| | JUNE - 2023MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9official committee with the blessing to spend time and effort on D&I in addition to daily operational business activities signals that leadership is taking it seriously. It offers a chance for coworkers to learn from each other about this topic and creates a safe space for people to debate ideas about how the company should move forward.Leveraging the help of outside organizations with extensive experience in this area is also an excellent approach for companies just getting started. Aside from our D&I Council, at Spherion, we regularly invest time and resources to ensure D&I practices are woven into our policies and mindsets. Our hiring practices comply with all U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines, and we consult our clients' D&I policies, often sharing our own efforts and advancements to help them move the needle forward. We ensure that these conversations aren't just happening at the executive level, but that the decisions we make have a direct impact on our franchisees, clients, employees and the underrepresented people in each local community we serve.Why D&I in the Workplace is Important On a macro level, inclusion in the workplace inherently creates diversity of thought. When employees embrace their unique backgrounds and skills and are able to show up authentically without fearing ridicule, they feel more comfortable offering creative solutions and bringing new ideas to the table that can drive a business forward. By extension, this builds a better brand and makes the company more attractive to job seekers, instilling a sense of relatability among customers and employees.The future workforce is also looking for more diverse work environments. Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in history. For many of them, working for a company that promotes and embodies a diverse workforce is not only a preference, but a requirement. Plus, there is quantifiable research that proves companies with diverse leadership outperform less diverse companies in the same vertical. Diversity in the workplace leads to a better/stronger bottom line so in order to survive and ultimately thrive, businesses must carefully examine and update their EDI practices.Finally, and most importantly, I can say from personal experience being part of a workforce that celebrates you for what makes you different helps to create more confident, capable and happy employees. I was recently promoted to Executive Vice President of Franchise Development and Growth at Spherion, a role I'm extremely proud and honored to take on. I also know that being a woman of color in this position holds a lot of meaning. I've had several people come up to me throughout my career to share how proud they are to see themselves represented through me. They find greater confidence and hope in themselves simply because someone who looks like them was given an opportunity they never thought was possible. As simple as it may sound, representation matters and facilitating an environment where people feel comfortable being themselves at work is essential. You must make a concerted effort to create a truly inclusive workplace that lifts the voices of every employee. It may be hard work but I can assure you, the benefits are well worth it. As simple as it may sound, representation matters and facilitating an environment where people feel comfortable being themselves at work is essentialKathy George
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