Why Is It Important to Have a Diverse Team?

Diversity of ethnicity, gender, age, ability, and sexual orientation has been proven to be related to an improvement in team performance, a better final product, and higher profits, so it makes sense that more companies are thinking critically about how they compose their teams. ¹ Here are some of the reasons a diverse team is something we should all aim for:

Reduce the risk of problems with the product.

One of the advantages of diversity is that we get a wider perspective when we tackle a project or look for a solution to a problem. For example, if our teams don't include a range of identities and backgrounds, we might not think about the accessibility of the UX/UI or about providing a nonbinary gender option in user registration. Different perspectives help us think of more possible scenarios and prevent problems before they occur.

Find more creative solutions.

Having different perspectives not only allows the team to anticipate problems, but it also enables the team to discover more creative ways to get the job done. If everyone on a team comes from similar backgrounds, it's more likely that they'll have similar ideas. If team members have different backgrounds and life experiences, though, they can leverage their unique strengths to come up with a more innovative approach.

Understand the client and their needs.

If we're constantly in contact with other ways of thinking, it's easier to put ourselves in the client's shoes. We can understand what they are looking for and help them achieve their goals. On a diverse team, there's also a higher chance that someone on the team can relate to the final consumer of the product, making it easier for the team to understand the target audience and meet their needs.

Attract new talent.

A diverse workplace is more likely to attract (and retain) people from underrepresented groups. Diversity makes a company more appealing to a wider range of people and talent. A diverse and safe workplace increases employee satisfaction and helps team members have the confidence to share their ideas. Not to mention, it can be beneficial for a company's image to build a reputation as an inclusive and respectful work environment.

Building a diverse team contributes to the success of digital products and helps create a thriving company culture. At sophilabs, we practice a fair, non-discriminatory recruitment process that evaluates all candidates by the same criteria. We focus on candidates' skills and do not consider gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or socioeconomic status. We also have a diverse hiring committee that includes team members of different genders, ages, and backgrounds.

New team members must read and agree to our code of conduct so that everyone understands that sophilabs' culture is based on respect, tolerance, and a strong commitment to our clients and coworkers. We're committed to increasing diversity in tech, and we also have an anonymous feedback tool that allows team members to share their thoughts on how sophilabs can do better. We hope our blog post has illustrated why it's vital for all of us in the software industry to create teams that reflect the great diversity of technology users.