MORRISVILLE – So how can companies improve the diversity of their workforces? By using technology, say Lenovo and Intel in a new study.

For example, “more than 80 percent of respondents in Brazil and China agree that Artificial Intelligence can be used to make the workplace more diverse and inclusive” while half of respondents in the US, UK and Germany agreed.

“We know that when organizations prioritize diversity and inclusion, financial performance, innovation, and talent acquisition and retention flourish,” says Lenovo’s Yolanda Lee Conyers, Chief Diversity Officer and President of the Lenovo Foundation. “As the makers of devices that enable connectivity across cultural and geographic boundaries, tech companies like Lenovo have an obligation to ensure that products are created with diverse consumers in mind, and that can only be achieved with a diverse and inclusive workforce.”

Lenovo and Intel conducted a detailed, global survey of more than 5,000 people in exploring ways to increase diversity and inclusion.

“With the power to bridge accessibility gaps, connect people who are otherwise divided, and expand the impact of upskilling and progressive training programs, tech already facilitates the ability to work in more dynamic, flexible ways than ever before,” the companies say.

Key findings include:

  1. Today, people expect the workplace to work for them, not the other way around.
  2. People increasingly want, and expect, the workplace to conform to their needs, their values, and
    their lifestyles – allowing them to seamlessly integrate their work with the rest of their lives. It’s
    about putting people and teams at the center of what a company does, not the other way around.
    People are defining “inclusion” in a more holistic, comprehensive and actionable way.
    For people, an inclusive culture has gone far beyond checking demographic boxes when considering
    new talent. It is about enabling people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and levels to
    contribute and to be appreciated.
  3. Inclusive workplaces allow people to give their best.
    In an inclusive culture, all people feel they can thrive – resulting in employees that are more
    engaged, more productive, and more loyal.
  4. Technology has a critical role to play—as long as no one is left behind.
    Technology can be the vital facilitator of workplace D&I, but concerns persist about who could
    be left behind.

Read the full report online.