Why Your Startup Should Take Diversity Seriously

The word diversity conjures up a lot of feelings, especially in Corporate America. Where most companies strive to proclaim diversity as a critical focus for growing their business, the reality is this: most of the time it’s falling well short of expectations. With your startup in mind, how much effort are you putting into taking diversity seriously in the workplace? 

Look around your workroom and ask yourself why those people are there. What do they bring to the table that you found valuable enough to hire them? Look around again. What kinds of people are not there that should be? Why should we pay so much attention to building a diverse workforce outside of the apparent avoidance of discrimination claims?

It’s All About Perspective For Your Startup And Diversity 

There couldn’t be a more prominent topic in America these days than racism. That’s not what we are talking about here. Entrepreneurs who are blatantly guilty of racism in their employment practices aren’t going to pay attention to why it’s valuable to have anyway. We’re talking about having focused, purposeful cultivation of a diverse workforce for all the great reasons you should. What are they?

There is a philosophy in Swedish business that should be considered in this topic. In Sweden, companies employ the practice of including all levels on their workforce in decision making. Every day, twice a day, Swedish employees, from the CEO to the maintenance technician, gather for coffee to discuss issues with the company that needs input. No one’s feedback is excluded. What do they have to say about this practice? It’s invaluable for making a positive impact on their business. It creates success both within the walls of the building, and how successful they are with their customers as well. 

No one should ever make the mistake of thinking they know all they need to know about solving all the problems in growing their startup. The most straightforward solutions to the most significant issues could just come out of the mouth of an employee who has never earned an MBA. 

One great reason to focus on building diversity in your workplace is the wealth of perspectives that different kinds of people bring to the table as you wade through growing a business. Understanding how to jump the hurdles that stand in the way of success means employing people with different experiences and backgrounds. 

The Value Of Your Focus On Building A Diverse Workforce 

It’s one thing to put “we care about diversity” on your website and another to write a story about why your startup focuses on diversity and why it’s essential to your business. Customers love a good story, and your success story on building a diverse workforce speaks volumes about your leadership’s character and commitment to success.

Investors also love the idea of working with an entrepreneur who sees the value in building a diverse company. Many of your investors could be from different countries and cultures. Demonstrating a commitment to diversity will resonate well with those with different backgrounds who may be interested in investing in your startup. 

It isn’t just about employing people with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Having a diverse board and leadership team is vital in demonstrating your commitment to diversity. Have you sought out to make your board or leadership team a diverse array of individuals? Why or why not?

Diversity in leadership can mean gender diversity, as well. There is still a lack of female C-level executives in business today and even fewer on executive boards. Focusing on these two areas to build diversity in your startup will speak volumes, and increase innovation creativity in both of these areas. 

Go About Building Diversity At Your Startup The Right Way

There is a right and a wrong way to start to build a diverse workforce at your startup. For one, you need to do it legally. Second, you may want some guidance on how to find diverse candidates for the positions you need to fill.

Did you know that PEOs also help startups like yours with hiring and diversity as part of their Human Resources services? You can count on a PEO to help you with recruiting, hiring, and all other aspects of HR management at your startup. Let’s face it unless your business is providing HR services; chances are there is a lot about it that you have yet to know. Going about HR the wrong way can derail your business fast. A PEO will help you stay compliant with employment law, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Finding a PEO is as simple as working with a PEO broker like PEO Spectrum to quickly help you find one. Just a brief phone call with a PEO Specialist will help you understand which of the 100s of PEOs would best suit your needs. If you are interested in finding out how a PEO could help you build a better workforce at your startup, contact us today for more information.