Religious diversity is an often overlooked aspect of DEI. However, a new piece from Harvard Business Review highlights benefits of meaningful religious diversity in the workplace. The article argues that employers should stop seeing religion as a risk and start thinking about opportunities it can bring.
A key part is setting guidelines for how religion should be discussed in the workplace so that both religious and non-religious employees feel respected. When done properly, discussions of religion and religious diversity training can lead to improved religious literacy within your organization. Understanding beliefs and practices of other religions can lead to a more cohesive office environment and to unique business opportunities.
A work culture that embraces religious diversity enhances cohesion and a better work environment within an organization. Incorporating religious diversity into your DEI programs strengthens your workforce and helps you reach customers in a meaningful way. Accommodations like floating religious holidays that allow employees to choose when they want to take time off can make the workplace feel more inviting to people of various faiths.
The article also cites several business cases where knowledge of religion brought value to a company and helped companies build goodwill amongst their customer bases. Examples like Nike’s Victory Swim Collection, which produces modest swimwear for Muslim women, show how religious diversity can translate into solid business outcomes.
Religion is a core element of many people’s identities. By understanding and accommodating different religious viewpoints, companies can reach customers and employees in a profound way. Paying attention to religious diversity builds goodwill among employees and customers alike and is an essential element of inclusion in the workplace.
