Tips for managers: Build up a diverse team

Posted in
antenna-cw-cj_nFa14-unsplash

Author: Future Manager Research Center

Diversity is often considered an important factor in modern work teams. Research shows that it has the potential to yield greater work productivity and competitive advantages. There is no doubt that employers are more likely to hire the right talent when they build a diverse talent pool.

Managers understand that some effective measures are necessary for creating a successful, diverse workforce.

  • Understand the broad definition of diversity in the workplace.

People often look at the meaning of diversity from a narrow perspective. Most people consider gender, race or religion, but they may ignore other aspects such as age, disability, language, personality and sexual orientation, etc. These innate qualities lead to diversities, but also our ways of thinking obtained through experience also bring diversities, and they are both important. For example, people with cross-cultural mindset (ability to understand and work with people from different cultural backgrounds) can be important employees in building an inclusive work environment.

  • Don’t regard equality as a unity.

Many people who believe in equality think they treat everyone equally. For example, use anonymous recruitment to increase team diversity. Anonymous recruitment focuses on management skills and skills rather than the person’s gender or appearance. However, the same approach is not effective when managing teams.

Diversity is not about differences among groups, but rather about differences among individuals. For example, if you decide to take your team out for lunch, don’t choose a place that doesn’t meet the dietary needs of vegetarian or Muslim employees. Older employees may need more new technical guidance, and employees moving from different countries may need additional support until they adapt to the new culture, so tailored approaches are often better than unified approaches.

  • Establish a reward mechanism that meets the needs of all team members.

Different people have different needs. Establishing a universal reward and promotion system may help set standards that can be followed. However, managers should also focus on what team members want. Some people want more money, while others value autonomy, some people want promotion, and others want rewards and recognition. By understanding the different needs and goals of team members, managers can adjust their management methods to motivate and attract different types of employees.

  • Team members collaborate with each other.

When team members get to know each other better, their prejudices are likely to subside. When possible, often combining team members with colleagues from different cultural, educational and backgrounds is an effective method. If you want to hire a new employee, set up a recruiting team with diversity, a diverse recruiting team can help you hire more people from a minority group. It is useful for the entire team to collaborate with other teams, whether it is corporate events or large work projects. In multinational companies, this can help teams build cross-cultural work capabilities.