A word from our Founder:
Diversity. It’s a buzzword these days. Kind of like how the word “organic” gets used for anything with the appearance of being “real”. But diversity is serious business. We’re not talking about kale here, we’re talking about human beings and the importance of celebrating differences. I’m so confused and honestly disappointed in major corporations like Sephora and Starbucks that design diversity training programs only in response to discriminatory behavior that generates negative social media or publicity. We’ve all seen what the country-club mentality gets us, so why are so many companies arriving late to the game? Does embracing diverse work environments change company culture? Yes. Duh. But for the best!
For many people when they think diversity, race is the first thing that comes to mind. But that’s only scratching the surface. A company rich in diversity welcomes employees from all ethnicities, genders, religions, cultural backgrounds, economic status and uses those differences to their benefits. The advantage is that no two people think exactly alike and, guess what, customers don’t always think alike either.
The disadvantage is treating diversity like an afterthought. It blows my mind that companies still operate with the “good ole boy” culture (eye roll). The hard truth is that the future is bold. It’s mixed. Including bi-racial, foreigner and transgender individuals, young geniuses and even gangsters turned businessmen. That combination may sound like the sequel to Suicide Squad or the next Marvel movie to you, but to me it sounds like a committee I’d like to be a part of.
But why are so many of us ill-prepared to handle interactions with people that are different? Shouldn’t we be used to it by now? Seriously. People are being mistreated in retail stores (where they’re purchasing) simply for being of color or transgender! In 2019! The moral of this story, diversify your team. Properly train your team to handle clients from all walks of life. Have you been homeless? Most of us probably haven’t. But try hiring someone who has been homeless at one point and see the tremendous value they bring on patience, understanding and humility. Diversity is not just about color, it’s about mentality. So get your mind right and get on board.
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