THE SIMPLEST WAY TO MAKE DIVERSE EMPLOYEES FEEL SATISFIED

Reading time: 5 min

Organizations everywhere are trying to find ways they can increase morale and improve satisfaction levels across the board, but most particularly for diverse employees. Across the world, initiatives are being taken and plans are being made for elevating satisfaction levels and improving employee retention. It’s obvious why; the benefits of having multicultural teams are massive and varied. Even if we take just the financial benefits into account, it’s been noted by McKinsey & Company that companies with high ethnic diversity have an average 27% advantage over others. Obviously, there are very good reasons to maximize diversity, and that means finding ways to retain diverse employees.

But what can organizations do to achieve this effectively and simply? We have one very straightforward suggestion that will make a huge difference to everyone - workers and organization alike.

Ask the employees

That might sound like an oversimplification, but we’re going to prove to you that it really isn’t. In fact, it is the only genuinely effective solution for increasing satisfaction in multicultural and diverse teams.

Let’s say that you’ve got a diverse team and you’ve realized that making everybody take Christmas off is problematic because it doesn’t recognize the important holidays of, for example, the Muslim team members. You decide that you’re going to implement better vacation practices, so you research what all the major holidays for the biggest religions are. You then make it the policy that religious employees can take any of those relevant days off without having to dip into their vacation or sick leave.

That sounds great, except that it immediately runs into problems. What do the atheists on your team do? What do those belonging to minor, less-recognized religions do? How do you respond when somebody starts requesting a specific day off according to non-religious but deeply held beliefs? Suddenly, you’re in difficult territory and many of your employees are feeling alienated.

Instead, think about how this would pan out if you asked the employees for their opinions. Give them the problem and ask how they would solve it. “Hey, we want to ensure everyone can celebrate their beliefs, both religious and non-religious, while still meeting the needs of the business. What’s the best way to support you all?”

Different team members will have different suggestions according to their own experiences, and here, we see the strength of diversity. The more multicultural your team is, the more the individuals are likely to be able to brainstorm an effective, workable solution. Yes, it’s more complicated than just giving everybody a few days off for Christmas, but in that complexity lies genuine opportunity.

Of course, vacation days are just one example of how this can be implemented, but a lot of organizations then wonder how to approach this kind of thing in ways that are sensitive and ensure everyone has a voice. Let’s look at that next.

Strengthening trust with in-person meetings

The best way to start creating increased satisfaction is to establish regular, personalized check-ins with employees. Every employee should have one-on-one time with their manager, and some of this time should be dedicated to discussing diversity issues and identifying how they can be best supported. Importantly, these conversations should happen in person whenever possible, not through surveys or virtual meetings, which many organizations rely on. Face-to-face discussions build trust, encourage open dialogue, and allow for more meaningful connections, ensuring employees feel genuinely heard and valued.

The manager can use this time to ask specific questions about any problems the company is grappling with (such as the vacation question), or to ask the employee more generally how they can be supported.

Taking this approach is a very effective way to create an environment of psychological safety. It shows employees that the organization cares about their well-being and invests energy and thoughtfulness into making them feel appreciated. Employees want to be heard, and regular check-ins will create an environment where they are, and where they feel that they can trust leaders and build connections.

Furthermore, this kind of setup makes it easier for employees to raise problems quickly, which can lead to much more effective and efficient problem-solving. Imagine, for example, that two employees are clashing about religion and one feels undermined and underappreciated by their colleague. If they can raise this with their manager in an environment that is confidential and feels safe, the manager can step in and ask the other employee to stop discussing religion with them, or to be gentler and politer. This stops the issue from escalating and getting out of control.

Questions the manager might choose to ask can include things like:

• “Are there any ways I can better support you?” 

• “How do you feel about your current role and are there any changes you would make?” 

• “Where do you feel we can improve and what problems do you think are holding us back?”

These kinds of open-ended questions will make it easier for employees to raise issues, especially once they’ve established that it is safe to do so. It’s important to be aware that employees may take some time to reach a point where they feel comfortable sharing this kind of input, so don’t expect it all to happen straight away. Demonstrate to employees that this is a safe environment by listening carefully, responding to their concerns in thoughtful ways, and taking action where you can.

Some organizations will be thinking, “We don’t have time for this kind of thing.” However, check-ins probably only need to be bi-weekly or even monthly affairs, and can be pretty brief in most cases. Performing them regularly could actually save the organization time by reducing workplace conflicts, increasing morale, and solving problems as soon as they arise.

Time to get hands-on!

Go beyond just asking and listening - at the end of the meeting, recap key takeaways to confirm that you understand their concerns and needs correctly. Identify specific next steps, implement the agreed-upon actions, and set a time to revisit progress in the next meeting. Obviously, you won’t be able to act on every single piece of feedback you receive, but if you engage in an open, communicative process and show commitment to change overall, you can create a culture where employees feel prioritized and valued, even if some elements of work aren’t quite what they want.