Diverse and inclusive organisations are more innovative, more profitable, and more likely to be an employer of choice than their competition.
By promoting diversity and inclusion in your workplace, you will find it a lot easier to get your team pulling in the same direction and firing on all cylinders.
A truly diverse and inclusive workplace actively promotes diversity and inclusion every day.
Here are some ideas on how to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive company culture:
1. Give every person a voice
Inclusive organisations listen to everyone, no matter where they sit within the company.
2. Be aware of unconscious bias
Understanding bias and building awareness is a first step towards real change.
3. Develop a strategic training program
Diversity training helps employees understand how cultural differences can impact how people work and interact at work. It can cover anything from concepts of time and communication styles to self-identity and dealing with conflict.
4. Think beyond culture fit
Hiring for “culture fit” makes a lot of sense on the face of it. By bringing people on board that fit your company’s culture and they are likely to quickly gel with the rest of the team, hit the ground running, and stick around for longer. But if you only hire employees that “fit in” with the rest of your team, you might quickly find you do not have a very diverse or inclusive organisation.
5. Commit to a diversity, equity, and inclusion policy
Here in the UK, your organisation doesn’t have a legal requirement to create a written inclusion and diversity policy. But making concrete diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments in writing will show your team how seriously you are committed to being a diverse employer.
6. Lead by example
To promote inclusivity and diversity at work, you need to have leaders who embody the same values. They are patient, open-minded, and empathetic and they listen more than they talk when it comes to matters of how represented and recognised their teammates feel.
7. Educate and empower your managers
Your managers and team leaders have a huge part to play in making your organisation inclusive and equitable. When it comes down to it, they are the ones responsible for executing your DE&I initiatives on the floor.
8. Consistently measure and improve inclusion
Your DE&I strategy is not something you can set and forget. Times change, and your organisation needs to change with them if you want to remain diverse and inclusive.
If you have any questions or would like further advice on promoting diversity and inclusion within the workplace or any other HR related matters, please get in touch with us at HRservices@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.