Diversity Helps Small Businesses Find Success

• Diversity is the right thing to do for your community, your business, and your employees.
• The size of a small business doesn’t have to be an obstacle to helping increase revenue through diversity.

To the world, David Driskell was an acclaimed watercolor painter who brought greater attention and intellectual rigor to the study of African-American art. To Rhonda Matheison, he was also a friend, a mentor and the inspiration for the biggest innovation of her career. Matheison, Chief Financial Officer of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, went from being a fan of Driskell to spearheading a project that would substantially augment the museum.

In 2005, Matheison established the David C. Driskell Prize, which each year recognizes an artist or scholar advancing the understanding and study of African-American art. She also established a fund, also named after Driskell, to acquire the works of African-American artists. In addition to buttressing the sterling reputation of Driskell, who died last year after contracting COVID-19, the initiative has enabled the High to acquire 50 works of art and pull in roughly $2 million in donations.

Matheison’s contribution to the High Museum illustrates a lesson many small businesses have learned: Diversity isn’t just a moral imperative; it also benefits the bottom line. A diverse workforce with a wide spectrum of perspectives means more opportunity to grow revenues.

Virgil L. Smith, Principal Consultant of Smith Edwards Group, an Atlanta-based diversity consulting firm, says businesses of all sizes are learning that choosing the most qualified candidates and building a diverse team are not mutually exclusive goals.

“What so many companies have learned is that the best candidates for a given position are the ones who will offer the most innovative ideas—the ideas that will boost revenue, save costs and make the workforce more cohesive,” says Smith. “And often, those are the candidates who are bringing a different background.”

That was certainly the case with the Driskell Prize. “I felt like we’re in Atlanta, and we’re not successful until we make this an all-inclusive museum,” says Matheison. “We need all kinds of folks, but especially Black folks, to be not only represented on staff, but also in our collections and at all levels of membership, all the way to the patron level.”

When it comes to building a successful company, representation matters. NASCO, a healthcare technology company, benefited from diversity when considering how to best serve the patients of health insurance companies for which it builds applications. Charlie Chasen, a Director of Development for NASCO, was able to contribute meaningfully to that conversation as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

“We’ve been talking as a company for years now about how we can change the system to be able to support the need for multiple genders, because more and more people don’t identify with the gender binary,” says Chasen. “We really needed to look at what the experience is like for the non-binary member. Are they afraid to tell their doctor? Do they want a partner in the room for exams? We have to think about those questions so the patient doesn’t have to.”

A quarter of LGBTQ+ Americans have delayed or avoided visiting doctors because of fear of facing stigma in clinical settings, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NASCO wants to help its clients reach those customers, who deserve affirming healthcare and represent untapped revenues for providers.

As an openly gay man, Chasen was able to bring a level of empathy to those conversations that may have otherwise eluded NASCO, which has just under 500 employees. The company’s management and his coworkers were supportive when Chasen publicly participated in a clinical trial for an HIV medication.

“Ensuring diversity and inclusion are woven throughout all aspects of your business is critical to creating a culture where all feel they belong,” says Brian Doubles, President & CEO of financial services provider Synchrony. “By celebrating and leveraging the unique differences, perspectives and skill sets within your company, you have an incredible opportunity to build an environment that not only delivers high performance, but that’s built on a foundation where each member of your team feels supported, heard and seen. That’s powerful!”

“For many organizations, starting this D&I journey can be challenging. But it’s worth every ounce of the investment you make,” Doubles continues. “If you’re a smaller company, don’t be afraid to tap into the perspectives and experiences of those organizations with more established cultures and D&I programs. Most would be happy to share best practices and resources.”

When companies embrace diversity, challenges can become opportunities. Choate Construction Company learned this when the company hired Monnica Hines in February 2020 to fill the newly created position of Training Manager. Hines soon identified a vexing problem at Choate: the struggle non-Spanish-speaking managers have when interacting with Spanish-speaking crew members at its construction sites.

The language barrier can contribute to serious injuries and death, which in turn produce costly delays and lawsuits for construction companies. Hispanic workers make up just a quarter of construction employees in the United States, but constitute a third of serious or fatal injuries on the job, according to 2021 data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The largest contributing factor to the disparity is poor communication due to language differences, according to NIOSH.

“I came up with the idea of a language arts course, something very palatable and approachable, that would teach all the important vocabulary without intimidating people,” she says.

Hines designed an interactive online Spanish course tailored to teach the words and phrases site managers most often use on the job. Internal demand for the course was massive, and she immediately got positive feedback on how the course helped bolster communication and safety at its sites, while also building comradery and morale. The project worked, Hines says, because Choate is an environment that seeks out and supports diverse viewpoints and ideas.

Not every project will succeed, but it’s making the effort to address diversity and inclusion that matters at small businesses. “As an African-American woman working in corporate America, I’m not looking for perfection,” Hines says. “I’m looking for a company that acknowledges me and is taking steps to be better, and my company is doing that.”

Learn more:
• Four business leaders share insights about growing a diverse team (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
• Companies that ensure longevity by being good neighbors (Entrepreneur)

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