It is both morally right and financially beneficial to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. There are a few very clear reasons for this. There are more points of view, perspectives, and ways of thinking when people come from diverse experiences and backgrounds. As a result, innovation can flourish as people approach issues from different angles and are able to use their varied skills in novel ways. Identifying when a company’s initiatives fail to consider other underrepresented groups, also shields them from making easy errors—for instance, preventing inappropriate marketing messaging or predicting bias in data science efforts.

Upskilling programs are an effective way to build a more diverse marketing team. Upskilling provides employees with the opportunity to learn new skills that are highly valued in the workplace. By providing access to training and development opportunities, companies can create a more diverse team with a range of backgrounds and skill sets.

Upskilling programs can also help to create a more inclusive workplace. By providing employees with the opportunity to learn new skills, companies can help to create a culture of acceptance and respect for different backgrounds and abilities. Companies can also use upskilling programs to help bridge the gap between different generations and cultures within the team.

Upskilling programs can also help to attract and retain talent from a wider range of backgrounds. By providing access to the latest skills and training, companies can make their teams more attractive to potential candidates from different backgrounds. This can help to increase the diversity of the team and ensure that the company is taking steps to support diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Overall, upskilling programs are an effective way to create a more diverse and inclusive marketing team. By providing access to training and development opportunities, companies can create a more diverse team with a range of backgrounds and skill sets.

It is easier said than done, though, as companies might rapidly discover, to create a more diverse workplace. Institutional issues that prohibit underrepresented groups from seeking jobs, being recruited, or rising to more senior leadership positions frequently plague businesses that lack diversity. According to research, unconscious bias may have a significant impact. People tend to either hire or promote new team members who are similar to themselves or have preconceived notions about specific groups that make them think they are unfit for a given function. A spiral of increasing homogeneity inside a firm may result from this. The skills gap, according to many business leaders, is intimately related to diversity since there aren’t enough members of underrepresented groups starting new careers.

An active strategy is needed to stop these loops. Simply put, businesses cannot wait for the skills gap to close or presumptively adjust hiring and promotion policies without action. So how can organizations make a significant advancement? The solution is to create an upskilling program.

With regard to marketing, in particular, there is a notion that the diversity issue is less severe. In fact, women make up about 60% of marketers, and 11% of workers in the UK are people of color, which is in line with the general population. But if we dig a bit deeper, we find that senior and mid-management positions are notably underrepresented in BAME and female marketers. The representation of BAME people as a whole is likewise false.

At least on paper, marketing already has a large number of members from underrepresented groups. They are unable to advance through the ranks, which is the problem. We actually run the risk of seeing diverse numbers swiftly move in the opposite direction as marketing becomes a more technological and data-driven business. The apparent solution is for companies to focus on growing the talent they already have and expanding their teams with more diverse employees in order to broaden their team members’ skill sets.

As was previously said, this isn’t simply because it’s fair; it also makes perfect commercial sense. A wide range of specialized talents and an understanding of constantly-evolving technology solutions and strategies are required for modern marketing. Hiring specialists to cover all of these advancements is quite a time and money-consuming. Instead, it is far more effective to develop your own talent in a focused manner. Existing team members can be continually upskilled with the knowledge that is directly applicable to your business, and they can then implement these learnings right away. Each person’s training can be customized to match their goals and natural skills. Programs for training and development have also been demonstrated to significantly boost employee satisfaction and retention.

Fundamentally, upskilling allows everyone to advance their careers and increase their abilities. Although it is not a magic solution to the diversity issue, when used intelligently, it can be a significant step in the right direction.