Diversity in Innovation: Creating an Inclusive Culture

Start by diversifying the workforce

Before focusing on crowd diversity, business owners should establish a diverse workforce. It is shown that 59% of company executives aren’t sure they have the right people needed to deliver high-quality innovation, which is why successful recruitment drives are vital. People of different ages, cultures, education levels, ethnic backgrounds, experience levels, genders, races, and skill sets will serve you well. Diversification in management is equally crucial.

Make innovation accessible

Despite having capable innovators and intrapreneurs in their workforce, many businesses fail to provide a platform for employees at all levels to share their ideas. This lack of inclusivity can hinder innovation and stifle growth within the company. Innovation tools such as KICKBOX have the potential to revolutionize the landscape of corporate innovation by promoting accessibility and enabling the establishment of a company-wide innovation program. Implenia is just one organization that has seen the benefits of fostering intrapreneurship across the board. When employees are given the tools and freedom to  innovate, they will.

Be openly vulnerable

Creating an inclusive culture that values transparency, vulnerability, and psychological safety, empowers employees to contribute their unique perspectives and ideas. When your company is fortunate enough to have a diverse workforce, it must be ready to ask employees for their opinions and actually listen. Honest reflections are the first step towards change. Accepting failure as another necessary vulnerability is also vital, not least because even the most well-known companies face setbacks on the path to success. Psychological safety is vital.

Relate new perspectives to the business model

When promoting diverse innovation, you must not abandon the core business model. All employees should have a clear understanding of contextuality, viability, and feasibility. Still, you should not restrict new perspectives to the existing innovations. In fact, the direct challenges that your intrapreneurs face can be the source of new innovations.

Actively highlight the desire for innovation

It is shown that two-in-three companies cite innovation as a vital feature of their ongoing success. However, employees won’t innovate if there is no incentive. So, it’s imperative that you make innovation a clear priority and a part of your DNA. Likewise, you must reward all innovations and contributors, not least because it also removes the threat of employees feeling unappreciated. Encouraging employees to innovate whenever they feel inspired can also be incredibly helpful.

Gain perspectives from beyond your team

Creating a more inclusive culture within your team will transform your approach to innovation. However, you can take your out-of-the-box thinking to new levels by gaining new perspectives. The NASCAR Fan Council shows how you can utilize the passion of brand advocates to unlock new innovations. Meanwhile, the KICKBOX ecosystem allows you to leverage success from the collective knowledge of a variety of businesses.