The Value of Diversity in the Workplace

We live in a world today which represents a diverse group of people. As an employee, you will work with people from various backgrounds. As an employer, how much do you value diversity in the workplace? While you may be unsure of hiring candidates based on this notion, having employees who bring unique perspectives and ideas to the table could benefit your business.

To help explore these issues, College Recruiter is hosting a College Recruiting Bootcamp on LGBT and other diversity hiring issues on Tuesday, September 29th at the Twilio headquarters in San Francisco. Join us.

Prior to that event, we’ll publish the opinions from a number of talent acquisition and recruiting leaders about why and how employers should diversify their workforces. In today’s article, Greg Odegard discusses why Michigan Technological University believes that it is important for students to learn the importance of working in diverse teams.

Greg Odegard, Richard and Elizabeth Henes Professor of Computational Mechanics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Technological University

“Cultural differences on teams can lead to miscommunication and feelings of frustration and resentment,” says Greg Odegard, associate chair of mechanical engineering at Michigan Technological University, a public research university in Houghton, Mich.

“We want our students to learn the importance of actively forming teams that are diverse in terms of ethnic background, gender and perspective. By valuing diversity and inclusiveness, they will be better mechanical engineers.”

Greg Odegard is Richard and Elizabeth Henes Professor of Computational Mechanics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics at Michigan Technological University. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Denver, and a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Denver.