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Embrace the Business Imperative of Diversity

Winning the ’20s

Who’ll win the ’20s? Companies that excel at innovation and rebound from shocks. Diversity in the workplace—in gender, race, work experience, age, education, cultural background, problem-solving style—confers these vital advantages.

To achieve these benefits of diversity in the workplace, executives and managers must understand the link between diversity, innovativeness, and resilience. What’s more, they have to deploy best practices for leading a diverse workforce, while crafting a company culture that lets diversity thrive.

Diversity Boosts Companies’ Financial Performance

Discover more about the business imperative of diversity

Understand How Diversity Fuels Innovation and Resilience

Diversity in the workplace supercharges companies’ innovation prowess—vital for success in the new decade. How? People with multifaceted backgrounds and experiences contribute a wider range of ideas and options—making it easier to craft winning offerings that accelerate growth. Diversity fosters resilience, too. With a broad array of perspectives, people can adapt to and bounce back quickly from unexpected shocks.

How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation

Master Best Practices for Leading a Diverse Workforce

Merely launching new programs isn’t enough for companies to capture the benefits of diversity in the workplace. Leaders must actively unlock the potential inherent in the varied perspectives and backgrounds embodied in their company’s workforce. That means understanding and avoiding common pitfalls that can limit the power of diversity programs.

Recruiting for a Successful Future

Don’t keep recruiting the same kind of people, who look just like you, warns Miki Tsusaka. Diversity makes for better outcomes.

The Disconnect on Diversity

Too many programs aimed at building diversity in the workplace fall short because senior leaders don’t understand diverse employees’ experiences—including obstacles that different groups encounter. Here’s how to avoid that mistake.

“To successfully capture the benefits of diversity in the workplace, companies need true leadership commitment—which is much more than superficial words or platitudes.”

Craft a Company Culture That Lets Diversity Thrive

Companies that incorporate diversity, in all its many forms, in their workforce can’t stop there. To reap all the benefits of diversity in the workplace, they must also foster an inclusive organizational culture that allows diversity to thrive. That means making everyone feel welcome, supported, and part of a community characterized by open communication.

Dispelling the Myths of the Gender “Ambition Gap”

In too many organizations, women don’t step off the leadership track so much as they’re pushed off—by negative corporate cultures. By applying these best practices for leading a diverse workforce, CEOs can help their companies avoid this mistake.

Making the Workplace Work for Dual-Career Couples

As employees share more family responsibilities, companies will have to support dual-career couples if they hope to retain valued talent. Four initiatives provide a roadmap for doing so.

Diversity Is Just the First Step. Inclusion Comes Next.

Winning the ’20s

How should leaders prepare their companies to thrive in the new decade?

What will it take to win the ’20s?

Industry Spotlights

Companies in a range of industries can benefit by building diversity, in all its forms, into their workforces. Those that invest in the effort will not only meet a moral imperative, they’ll also create measurable new business value.

Closing the Gender Gap in Sales Leadership

To retain their best performers, companies will need to rethink hiring, change how work gets done, encourage sponsorship of women, and publicize the actions they’re taking to improve equity.

The Surprising Power of LGBT+ Inclusion in Emerging Markets

GDP growth and LGBT+ inclusion go hand-in-hand. The evidence is gradually building that countries, companies, and individuals are more productive when LGBT+ people feel included.

Women Dominate Health Care—Just Not in the Executive Suite

Although women make up the majority of health care employees, men still dominate the corner office. Here are six ways to give women a fair shot at the top.

How Women Can Help Close the Talent Gap in Aerospace and Defense

Despite some high-profile female executives, the A&D workforce is still largely male. With growth looming and companies struggling to fill key roles, that needs to change.

Why Diversity and Resilience Are Vital for Success in the Coming Decade

How to build the diverse, resilient workforce that will fuel your organization's innovation engine? BCG’s Miki Tsusaka and Christian Greiser recommend three tactics for capitalizing on diversity in the workplace.

Two Groups You Cannot Ignore in the War for Talent

As career paths become less linear and people change jobs more often, diversity in the workplace will grow even richer. To benefit from employees’ diverse experiences, companies must actively recruit former employees and people re-entering the workforce.

Explore other imperatives for winning the ’20s

Master the New Logic of Competition

Design the Company of the Future

Apply the Science of Organizational Change

Optimize for Both Social and Business Value

Back to Winning the ’20s overview