The business criticality of inclusion

A disconnect between products and folks products are being built for does seem to manifest itself more in spaces that do not foster diversity and inclusion. The goal of every product shipped is to meet a target audience in an area of need. Every product that aims to be successful will not fly, let alone reach an audience if it is not molded by a team that transcends the myopia that wrecks inclusivity.

If variety is the spice of life, it’s imperative that sour products will constantly be shipped by an organization that lacks the varying perspectives of individuals of different races, cultures, gender identities. Diversity and inclusion is business critical because a product that works as I would imagine is a product that I will always come back to. Trust is built: an often overlooked criteria for customer retention.

Furthermore, it is common practice for companies to run field studies and market surveys to ascertain the viability of a product or service to be rendered. In a company where inclusion is nurtured, the foremost survey is conducted amongst members of staff, driving the pace of experiments up a notch.

While it is not uncommon for companies to train staff being on-boarded on industry best practices, I argue that it will be more valuable to foster a culture that allows for this to manifest more seamlessly. Empathy should be a driver. For only by embracing it can one have a much wider reach in the market. While the acceptability of a standpoint that supports a certain race in an organization can be evangelized, grooming a culture to harness the value that inclusivity brings is a no brainer.