Diveristy is a prominent challenge facing businesses today. Most employers are aware that diveristy in the workplace is important, yet many don’t realize that their workforce isn’t as diverse as they believe it to be – or as diverse as it could be.

To gain some insight into the specific challenges surrounding diversity and how employers can overcome them, we reached out to a panel of HR pros, consultants, and diversity experts and asked them to answer this question:

What’s the single biggest challenge employers face with diversity in the workplace (and how can they overcome it)?

One of the most important and challenging aspects is…

First creating an inclusive culture where diversity lives and is leveraged to foster innovation and ultimately better business outcomes. Many organizations tend to focus on tactics first…compliance training, hiring and promoting more females and underrepresented minorities, etc. Yet, if the foundation of an inclusive culture doesn’t exist – one that welcomes new ideas, experiences and points of view – the likelihood of retaining talent is slim. Start by focusing inward to discover your talent experience with the lens of inclusion and be honest about how your culture addresses multiple facets of diversity such as embracing diversity of thought, cultivating innovation and addressing biases. From there it’s critical to get the organization buy-in and executive sponsorship needed to redesign experiences and bring them to life to create the environment where everyone can do their best work.