A diverse workforce goes beyond a group of employees who don't look alike. To cultivate the
Partnering with talent platform Ten Thousand Coffees (10KC), employees at VillageMD match with a new coworker every six weeks, and are paired up based on the program's algorithm, similar to a dating site. For Cydya Thomas, senior manager of diversity, equity and inclusion at VillageMD, the program has helped employees form
"Diversity is anything that makes you uniquely you," says Thomas. "You can see what you think are four white men sitting at a table, but one of them might be married to a same-sex partner, one might be a veteran, one might have grown up abroad, one might have a disability — it's actually a very diverse table when you talk to them. My experience and my background make me diverse, but you won't know unless you get to know me or you're creating spaces where I feel
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Celebrating diversity is especially impactful in the healthcare space, where acknowledging and embracing differences has a direct result on patient care, Thomas notes. VillageMD takes steps to acknowledge observances, heritage months and holidays with posters, trivia and other forms of communication in their facilities, and makes an effort to have providers in each clinic who share commonalities with the specific population in the areas they serve.
When employees can connect with each other in more authentic ways, the benefits can be valuable for everyone: For example, in workplaces where employees feel connected, there's a 50% drop in turnover and a 56% increase in productivity, according to the Harvard Business Review. An important step in creating this type of environment is the employees' belief that the value of diversity is genuine, says Thomas.
"When you can be yourself, you're at your best: You perform better, you provide better care and you relate to the patients," she says. "We try to weave that into the fabric [of our company]."
For Thomas, getting to know her colleagues through the 10KC program has also helped connect a far-flung workforce.
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"We have some people in practices, some in our regional hubs and then we have people remote, like myself," Thomas says. "It's been a great tool to connect, especially given how our organization is set up. They also help with conversations among teams, Q&A sessions and panel discussions."
Yet for many employers, these efforts don't come easily: According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, 30% of employees say they are
Leaders should not assume that connection will just happen, says Dave Wilkin, founder of 10KC. Providing guidance that promotes this internally among colleagues also helps employees engage externally with clients, he says.
"Platforms like 10KC provide conversation guides, icebreakers and even curriculums that help leaders mentor, reverse mentor and connect across teams," says Wilkin. "This is a complex issue, and there are solutions that help leaders bring people together, but also have the right conversations."
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The relationships that Thomas has formed with coworkers in different parts of the country would not have happened without the extra effort made by her company, and she notes the bigger impact that an
"In the communities we serve, it is important that we're building trust," she says. "If you have a diverse workforce and your workforce reflects your community, you build that trust and people will patronize your business."
