“The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection” (Thomas Berry) – this quote perfectly describes the importance of diversity and how the latter can only bring beneficial effects in any area that it is included in. With this in mind, companies have begun to acknowledge the value of diversity, and have taken the necessary steps in order to embrace and introduce the concept on all levels.
In software development, specialists have concluded that a diverse team of developers can accelerate growth, increase productivity, reduce time-to-market, and improve cost efficiency. But before getting into details of how a diverse team manages to do all of this, let’s identify the specific characteristics of such a group.
So, what makes a diverse team of developers diverse? Well, first of all, such a team must include specialists whose main areas of expertise are different. For instance, businesses may assemble diverse teams in which cybersecurity developers, cloud experts, and software engineers who specialize in mobile apps, all come together and work towards achieving the same objectives.
Second of all, in order for it to be considered diverse, a team of developers has to bring together specialists with various backgrounds and different perspectives. This type of team may also include experts who are of different ethnicities, who have dissimilar beliefs, and distinct values. So how can this be an advantage?
Well, contrary to what you may have heard up until now, having a team where specialists come from different backgrounds, offers many benefits. And one of most appealing perks, is that related to an improved decision-making process, that these various perspectives contribute to. In this sense, different points of view and diverse approaches lead to better decisions and a shorter time required to solve issues.
Moreover, businesses that choose to build a diverse team of developers, will complete tasks and projects at an accelerated pace, as its employees will boost the company’s efficiency. And all of this, due to the fact that tasks can be assigned equally and responsibilities can be divided properly, among specialists who have different skills.
But besides increased productivity, profitability, and a faster time-to-market, companies who put together diverse teams of developers, gain another valuable advantage: better innovation. A diverse team will be more likely to come up with innovative ideas that can assist businesses in their digital transformation journey, and can help them gain a competitive advantage over their rivals.
Thus, by creating an innovative environment, that promotes open communication and encourages team members to express their fresh ideas, companies will also find that their employees will be more satisfied. The latter will be inclined to maintain their positions, and will not be tempted to look for other opportunities, which translates into a loyalty that is hard to secure and maintain in this day and age.
All of these benefits sound nice, right? But how do companies get to enjoy these advantages, or more specifically, how do you build a diverse team of developers? Well, it starts with a realistic assessment of your business’ skill gaps; analyze your weak points and determine the number of specialists that you are in need of, and what are the abilities they need to possess.
Moving forward, you can reach out to outsourcing companies or staffing agencies, that can help you find exactly what you’re looking for; just be clear about your needs and tell them all about your short and long-term objectives. This solution will allow you to tap into new talent pools and build a truly diverse team of developers, that will add business value.
Next, really get involved in the selection of your future team’s members; even if outsourcing companies pick out the final candidates, be sure that you have the last say. In this regard, conduct your own research on potential employees and try to get an idea of their background and personality, apart from their technical skills. Now that you have selected your team members, prioritize building a company culture that focuses on diversity, and that celebrates differences and innovative and fresh ideas, and you’re good to go!
Conclusion
Building a diverse team of developers is not an easy task, but with great effort comes great reward. Putting such a team together requires a lot of research and great attention to details, so reaching out for help, in the form of outsourcing companies or staffing agencies, is a good idea. However, it’s important that you get involved in selecting your team members and have the final say. After this, the environment where diversity is celebrated, must be preserved and constantly given the care it needs, in order for it to bless businesses with its benefits.
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