Diversity as a strategy
April 22, 2010 by Henrik Martin · Leave a Comment
Some people see diversity as something of a societal goal. They might be right, but from an organizational perspective they are missing the point.
Diversity is a competitive advantage. As the world is becoming increasingly globalized, customer demographics change rapidly. And new technology gives greater customer power. Companies simply cannot afford to ignore minorities any more.
Consider the U.S.: in 2008, minorities made up 1/3 of the population. And if you look at the growth rates, in 30 years time the minorities will actually be the majority.
To capture the potential of this, why not start with a diverse work place?
In Sweden, on the other hand, organizations simply must be successful with their strategies for diversity. Only by looking at the demographics of the retiring baby-boomer generation and the quite small generation that is now entering the work-force, it becomes evident that Swedish companies must look beyond employing people with viking helmets only.
How to attract, develop and retain people with diverse background has become imperative. What is your strategy?
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