Uzair bin Farid

Businesses with a strong culture of diversity and inclusion have higher success ratio in the long-term, said a renowned expert. “Inclusion and diversity can be ensured through a top-down process. It is the responsibility of leaders in any business organisation to include as many people from diverse backgrounds as possible into the decision-making fold,” said Dr Rassheeda Watts, advocate of diversity and inclusion based in Northampton, United States, while speaking during “Diversity, Inclusion and Leadership Talks” at the National Science and Technology Park in the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad.

Dr Rassheeda said that the main indicator of diversity and inclusion in an organisation is whether people feel they are heard or not. “Listening is not the only way to ensure diversity and inclusion. Organisational leaders must ensure that any suggestions, queries and grievances that people might have, must be acted upon by the leadership of that organisation for full effect,” she said.

Talking about strategies, she said that diversity and inclusion in any business organisation are not achieved easily in a short span of time. She insisted that patience and organising into affinity groups are the essential first steps to start the process of diversity and inclusion.

Dr Rassheeda said that it is very important to find like-minded people in an organisation who believe in the same principles as the other colleagues may do. “Then the process of communication starts in which the goals, strategies and principles of the group are articulated to find more like-minded people,” she said.

“Then one has to form affinity groups. Affinity groups are comprised of people who share the same goals, principles and who share the same ideals. These affinity groups then have to present their demands and the changes they want to see in their organisation,” she said.

“In this way, the process of change starts which results in a more inclusive and diverse environment of any business organisation,” she added. She said diversity and inclusion are important since they ensure that ideas are shared and heard from people with different backgrounds and experiences.

Dr Rassheeda also emphasised that diversity and inclusion should be ensured across racial, ethnic, religious, gender and any other social-group boundaries, adding that Google is well-poised to sustain itself in the future as a successful organisation because of its diversity and inclusive culture.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk