Diversity and Profit: How Inclusion Boosts the Bottom Line for Business and Leaders

By: Evan Freeman

In a compelling conversation with renowned speaker and author Kelly McDonald, we delve into the transformative power of diversity within the workplace. Kelly McDonald, a respected authority on consumer trends and demographics, shares insightful strategies on how embracing diversity is not just a moral imperative but a key driver for a company’s financial success. Through her expertise, McDonald elucidates five distinct ways in which increased diversity can significantly bolster a company’s bottom line, ranging from fostering greater innovation and creativity to enhancing risk management. Drawing from her extensive experience and acclaimed publications, including her bestseller How to Work With and Lead People Not Like You, McDonald offers a comprehensive roadmap for businesses aiming to leverage diversity for competitive advantage, underscored by practical leadership practices to cultivate an inclusive and thriving organizational culture.

We asked McDonald to give us some ways increased diversity can help a company’s bottom line. This is what she had to say:

Increased diversity within a company is not only the right thing to do, but also a strategic advantage that can significantly impact the bottom line. The importance of working with and leading people “not like you,” cannot be overstated. Here are five proven ways increased diversity can enhance your company’s financial performance:

1. Greater Innovation and Creativity: Diverse teams bring a variety of perspectives, experiences, and problem-solving approaches. This variety fosters innovative thinking and creativity, leading to the development of new products, services, and solutions that can tap into broader markets and cement customer loyalty and satisfaction. Companies that prioritize diversity are often more agile and better equipped to adapt to changing market demands.
2. Improved Customer Insights and New Customer Acquisition: A workforce that mirrors the diversity of the local or global marketplace can provide important insights into customer needs and preferences across different demographics. This understanding can guide more effective marketing strategies, product development, and customer service approaches, helping companies to reach and retain a wider array of customers.
3. Stronger Team Performance: Research has shown that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones because they examine facts more carefully and are more innovative. By bringing together employees with different backgrounds and skills, companies can leverage their varied strengths, leading to improved problem-solving capabilities and better team performance overall.
4. Attracting and Retaining Talent: A commitment to diversity and inclusion can make a company more attractive to top talent. In today’s competitive job market, professionals often seek out the workplaces that value diversity, equity, and inclusion. In fact, job candidates now say that the most important factor in their job search is “company culture”.  By fostering an inclusive culture, companies can not only attract diverse talent, but also retain it by making all employees feel valued and empowered.
5. Risk Management: Diversity can also serve as a form of risk management. Diverse teams are more likely to identify potential risks and ethical issues from multiple viewpoints, reducing the likelihood of groupthink. This can help companies navigate complex local and global markets with greater sensitivity and awareness, avoiding missteps that could lead to costly legal and reputational damage.

When it comes to working with people “not like you,” Kelly McDonald also shared three of the most critical ways leaders can help their employees to thrive. She said to do the following: 

1. Cultivate an Environment of Empathy and Understanding: Leaders should encourage their teams to practice empathy by trying to understand the perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences of their colleagues. This can involve structured team-building activities, diversity and inclusion training sessions, or facilitated discussions that help employees explore and appreciate the diversity within their team. Empathy leads to better collaboration, as it fosters a deeper understanding and respect for differences.
2. Promote Open and Respectful Communication: Open lines of communication are essential for navigating the complexities of a diverse workplace. Leaders should model and encourage respectful communication, actively listen to diverse viewpoints, and create safe spaces where employees feel comfortable expressing themselves. This also involves teaching employees how to give and receive feedback constructively and how to address misunderstandings or conflicts in a healthy, productive manner.
3. Leverage Diversity as a Strength: Leaders should highlight and leverage the diverse strengths and perspectives within their team. This involves recognizing and valuing the unique contributions each employee brings to the table and finding ways to incorporate these diverse perspectives into collaboration, problem-solving, innovation, and decision-making processes. By showing how different backgrounds and viewpoints can complement each other and drive better outcomes, leaders can motivate their teams to embrace and value diversity.

Kelly McDonald’s insights underscore the undeniable benefits that diversity brings to the corporate world. By embracing a broad spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, leaders can unlock a wealth of innovation, improve customer connections, and foster a dynamic workforce that is both resilient and adaptable. McDonald’s strategies highlight the importance of leadership in cultivating an environment where diversity is seen not as a challenge, but as a valuable asset that drives creativity, performance, and ultimately, financial success. As businesses navigate an increasingly complex global marketplace, the principles shared by McDonald offer a clear path forward. Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion not only enhances a company’s cultural fabric but also solidifies its competitive edge, ensuring sustainability and growth in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Kelly McDonald is an acclaimed speaker who specializes in consumer trends and changing demographics. She is the president of McDonald Marketing and has authored four bestselling books on the customer experience, leadership, and marketing — all from the standpoint of working with people “not like you”.  Her book, How to Work With and Lead People Not Like You has been on two bestseller lists. She lives with her husband in Colorado and in her spare time is learning to play the cello.

Photo Courtesy: Kelly McDonald

Published by: Martin De Juan