Diversity and equality in the workplace is driven from the top.
Welcome to Northern Insight’s third article about diversity and why it’s not only the right thing do when it comes to business…it also the right thing to do for driving your business forward.
North East based Executive Search company Castle Peak Group, led by CEO James Carss, has one major aim when it comes to finding candidates to fill a senior vacancy. They try to ensure that a company’s board of directors and senior executives are as diverse as possible. James also has a keen eye to ensure equality and inclusivity. This is not some sort of ideological mission that James has undertaken…he’s doing what he knows works best for a business…and he’s been doing it for 20 years.
“Diversity and equality at senior levels makes a massive difference to how a company performs”, said James. “Get it right and that company can flourish. A diverse board or team of executives from different backgrounds brings a wealth of experiences together which can lead to better decision making.”
In other words, if you have a business and you employ people, or you are someone at a senior level within a company, this research is something you need to read.
However, even though directors and executives are seen as being the company leaders and are the people that a workforce can look up to as setting a good example, there needs to be a trickle-down effect.
“The culture of change within any company is always driven from the top,” adds James, “but there is no point in senior people sitting in a boardroom, patting themselves on the back and saying how diverse and equal they are. Our research showed that these principles need to be reflected further down the company structure. For example, operational managers are fundamental to delivering equality, diversity and inclusion within any business because they’re the ones who are the bridgehead between the strategic and the corporate, and the very operational frontline stuff.
“And it doesn’t end within the four walls of a company. The workforce and customers are often influenced by the sort of people that the company associates with elsewhere, into the supply chain and external consultants. Many contributors to our research spoke of the value of working with trusted partners to ensure diversity and inclusion efforts were strong and kept on track for the long term. Many were very honest about their EDI assessment, feeling that they were doing well on gender and ethnicity, but less well on disability or socio-economic background. One positive note to take from that response is how the business realises more work needs to be done.”
Nobody promises that this is easy…but Castle Peake Group can help. They work closely with their trusted partner, Positive About Inclusion. The Tyneside-based company’s work includes training for board and exec teams, culture diagnostics which can help organisations understand topics like authenticity and equality impact in their work, and work with stakeholders to help them be actively involved in diversity and inclusion efforts. There are further details on their website www.positiveaboutinclusion.com
If you’d like information on how to take your business forward via proper recruitment or would like Castle Peak Group to help with your recruitment plans, contact James Carss directly on 07802 531040 or emailing info@castlepeak-group.com
You’ll also read about the research and what Castle Peak Group can do for you by logging on to www.castlepeak-group.com