse understanding can also uncover unique opportunities. In the restaurant business, for example, a chef may draw from multiple cultures to create dishes based on the fusion of cultures, like Indian and Italian (Tandoori chicken pizza) or Latin and Asian (kimchi quesadillas). While such combinations may never occur to someone working in a solitary vacuum, understanding multiple cultures leads to popular combinations such as Tex-Mex and French-Vietnamese. Put another way, it leads to an approach that resonates.

When teams draw from multiple points of view, they create products with wider appeal or services that reflect the preferences of varied groups of people. For restaurants, fusion creates entirely new categories of cuisine along with opportunities to serve completely different markets than they would have approached without thinking about diversity.

Culture is the Keystone

For DEI&B to work, companies need to walk the walk, not only talk the talk. For instance, a business could manipulate results by claiming to have people of color in a high number of 'leadership positions,' even if they’re midlevel managers rather than executives. In those cases, the impact of DEI&B is less than it might be, and the company risks damage to its employer brand, as well as the trust it receives from employees and customers.

Besides, DEI&B isn’t achieved by simply hiring a certain number of a certain demographic. Companies truly pursuing DEI&B want to amplify underrated voices in their decision-making and make sure they’re genuinely matching the right talent to the right role, regardless of the employee’s background or race.

Culture is an important component of this equation, and isn’t something employers can leave to chance. When managers are passive, the workforce is more likely to fall back to “this is how we’ve always done things here.” On the other hand, businesses that develop resilient, inclusive cultures are better able to address challenges since workers are more likely to believe in their company’s objectives. Nurturing loyalty by adopting the right policies better positions the company for more dynamic business operations and long-term success.

Indeed, DEI&B is as much about embedding inclusive policies and practices into day-to-day operations as it is about longer-term planning. Simple actions, such as conducting anonymous surveys to understand employee needs or implementing policies that reflect the workplace’s realities, can go a long way in building true inclusion.

Ultimately, organizations that prioritize real inclusion in their actions as well as their words will serve their customers in a more natural, innate and effective way. This is why DEI&B isn’t just a trend, but a business imperative. Companies that integrate diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging into their operations and workforce management will gain the advantage in today’s global market. Whether for ethical reasons or strategic advantage, embracing DEI&B leads to stronger cultures, better innovation and improved financial outcomes.

Does Your Organization Have a DEI&B Committee? If not, get a step-by-step guide on how to form one by clicking here! 

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