In the Workplace, Diversity Matters!

I recently spoke at a business forum about managing diversity in the workplace. The benefits of diversity are obvious to me each day when I come to work, and see all of the talented people who are contributing to the success of the Murthy Law Firm – talented people from all over the world, of different ages, races, religions, ethnic backgrounds, and so on. This is not by accident. Our law firm is a kind of intentional community. We have made a conscious decision to embrace diversity, not only because we serve a diverse client base that spans the world; not only because we do a better job for our clients by working side by side as a team; but because we spend so much of our lives at work, and want to have a harmonious environment where everyone is valued for their contribution, not judged on external factors.

As my co-panelist, Joni Daniels, noted at the business forum, diversity means recognizing the uniqueness of each individual, and the particular gifts and strengths each person brings to the table. It also means taking an honest look at whether company policies are welcoming of diversity.

I added that diversity includes a sense of feeling needed, and said:

“It’s important to make your workers feel valued. It’s more than just making them feel welcome and respected, but that we, as an organization, need you to help us achieve our goals. We need your unique perspective and talents. It really does bring a unique flavor to your decision making and your goals, and you’ll see that reflected in your success and reputation.”

Well said, if I do say so myself!

If you’d like to read more about this forum, go to https://www.murthy.com/pdf/2009Oct22_MD_Chamber.pdf (PDF 212KB).