Workplace Equality Culture Can Enhance Innovative Thinking

Innovation is crucial for a company's sustainability. Besides recruiting talented employees, a culture of equality in the workplace is considered highly supportive of employee innovation.

According to Accenture's report, *Equality=Innovation Getting to Equal 2019: Creating a culture that drives innovation*, innovative thinking among employees is six times higher in workplaces with a strong culture of equality compared to those with a weak one. A survey of 18,000 employees in 27 countries showed that the highest percentage of employees who answered "Nothing stops me from innovating" worked in companies with a high awareness of equality, including gender equality—40 percent. In companies with a low culture of equality, only about 7 percent of employees gave this response.

Furthermore, while 75 percent of employees in companies with a strong culture of equality had experienced innovation failures, 85 percent felt unafraid to fail. This indicates that employees are not afraid to continue innovating even after setbacks.

This article was produced in partnership with Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government that promotes women's economic empowerment in Southeast Asia.