Improving
Profitability and Managing Reputation
Through
Diversity,
Inclusion, and Intercultural Competence
We frequently hear questions similar to these:
- What are the advantages
of diversity in the workplace or multiculturalism?
- Why
has diversity become a business imperative?
- Is diversity
a core business strategy?
- How do I manage a multicultural
workforce?
- Can inclusion reduce team conflict?
- Are diversity
and inclusion really any different than Affirmative
Action?
The
answers to these questions are clear.
Business is about setting objectives
and achieving results
to meet the needs of customers, employees, and shareholders. This
also applies to the public sector, associations, and not-for-profits
with different measures of success. Virtually all organizations
achieve results through their employees.
In this era of global business and connectivity, achieving
sustained success requires the highest possible quality
and most effective workforce
and work environment. Anything less leaves
superior business
results to chance and, in today's business environment,
is an unnecessary risk with a high cost.
A high quality productive and innovative workforce and
work environment won't happen with yesterday's management
practices. Your
employees must both want to
and be able to contribute to their
maximum potential. Attracting and retaining employees who:
- Want to contribute requires
that your company access the full range of talent in the
marketplace.
- Are able to contribute requires
a work environment that enables their creativity, innovation,
and productivity.
Current trends clearly predict ever-increasing
workforce and customer diversity. This holds true for all
customers, be they consumers or other businesses.
Key to sustained business
success, therefore, is building all employees’ and especially key
executives’ and
leaders’ effectiveness communicating and working with, and understanding
the needs of, employees and customers from different cultural
backgrounds. Restated, business success is about moving
beyond inclusion and building intercultural competence.
Why then do
so many diversity strategies falter? To succeed, they must:
- Be aligned with key business strategies and plans.
- Measure progress in ways that the CEO agrees are important
to the business.
- Have the full active support and engagement of the CEO
and senior executive team.
The best companies have a business growth strategy that
builds organizational culture, productivity, creativity, and innovation. They
recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace
to retention of employees and to long-term business success.
Whether
your company's market is local, national, or global,
whether your industry is "old economy" or "new
economy", whether you're a manufacturer or a service
provider - MDB Group can help you achieve and sustain
improved business results through workforce practices
that generate high performance.
Business-Aligned diversity
and inclusion planning is about creating the workforce and
work environment that improves your profitability and helps
ensure your sustained business success. Click
here for a brief narrated introduction to Business-Aligned® diversity
and inclusion strategic planning in mp3 format.
MDB
Group's
principals have been there. We
have led major corporate diversity
initiatives, coached executives, held P&L responsibility,
and done product development and R&D. We
understand how
to align diversity and inclusion initiatives with business
priorities. We also know how to manage expectations and measure
results.
We seek and value a collegial and collaborative
relationship with our clients.
We are highly flexible, and we listen to and value all the
people with whom we work. We also recognize that we are retained
to share and provide our expertise. In our relationship we
keep you fully informed, participate in whatever
way you prefer, and always seek input and feedback.
As an
MDB Group client, you will
receive the full
attention of our highly-experienced principals,
all of whom
are personally engaged in client work. We use practical,
proven
diversity and inclusion methodologies and technologies. Combined
with practical advice and insight, we will help your company
establish or reinvigorate a diversity and inclusion plan
that
yields meaningful business results. You will realize the
full
advantages of diversity in the workplace by effectively managing
your workforce and work environment.
The figure below is a high level view of the four stages that
our services follow. To be effective, all diversity and inclusion
work must be based on an assessment of the current situation.
Depending upon your circumstances and needs, this may be done
through simple conversation or with more extensive data collection. |
