Research

Business case for diversity

There is growing evidence to support the core role for equality and diversity in how the NHS operates. The evidence shows that managing diversity is key to:

an organisation’s reputation - a good reputation attracts talent from all communities, helping to meet service delivery needs
staff recruitment and retention - valuing diversity enables employers to recruit and retain the best people for the job
productivity - staff perform better in organisations that value diversity and are committed to employees' well being
mitigating organisational risks - effective diversity management limits the risk of legal challenges and costly awards.

Sources of evidence:

NHS Employers	Diversity and inclusion the power of research in driving change	Using research and data to promote inclusive workplaces.
NHS Employers	The way to health and wellbeing-evidence base	Documents and reports that have been influential in shaping thinking and approaches in health and wellbeing across the NHS.
NHS Employers	Diversity - the new prescription for the NHS	Simon Fanshawe OBE explains how his recent report sets out a framework for change to ensure the conversation around diversity is motivated not just by compliance, but more by an understanding of the considerable value it can bring to the core purposes of the NHS.
NHS Employers	Workforce supply research and reports	As demands upon the health service continue to increase, the shape of the workforce will need to change and new models of care explored to deliver effective services in the future. In recent years research has been carried out which policy makers, governing bodies and organisations responsible for healthcare delivery may want to consider when looking at how they can meet this challenge.
Care Quality Commission	Equally outstanding Equality and human rights – good practice resource	How can a focus on equality and human rights improve the quality of care in times of financial constraint?
The Equality and Human Rights Commission	Our Research	Details of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's research projects and reading lists on key issues.
NHS England	NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard	Workforce Race Equality Standard 2017 Data Analysis Report for National Healthcare Organisations.
Dept for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy	Race in the workplace: The time for talking is over. Now is the time to act.	Issues faced by businesses in developing Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) talent in the workplace.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission	Is Britain Fairer? 2018 report	The state of equality and human rights in 2018. A comprehensive review of how Britain is performing on equality and human rights. It provides a complete picture of people’s life chances in Britain today.
Mckinsey	Delivering through diversity	Delivering through Diversity tackles the business case and provides a perspective on how to take action on diversity and inclusion to impact growth and business performance.
Harvard Business Review	Diversity Research	Articles, reports and research on diversity and inclusion topics from the Harvard Business Review.
Harvard University	Research	Evidence based ideas to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
Kings Fund	Diversity should be a strategic priority	An article by Suzie Bailey who leads the leadership and organisational development team at Kings Fund.