Diversity is what is commonly looked for in a learning environment as it is in the workplace. We want to be in an organization where we can see progress, change, and inclusion in what they do as individuals and together. We seek to be in an environment that will grant us opportunities for growth and understanding which is given when there is diversity.
It is a common word used to describe some workplaces and to lure applicants to apply to work in their organization. So why is it essential to have? Find out how we can benefit from diversity.
Importance of Diversity
Diversity is defined as being composed of different elements, in this case, we are referring to the inclusion of different cultures in a group or organization that is important to have. Why? Recognizing and having diversity in a workplace and educational environment fosters a learning experience that allows more depth and understanding.
Diversity has something to offer you as a student and worker; you can benefit from. It provides an opportunity to broaden your learning experience and collaboration with one another and how it happens. Let us begin with an educational environment and how having diversity in learning atmosphere can be beneficial; I mean we all start as a student.
Learning Environment:
What fruitful experiences can diversity bring to our education and growth both academically and personally? Many, however, that is very dependent on how it’s acknowledged and the factors we consider into place when we think of diversity. The word alone is a broad term that expands beyond the racial and cultural differences which involve their customs, social and economic background, and gender. All factors play into working and learning better together. What can you expect to see?
- Equality – equal chances in access to material, curriculum, and chances at succeeding. It gives educators the opportunity of seeing each of their students as individuals.
- Safety – when educators recognize and reflect the diversity of the students, they create an atmosphere where they learn about each others difference but are comfortable with them.
- Promotes growth and reflection – listening and learning from others different from other can help enhance our understanding and conversation.
- Preparation – as students, we learn to collaborate and communicate with people of different cultures which serves us as preparation for a workforce that is slowly becoming more diverse than before.
- Promotes concentration and creativity among each other.
Work Environment:
Just as it is important to have diversity in a learning environment, the same can be said for the workplace. Having cultural diversity in the workforce is beneficial to the employees and the business. It’s an effort which is slowly growing to include more diversity in places we work which help progress and move us forward as professionals and individuals. Expect to see these benefits when we include diversity in the work environment of our employees.
- Increase Productivity – productivity increases as more diverse talents come together to produce a common goal while they learn and gain new skills and perspectives from one another.
- Promotes Creativity – since we are most likely to learn about others experiences and gain new perspectives, we are opening ourselves to new possible solutions to problems.
- Engagement – diversity among your teams, increases employee engagement where they can build a trust foundation among them and create a work culture.
- Decrease Turnover – more and more employees are searching to work in an organization where there is diversity since it usually indicates progress.
- Build a Reputation – company reputation is a critical factor to both the consumer and the employee. Diversity encourages employees to apply for your organization and promote loyalty among your consumers.
Aiming to have diversity in the workplace fosters new opportunities for both you and employees as they learn and understand each other. When we create foundations among each other, we are more likely to come together to aim for a common goal while increasing our productivity and motivation.
Why We Value Diversity In Our Program
At The Core Foundation, we value and aim to have a diverse group of students come into our programs to learn about dentistry but also for us to learn from them. Since our class sizes are small, we can create a close-knit culture of students. We have students that come from different cultural backgrounds that add to the experience of becoming a dental assistant.
How? As we learn about the anatomy of our mouth, we are also gaining skills and perspectives on how to communicate with other cultures without offending or misunderstanding each other. Each culture and customs are different, and we need to be able to pick up on the social cues to comprehend each other and communicate effectively. In our program, diversity comes in many forms, and they grant us learning experiences we can apply to our profession since we will be dealing with a variety of people.
How language Adds To The Diversity
Language is a contributing to diversity that requires the same attention and understanding as cultural diversity and other factors adding to it. Language is the way we communicate, express ourselves, and is a building block to creating relationships with others. Being able to communicate in the same language helps break down divisions and understand one another.
When you know and learn a new language, you also understand their culture, customs, and way of speaking. So, when the time comes to talk in the same language, you know how to do so. Knowing more than one language makes you a great asset where you are more likely to earn a bit more because you can communicate with more people.
At The Core Foundation and in the clinics our students fulfill their internship hours, we encourage and promote diversity among our employees and students. We found that it increases engagement among each other and learning opportunities. We gain new perspectives from our students and see how it shapes them to serve their patients better.