Diversity’s Benefits

Diverse Facets of Diversity

Diverse facets of diversity are essential and valuable in their own right. Diversity, according to William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of population studies at the University of Michigan, creates many opportunities for the United States. Individuals vary in terms of gender, sex, color, nationality, sexual identity, social class, size, physical skills, religious convictions, and political views. It is enormously valuable to accept and celebrate the rich aspects of diversity that each person possesses. Education, ethnic, and religious diversity provide individuals with an opportunity to see something other than the norm. Diversity is very important in the global market. In businesses, diversity inclusion brings different talents working together towards a common goal. By using these different skills and talents, productivity in the business increases. With so many diverse minds coming together, many solutions arise as every individual brings in their way of thinking, solving problems, and decision making. In business, diversity also helps enhance communication skills that bring in new attitudes and processes that benefit the whole team. Through relating to people with different backgrounds, a better market insight, new solutions to difficult problems, and stronger customer and community loyalty are achieved.

Workforce Diversity

People of color make about 36% of the workforce. They make the workforce diversified and this diversity in the workforce fosters innovation and competitiveness in businesses. Companies such as Coca-Cola, Intel, Johnson and Johnson, among others came out in support of race-based admission policies because they agree that diversity is good for the bottom line. Communities of color are tomorrow’s leaders and we need to better our future workforce. Education diversity encourages collaboration and fosters innovation, thereby benefiting all students. In 2009, 17% of African Americans, 13% of Hispanics, and 28% of Americans had a four-year degree according to the United States census bureau, hence a diversified race. Increased racial diversity positively affects students both socially and academically, ranging from higher levels of academic achievement to the improvement of nearby and long-term intergroup relations.

Political Diversity

In addition, a government for, by, and of the people should include a variety of voices. Political diversity ensures that a large number of people are heard and they can be served with different needs especially the disabled and the elderly. A single sex or single race government cannot work efficiently. Other sexes, ethnicities, and races bring different ways of looking at an issue. Diversity in politics ensures that an issue is not examined at one narrow point of view. Effective politicians do not come from one particular group. Encouraging people to participate in politics draws on a larger pool of candidates, hence increases the chance that the very best will take office. Moreover, in politics, diverse backgrounds, passions, and skills are advantageous where different issues and constituencies often call for different measures of communication. Diverse political leaders help focus attention on smaller policy areas, which is advantageous because focusing on one policy area can be harmful.

Economic Development and Growth

Nevertheless, the United States has a diversified population with a large proportion of immigrants, of visible minorities, and a vast number of different ethnicities. While diversity is important for many reasons, it exerts a strong impact on economic development and growth. Population diversity increases the ability to attract talented and creative people and foster innovation and regional growth. Different and complementary skills in the production process increase productivity. The United States is multicultural with individuals from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds (Frey). Neighborhood diversity provides a range of uses within close proximity such as housing, businesses, shops, community interactions, civic engagement, and economic activity. Neighborhood diversity is therefore beneficial as it leads to increased sense of belonging. The importance of diversity in building a sustainable and prosperous community has influenced urban planning practice in many cities thus economic development.

Cultural Diversity

On the other hand, our country consists of various cultural, ethnic, and racial groups. People differ in opinions, race, gender, sex, nationality, class, religion, lifestyle, and so much more. Diversity in their cultures creates richness in opinion. Some problems cannot be solved by homogeneous groups of people; some complexities also require the input of people from different cultural backgrounds. Cultural diversity makes people compassionate about others because when they understand them, they do not judge them. Through cultural diversity, entrepreneurs have been able to reach new markets, hence creating employment opportunities for people worldwide.

Diversity in Healthcare

In healthcare, diversity matters. Patients’ opinions are surveyed for humanistic and medical reasons. At the hospitals and health authorities, public engagement and participation are sought because it helps inform decision making and provides legitimacy, credibility, transparency, accountability to the process, and promotes partnership and trust. In most hospitals, good governance is expected. It is done through consultation and collaborative efforts, for instance, whenever confronted with difficult resource allocation or disinvestment decisions, broad participation from managers and clinicians at all levels is often the most effective approach. Minority healthcare workers reach out to provide services to minorities in the community and to advocate on their behalf. Situations where there is commonality between patient and practitioner communications, decision making, and adherence improve. A diverse healthcare workforce provides role models for young people in minority communities. Diversity in race, ethnic and language among clinicians helps improve the probability that minority patients will see a clinician from their own race or ethnic group, hence improving the quality of communication, comfort level, and trust between the patient and the clinician.

Religious Diversity

In the world, religious diversities exist in most relationship-oriented sectors such as business, education, government, and human services. Religious diversities include differences in religious calendars and sacred times such as weekly times of worship and the annual holy days. There are also diversities in the sacred language of each religion. In the United States under the First Amendment, people are allowed to practice their religious beliefs despite differences in creed or culture. Children from all different religions attend schools; therefore, they must understand the world’s religions. Religious diversity is inevitable, beneficial, and necessary in human development. Appreciative understanding of religious diversities promotes a process of mutual transformation. It also helps minimize or eliminate negative consequences of fear, hostility, divisiveness, and prejudice, hence very beneficial.

Beyond Benefits

Among other benefits of diversity, education, cultural, political, and religious diversities increase organizational productivity and reduce discrimination. In this paper, it is noted that diversity also leads to the world’s economic development. Nonetheless, ethnic diversity, cultural multiplicity, and multiple viewpoints bring vibrancy to workplaces. Diversity is therefore important because it provides one with a richer life experience and a new perspective when he or she hears about others’ experiences.

Work cited

Frey, William H. “Diversity is an opportunity, not a threat, for America.” 29 March 2016. CNN. 21 February 2017 .