Studies have shown that not only do additional voices bring more ideas, but that the act of adding diversity to a group helps people see that different perspectives exist and therefore adapt their behavior. Diversity encourages people to anticipate different perspectives, work harder to reach a consensus, and often achieve better outcomes.
But diversity alone isn’t enough. Studies have shown that women struggle to get the same opportunities for career advancement or even the same pay as their male counterparts. Many feel excluded by a sexist work culture. And few fail to notice the lack of women in senior leadership roles in most technology organizations.
It’s up to us—the people, the researchers, the professors, the students the entrepreneurs, and the business leaders—to cause change, to create a truly inclusive environment where everyone feels part of the whole.