Partner Article

Report calls for businesses to embrace diversity

Diversity in the workplace is the key to boosting morale and creativity in business, according to a report released this week.

The Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress is calling on more firms to take steps to improve diversity in the workplace to reap the rewards.

Companies who look beyond the “usual suspects” for staff and employ people on the basis of their abilities and potential, regardless of their sex, race, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion can benefit from higher morale and productivity, improved retention rates and lower recruitment costs.

The report, ‘Talent not Tokenism’, shows that promoting diversity does not need to be expensive, complex or a legal minefield for business.

It also makes clear that diversity can be improved through positive action - such as removing bias against older workers, developing strong links with local communities and offering flexible shift patterns to help working parents - not positive discrimination.

Richard Lambert, director-general of the CBI, said: “Employers who take steps to encourage a more diverse workforce notice huge benefits from doing so, whether it is hiring skilled staff, understanding their customers’ needs better or more fundamentally through improved morale and productivity. It does not have to be hard work or legally complex either - simply making the effort to work out your precise needs, reaching out as widely as you can then hiring, training or promoting the best person on merit.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .