Written by: Jennifer McPherson

Creating a workplace that celebrates diversity and fosters inclusion is not just an awesome thing to do (and if you haven’t thought about it or started implementing strategies in the workplace by now, you’re already behind - catch up!)... but also has a strategic advantage. We’ve all heard by now that diverse teams perform better. Forbes reveals that diverse teams deliver 60% better results and make better decisions in 87% of cases.

Fostering a workplace that is inclusive, diverse, well represented, and honours a sense of belonging doesn’t have to be hard. By implementing these (quite frankly), easy actionable tips, you can create a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute to their fullest potential.

Remember, fostering an inclusive environment is an ongoing journey that requires commitment, openness, and continuous effort from everyone in the organization.

Here are some very actionable ways to help you cultivate an inclusive environment:

1. Unconscious Bias Training

🤚🏾 Raise Awareness: Educate employees on the existence and effects of unconscious biases in decision-making and interpersonal interactions.

🤔 Promote Self-Reflection: Encourage individuals to reflect on their own biases and understand how they can impact their behavior and decisions at work.

🌷Foster Inclusivity: Equip employees with strategies to mitigate biases, enhancing inclusivity in team dynamics, hiring, promotions, and daily interactions.

2. Inclusive Hiring Practices

🤚🏾 Neutral Job Descriptions: Craft job postings that are welcoming to all, using language that is free from gender biases and inclusive of diverse backgrounds. (tools like Texio can help! https://textio.com/) 

🤔 Structured Interviews: Implement a consistent interview framework for all candidates to reduce bias and ensure a fair evaluation process.

🌷 Diverse Panels: Utilize interview panels that represent a mix of backgrounds and perspectives to minimize individual biases in hiring decisions.

3. Diverse Leadership

🤚🏾Visibility of Diversity: Aim for a leadership team that reflects the diversity of the workforce and broader society to inspire and motivate all employees.

🤔 Mentorship Programs: Establish mentorship opportunities that specifically support the career advancement of underrepresented groups within the organization.

🌷 Clear Diversity Goals: Set and pursue measurable objectives for achieving diversity in leadership positions to drive accountability and progress.

4. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

🤚🏾 Community Support: Facilitate the creation of ERGs to offer support networks for employees from various backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging.

🤔 Resource Allocation: Provide resources and support to ERGs, acknowledging their role in promoting diversity and inclusion within the company.

🌷Influence on Policy: Leverage ERGs to gain insights and recommendations for making workplace policies more inclusive and equitable.

5. Inclusive Company Culture

🤚🏾Valuing Diversity: Create an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and where employees feel respected and included.

🤔 Celebration of Differences: Acknowledge and celebrate differences in culture, religion, and lifestyle to enrich the company culture.

🌷 Accessibility and Flexibility: Ensure that work arrangements and company policies accommodate the diverse needs of employees, promoting work-life balance and inclusivity.

6. Continuous Learning and Development

🤚🏾 Ongoing Education: Encourage continuous learning about DEI through various formats, ensuring it becomes an integral part of the company’s development programs.

🤔Open Dialogue: Promote an environment where employees can share experiences and learn from each other, fostering empathy and understanding.

🌷 Diverse Perspectives: Incorporate a wide range of voices and sources in learning materials to reflect the diversity of experiences and knowledge in the field of DEI.

7. Accountability and Measurement

🤚🏾 Set Clear Objectives: Define specific, measurable goals for diversity and inclusion efforts to track progress and hold the organization accountable.

🤔 Regular Monitoring: Conduct periodic assessments through surveys and data analysis to measure the effectiveness of DEI initiatives.

🌷 Leadership Accountability: Ensure that leaders at all levels are committed to and responsible for advancing diversity and inclusion within their teams and the organization as a whole.

Okay, but how?

Great question! It’s one thing to say Create an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and where employees feel respected and included, or, Ensure that leaders at all levels are committed to and responsible for advancing diversity and inclusion within their teams and the organization as a whole. But maybe you don’t know how! We can help with that! 

Maybe you need to explore the topic a bit more in-depth, or maybe you’d like a workshop or personalized coach. Either way, rhum’s here to help!

Explore this topic more:
Breaking Barriers: 5 Innovative Strategies to Foster Inclusivity in the Workplace