The importance of diversity in the workplace is a popular topic right now. However, many organizations approach diversity from a narrow perspective and only consider race and gender.
To be clear, racial diversity and gender diversity are clearly very important, and many organizations still have a lot of room for improvement in these areas. However, there are other factors that also need to be addressed if you want to build a truly diverse company. This article features five types of workplace diversity in addition to race and gender.
1. Ethnic Diversity
While often lumped together, race and ethnicity are not the same. Race is determined by biology. Ethnicity is learned through culture, customs, language, location, and other environmental factors.
For example, consider a man who grows up in the U.S. but whose family is originally from China. This man would likely consider his race to be “Chinese” or “Asian,” yet he would likely consider his ethnicity to be “American” if he doesn’t follow the customs of his Chinese ancestors.
2. Age Diversity
Age is a unique variable since it is constantly changing for everyone. For the first time in history, there are five generations in the workplace right now:
- Generation Z (those born between 1997-2012)
- Millennials or Generation Y (those born between 1981-1996)
- Generation X (those born between 1965-1980)
- Boomers (those born between 1946-1980)
- Traditionalists (those born between 1928 and 1945)
3. Work Experience Diversity
In addition to the total number of years of work experience that someone has (which is very closely linked to someone’s age), someone’s work experience includes:
- Prior industry experience
- Prior functional experience
- Past employers
- Regions/countries where someone has worked
4. Educational Diversity
In addition to the actual degrees and certifications that someone has completed, someone’s educational background includes:
- The types of schools where someone has studied
- The regions/countries where someone has studied
- The subjects that someone has studied
5. Geographical Diversity
Geographical location includes where someone has previously lived and/or worked. As noted above, this often shapes someone’s ethnicity.
Improving Diversity in the Workplace
Many companies have hiring practices that make it difficult or impossible to build a truly diverse workforce. For example, consider a company that only hires people with Ivy League pedigrees. As another example, consider a company that only hires people who have previously worked in a niche industry.
In order to improve your company’s diversity in any area (race, gender, ethnicity, age, work experience, education, geography, or anything else), your company will likely need to adjust its hiring practices and look in some new talent pools.
P.S. Looking for more help with your company’s executive recruiting efforts?
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About the author: As the Founder of Stronger Talent, Pete Leibman recruits exceptional leaders for innovative sports, fitness, and wellness companies. Throughout his career, Pete has helped clients recruit exceptional leaders at the Board, C-Suite, Senior Vice President, Vice President, General Manager, Managing Director, and Director levels. Pete’s work has been featured on Fox News, CBS Radio, and Fortune.com, and he is the author of two books and over 250 articles on career management, peak performance, and executive recruiting.
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