Many businesses focus on diversity but are unaware of the equal importance of inclusion in workspace. Although diversity is vital, it will only make your company successful if included with inclusion. That is why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are now considered the essentials of many organizations.
Companies like Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft have included diversity initiatives that they even report annually. A LinkedIn study revealed that companies focusing on D&I initiatives are 22% more likely to be considered industry-leading organizations with more calibre. However, what is inclusion, and why does it matter so much? Let’s find out more in this article.
What is Inclusion?
Inclusion is a broad subject, and people have different views and understandings of this term. As per the Cambridge Dictionary, the word inclusion means – the act of including someone or something as a part of a group, list, etc. or a person or thing that is included. In simple terms, inclusion in the workplace means ensuring everyone feels respected and valued as an individual.
Benefits of Inclusion at Workplace
An inclusive company is said to have better employee engagement and retention and enhance the overall performance of the company. If your employee feels valued, respected, and included, they will more likely be creative, productive, and committed to their work. Besides, inclusive workplaces will also have more diverse ideas and perspectives, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving.
Why is Inclusion in the Workplace is Important?
Let’s understand the reasons why creating an inclusive space is essential for organizations today:
- Physiological safety
This is a critical need and a crucial reason for creating an inclusive workspace. In an inclusive space, employees feel comfortable taking risks, speaking up, and making mistakes without worrying about negative consequences.
- Sense of belonging
If you offer an inclusive atmosphere, you encourage employees to be authentic at work, participate in decision-making processes, and voice their opinions, creating a sense of belonging.
5 Best Practices to Ensure Inclusion in the Workplace
Here are some best practices on how to become an inclusive workplace.
1. Design Recruitment Marketing Campaigns
Add inclusion as a part of your recruitment marketing campaigns, mentioning that you welcome everyone, including retired or any other specifications, as these people often find difficulties in finding a job. Similarly, you can start a separate recruitment drive to hire veterans or retired people.
2. Publish Annual Diversity and Inclusion in Workspace Report
As discussed above, most companies publish an annual D&I report to share their diversity and inclusion data with the public. In some places, it is even a mandate; for example, companies in the UK must report wage gaps and equality. Irrespective of whether mandatory or not, it is good to monitor inclusion metrics or data to determine progress. Besides, publicizing it will only enhance people’s trust in the company.
3. Bring Fair Applicant Pools From Internal and External of the Company
Research published in Frontiers suggested that gender inequalities in the workplace can affect its structure, processes, decision-making, and practices. To ensure it does not happen, you can mandate all talent pools – employees for promotion, external candidates when hiring, or internal employees for succession to include 50-50 representation. This should also include diverse age groups, ethnic minorities, and other underrepresented groups per your region’s demographics.
4. Create a System for Reporting Non-Inclusive Behaviors
If you want to succeed in creating an inclusive workspace, you must ensure you have a proper system of enforcement in place. The first step towards enforcement is providing employees resources for reporting non-inclusive behaviors. Your people should be free to talk about discriminatory or harassing acts they witness without worrying about a breach of confidentiality or repercussions. You can even get an internal task force assigned for quick resolutions.
5. Appoint Employees from Disadvantaged Backgrounds or Minorities to Leadership
When you appoint minority people to leadership, it significantly impacts your diversity footprint. In one of their reports, McKinsey stated that companies with gender diversity in the top quartile are 21% more likely to outperform in profitability. It is more than essential to place womens and minority groups in leadership roles.
Conclusion
Your company can fully utilize the potential of its employees and be better equipped to succeed when it prioritizes diversity and inclusion. In addition to reaping the benefits of increased creativity, engagement, and talent retention, you’ll also help create an equal and balanced community. Hence, adopting inclusiveness is a strategic necessity for long-term corporate success today.