Diversity in the workplace is one of those paradoxical subjects that is so important to discuss yet, at the same time, you wonder why it needs to be discussed at all. Why is diversity something that needs to be promoted rather than something that is already so commonplace that it is a non-issue? How do you embrace diversity in the workplace?
For the hospitality industry, little by little, we’ll get there. But for those of us working at HMG Hospitality, diversity is already a non-issue. It’s truly very simple: we don’t regard gender, ethnicity, or age at all. Regardless of what any long-held societal constructs might say, these qualities have no effect on a person’s merit. It would be like caring about the hair color or height of our employees–just silly!
We mean it: take a look at our executives, managers, directors, and other staff members and you’ll find women and men of various backgrounds and ages. Why is it so important to embrace diversity? We know that our diverse workforce drives our success. Keep reading to learn why.
A broader collective perspective brings fresh ideas and happier customers.
While ethnicity, gender, and age don’t affect merit, they do contribute to a person’s life experience. Each member of a team brings with them a whole world of experiences and a unique perspective, which means fresh ideas and solutions that likely won’t come about if everyone in the room has a similar story. Sometimes that one unique perspective on an issue can be the ticket to a great solution that brings more success and growth than anything else. Everyone contributes to the team’s collective knowledge, and the broader and richer that knowledge is, the better!
This broader perspective is felt in interactions with customers, too. Because customers come from all backgrounds, they will appreciate an establishment that relates to and honors that, which will result in greater customer satisfaction.
Embrace diversity to create happy workforce that more productive, efficient, and loyal.
Any curmudgeon business owners out there who still don’t see the connection between employee satisfaction and the success of your organization–it’s time to open up to this idea and see what happens.
When you are valued, recognized, and promoted for your merit–very much regardless of your ethnicity, gender, or age–you’re a happier employee. You believe in the company that believes in you, and it drives you to work hard, be productive, and contribute your best effort.
Your employees are your greatest money-making asset, so treat them that way and watch your success grow.
Superstar talent helps take your business to the top.
We all hold preconceived ideas about ethnicity, gender, and age that society as a whole (our families and friends, communities, the media, and so on) have contributed to. But we can all work to consciously remove those preconceived ideas and see a person for who they really are as a unique, valuable individual. Forgetting those preconceptions and focusing on someone’s talents, strengths, and potential enables you to put the absolute best people in the right positions. And when you have the best person for the job doing the job, your business is open to much more success and growth.
It’s beautifully simple and true. Diversity in the workplace means success in the workplace. Luckily, it’s very easy. Creating a diverse workplace starts with turning a blind eye to anything that doesn’t affect someone’s merit–ethnicity, gender, age, and other background details–when hiring and promoting teammates in your hotel. Diversity policies and initiatives are great, but this must happen on the individual level within all of us for an authentic difference to be felt.
Interested in learning more about how to embrace diversity in the hospitality industry? Contact us to find out how we can help your property.
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