How to benefit from diversity in the workplace

Diversity in the workplace provides opportunities as it leads to broader perspectives on business models and solutions, although it can also present challenges for companies.

Lyndy van den Barselaar, the MD of workforce solutions provider Manpower South Africa, said: "Diversity in the workplace means having employees from different cultures, races, genders, ages, income levels and other defining traits, which is highly recommended in the modern business environment."

However, she added, people would always have conflicting opinions and could wish to voice these freely, even in the workplace, making it important for managers to manage situations to prevent negative outcomes.

Van den Barselaar had the following advice:

Set out clear guidelines for employees on how to deal with conflict in the workplace;

A major contributor to conflict is poor communication, so companies need to ensure employees are culturally aware and tolerant of differences to encourage open discussions of their different viewpoints rather than avoiding communication or creating conflict;

Management should try to keep an open-door policy. It is important to be open with your employees so they feel comfortable enough to go to management or human resources with questions or concerns about issues and possible negative situations; and

It is important not to rest on your laurels because diversity training and creating a co-operative culture require ongoing effort from management and/or human resources.