smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

This may be true - but not in all cases. Diversity in the workforce brings benefits mostly when innovation is at a premium - it generates lots of ideas. When stability and reducing process cost is important diversity is less beneficial as there is a cost in managing diversity.
Thinking about the customer base - well lots of market segments are mono-cultural and there are potentially significant dis-benefits from having a diverse workforce.
Having done a through review of the business benefits of diversity in the academic business literature last year there seems to be little evidence of benefit from diversity - save in highly innovative industries. This is broadly the reason why legislation is required. Suggesting that there is a commercial benefit is disingenuous and wrong.

I think we can all accept that in market terms, some businesses target monocultures, such as manufacturing and retailing women’s’ clothing, but it is wrong to suggest that diversity has no business benefits no matter what market you exist to serve. Diversity is a fact of life….the UK is now a more diverse place than it was 50 years ago…..and legislation is simply catching up with this fact rather than driving a new culture. The Equality Act basically puts all the different strands of diversity and the associated discrimination, which were identified and addressed by legislation separately over a period of time, together. The Act does not re-invent discrimination, it is just equalises treatment by taking a more holistic approach. After all you can be disabled and a person as well…and a person can be male…female…gay…black…older…younger….be broadly described a coming from a minority group…..a mother…a father…a carer…and trying to hold or get a job. Equally, to suggest that managing a diverse workforce adds cost over a monoculture is an academic argument. The reality is the UK workforce is diverse and that is where your talent pool and workers exist. Choosing only one select group to work for you on the basis of reducing cost or simplifying the management process …for example selecting people who are all male, white and under 45…. is wrong. The new paternity regulations mean that a mother can share her maternity leave allowance with a partner….a male is just as likely to have caring responsibilities as a female….a black male under 45 is more likely to have qualifications…..religion and belief is personal so it effects everyone…. so where are the cost benefits of a mono culture? The fact is that managing a workforce…and yes that does mean complying with legislation… costs money. But doing it effectively and being inclusive means that it also has benefits. Research has repeatedly shown that a contented workforce tends to be more productive, loyal and innovative…so why would you choose to do anything else! Being flexible, inclusive and tolerant is simply good business. That aside, all businesses have to innovate to survive; the lack of innovation is simply stagnation.