Why is DEI Important and its Impact on Employee Retention and Recruitment

Exhibiting sound ethical and cultural practices significantly influences an employer’s recruitment and retention efforts. Why is DEI important and its impact on employee retention and recruitment.

Why is DEI Important?

Diversity, equity and inclusion are three pillars that, when taken together, add up to a more just and equitable workplace. The most forward-thinking companies will invest time and resources in all three and ensure they work in harmony.

There are various values that workers and job seekers expect their employers to support today, and high on their list is a strong focus on DEI. People want to feel genuinely welcomed, valued and comfortable at work. They want a collaborative and welcoming culture that respects all viewpoints.

Ensuring DEI is part of your workplace culture is not only the right thing to do, but given the degree to which professionals feel that it is important for their company to support DEI, it should be at the heart of your employee retention and recruitment strategy. 

From a recruitment aspect, It can help you expand the pool of candidates who want to work at your company. Also, hiring people with different perspectives on business issues can make your company more innovative and customer-centric.

On the flip side, making DEI an important part of your organization has also proven to have an impact on employee retention. 

These days you rarely hear the phrase, “It’s just a job”. Workers now use terms like “purpose,” “meaning” and “connection” when describing their ideal role and employer. They’re driven not only by financial incentives these days, but also by values — and they want the companies they work for to reflect those values.

Failure to meet these expectations can make employee retention and recruitment more difficult for employers. In a recent Robert Half survey, 71% of workers said they’d leave an organization whose values do not align with their own.

DEI has become increasingly important and crucial for the health, productivity and success of an organization from a business and a human standpoint. Diverse and inclusive teams are more creative and engaged, make better decisions and produce better results. And DEI’s role in building a positive workplace culture is undeniable.

Putting DEI at the heart of your employee retention recruitment strategy is a critical step toward creating a welcoming workplace. Best of all, it’s a virtuous circle — the closer you get to your DEI goals, the more likely you are to retain and attract talented, values-driven employees from all backgrounds. Doing the right thing has rarely made more business sense.

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