Facts about inclusion in the workplace
Diversity is a significant asset, and there are many benefits to creating a more inclusive workplace. Here are a few.
Increased productivity
A more diverse team, working in an inclusive environment, is:
- More innovative
- More involved
- More engaged (makes more of an effort)
- More likely to recommend their employer
- More loyal (stays with the same company for longer)
- Available more often (takes less sick leave and other time off work)
- And works better as a team
According to a study by Deloitte,9 when employees feel included and believe that their organization cares about diversity, their capacity for innovation increases by 83%, and their ability to work as a team increases by 42%. These employees are also twice as committed to the company (more likely to stay with the company, put in extra effort and recommend their employer to others). The same study showed that the more included an employee feels, the more likely they are to be present at work (thereby cutting costs associated with absenteeism) and to get a better performance evaluation.
Higher employee retention
One out of four LGBTQ+10 people have stayed in the same job primarily because their workplace was very inclusive.11 On the other hand, 15% of LGBTQ+ people said they have quit a job before because the environment was not very inclusive, and another 21% thought about it.12
Improved customer reach
Seventy-eight percent of LGBTQ+ adults and their friends, families and relatives would be willing to switch from their current brand to a brand that is known for being “LGBTQ+-friendly”.13 Considering that approximately 1/10 of the population is LGBTQ+,14 they, along with their loved ones, represent a substantial portion of the population!
Work teams that include at least one person from the same demographic group as their target audience are 158% more likely to understand their customer base.15
9. Waiter, is that inclusion in my soup? A new recipe to improve business performance, Deloitte & Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission, 2013
10. Different organizations use different acronyms. In this guide, we have used the acronym LGBTQ+. However, when citing studies or the work of other organizations, we use the acronym they choose to use themselves.
11. Workplace Divided, Human Rights Campaign, 2018
12. Étude sur le harcèlement en milieu de travail, Léger Marketing for Fondation Émergence, 2021
13. Community Marketing Inc., 2016
14. The average of self-declared LGBTQ+ people in Canada in surveys by Léger Marketing for Fondation Émergence in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2021 is 12.75%
15. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Melinda Marshall, Laura Sherbin, and Tara Gonsalves, Innovation, 15 Diversity, and Market Growth (Center for Talent Innovation, 2013
Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company.