Celebrate Diversity in the Workplace

Recently, PSP was named one of Washington State’s Largest Minority-Owned Companies by the Puget Sound Business Journal. Diversity in the workplace is something we value as a company, and something we also like to celebrate.

Here are some simple ways your office can celebrate diversity too:

A Bulletin Board. Set up a bulletin board in the break room or a main hallway and highlight employees with pictures and a short bio. You might also hang a world map and invite employees to pin their birthplace. Brag about the number of languages spoken in your office by advertising the count on the board.

Holidays. Acknowledge multicultural religious or holiday celebrations in your office by keeping them on your calendar and asking how employees (who take part) plan to celebrate. Be mindful and respectful of those days when scheduling meetings and allow employees flexibility if needed.

Staff Lunches. Host occasional lunches for your staff featuring foods from different cultures. Consider hosting a staff potluck and ask employees if they wish to bring a common or favorite dish from their country of origin. While indulging in a delicious lunch, you could also ask employees (make it optional, with advance warning) if they wish to share an aspect of their culture others may not know about.

Consulting. Consider hiring someone who is an expert in diversity training to help improve mutually-respectful communication throughout your office.

Survey. Send out an anonymous survey to your staff asking for their ideas too! You may be surprised at the response you get back, and bring in some new ideas. But most importantly, your employees might appreciate that you’re thinking of ways to celebrate diversity and appreciate their unique cultural differences.