Exposure to Diversity Makes You a Valuable Employee

For modern-day companies, diversity may be a necessity and the ability to work with many different people in many different situations may just be a given on the job.

We all like to stay in our comfort zone. It is relaxing to be able to hang out with people who are like us and if you live in a small community, finding people who are different can be especially challenging. You might have fallen into a rut, however, that can be detrimental to your career. Embracing diversity and allowing yourself to have friends and acquaintances from various walks of life will not only broaden your mind, but it will give you all sorts of every day skills that can be used on the job. You will also develop an increased understanding of various cultures, lifestyles and points of view and this can make you not only a better coworker, but also management and supervisory material.

Look for ways to expand your friend base if you find you are constantly hanging out with individuals who come from the same neighborhood, church affiliation, socio-economic strata, gender, or race. The more you can mix things up by participating in events, social activities and conversations with a diverse group of people, the more capable you will become at communication and working as part of a team. Of course, it is imperative to have an open mind and work on any prejudices and bigotry that might arise by expanding your interactions. Otherwise, you will likely NOT benefit from the positive opportunities of all the diversity.

Where can you go to expand your opportunities to experience diversity? Consider attending a different church or at least visiting different ones periodically. Travel can also be a great way to create more diversity in one's life. Take a class or attend lectures on various topics (including politics, race issues, gender issues, etc.) that will attract a diverse population. Consider cultural festivals and workshops that are available in your community as a great way to expose yourself to diversity. 

By Kori Rodley Irons
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