Not all Irish firms that are already making use of our extensive employer resources will necessarily grasp why a diverse and multicultural workforce is so important. Some may argue that it is more important for organisations to have employees from similar backgrounds and of similar culture in order to minimise the scope for conflict and ensure ‘cultural fit.’ This is certainly not the case.

The truth is that Irish organisations greatly benefit from having a diverse workforce that showcases broad skill-sets and cultural awareness, which in turn helps to foster a more creative and productive environment.

Here are just some of the perks that come with hiring for a multicultural employee base.

Enhanced cultural awareness

Hiring people from different cultures helps to build a cultural awareness among staff. A greater knowledge of different cultures, languages and backgrounds will almost unquestionably open the minds of your workers, fostering a readiness to embrace new ways of thinking and doing.

A more productive and creative atmosphere

Hiring a diverse range of people means that your firm benefits from a diverse range of viewpoints and ideas, some of which could prove to be highly beneficial to your business’s growth. When a difficult situation arises, having different ways of thinking among your team could reveal a great solution that may not have otherwise been considered.

Working among people who work differently can encourage employees to think in different ways when looking for solutions to the problem, while also helping your company to grow and become more progressive.

Broader skill-sets

People are educated in a multitude of ways, which often therefore leads to the development of very different skill-sets. The combination of all of these skill-sets in a diverse, multicultural workforce creates a larger pool of knowledge that will be of almost inevitable benefit to your company.

These skills and experiences can be mutually shared for your employees to build up their own skill-sets. A multicultural workforce benefits itself with this vast potential for further learning.

Improved tolerance throughout the workplace

Tolerance is less about ‘putting up’ with someone, and more about teaching others to value other cultures in much the same way they would value their own. Tolerance is crucial to employee relations, and hiring a diverse workforce helps to promote tolerance of other cultures, countries and religions, in the process aiding broader company morale.

A diverse workforce helps to cultivate new ways of thinking, encourage acceptance among employees and promote a positive approach to learning – in terms of both culture and work ethic.