Creating a homogenous team is a no-go for successful companies. Studies know that teams must be diverse to push forward in their industry. But what exactly does this mean? If you want to reap the benefits of various backgrounds and perspectives, you must first start by understanding the meaning of diversity itself. Here are 8 types of diversity.

1. Race

Though generally considered a social construct in science, race is still highly applicable in social settings. It’s a clear diversity metric because humans are naturally prone to group others according to their appearance. Common examples of race are Asian and Latino.

2. Religion

This diversity type describes the spiritual belief systems in a group. Well-known religions include Judaism and Christianity.

3. Cultural

Someone’s culture is their ethnicity along with the norms they’ve adopted from their family and society where they were raised. These factors helped to form their perspective, and it impacts how they interact with the world. You can often identify cultural differences and diversity between German vs. Chinese vs. American employees (just to name a few).

4. Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation identifies the gender(s) that someone is sexually attracted to. For example, an individual may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, questioning, etc.

5. Gender

Gender is a social construct that includes the norms, behaviors, and roles associated with men and women. We communicate gender in a variety of ways in society — in our dress, movement, hairstyle, and the way we interact with others. However, there are now newer views on gender that expand this identity beyond just men and women, allowing people to identify as gender fluid, transgender, genderqueer, etc.


6. Age

Age is a significant factor in the way that individuals relate to one another. This is why age (or generational) diversity is important to note in a workplace. If there’s a wide age range, then you begin to mix a variety of generations in the workplace: Millennials, Gen Z, Boomers, Gen Xers, etc.

7. People with Disabilities

Those with disabilities or chronic conditions fall under the category of diversity. Keep in mind that “disability” can be mental or physical, and millions of people live with invisible conditions. Workplaces must make reasonable accommodations for these individuals so they can comfortably integrate.

8. Mental Health

This type of diversity pertains to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health may not be visible immediately, but it affects how someone thinks, feels, and acts. And while it’s not solely why companies should care about mental health, it also affects how someone is able to perform in their role.

Final Thoughts

Are you ready to reap the rewards of diversity in your workplace? Get started with a full-fledged DEI program with diversity training and a diversity and inclusion calendar. Visit here to learn more.