A more inclusive workplace not only brings in a wider number of viewpoints, which can advance productivity, but customer perceptions of a company can also improve as more people see themselves represented in the company's workforce. (Credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstok.com) A more inclusive workplace not only brings in a wider number of viewpoints, but customer perceptions of a company can also improve as more people see themselves represented in the workforce. (Credit: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstok.com)

One of the many outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic is that many people are reconsidering their careers, taking time to think about their priorities and re-train and up-skill in new areas, with a view to changing their path.

As a business owner, this could be a fantastic opportunity to diversify your team, bringing in new perspectives by recruiting from a broad range of backgrounds and industry sectors. It's all too easy to hire within your comfort zone, believing that having a cohesive team means one with similar viewpoints and lifestyles who will bond better in the workplace as a result of their shared experience. But studies have shown that diverse businesses are 35% more likely to financially outperform their industry's national average.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader

Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor