Shawnee Love   •  
December 3, 2016

I have spent the last couple weeks talking about diversity in the workplace and upon reflection realized I might be giving the impression that diversity is just about big and obvious stuff like age, gender, race, religion, etc.

However, there is a uniqueness about everyone.  People are snowflakes.  And thus having more than 1 person at work creates a measure of diversity even if we all worship the same, eat the same meats, and like the same bands.

We know from research, that allowing people to be themselves and in fact encouraging people to bring their entire self to work (ideas, opinions, questions, and emotions), generally increases happiness with work on an individual basis.

But to nurture happiness on a company wide scale, you have to do more than tolerate variety.  You must also hire people who are appreciative (and at the very least accepting) of individual differences in all the curious, messy, and creative ways people can be different.  And even if you do a great job of hiring, you aren’t done.  You and the rest of your leaders must continually model and hold your people accountable for being appreciative of the many diversities of our fellow snowflakes.  Come back next week and we will discuss what behaviours demonstrate appreciation for diversity.