Diversity and inclusivity have been buzzwords for some time now and organisations are increasingly aware of how they can benefit from building a culture of inclusivity in the workplace. Inclusivity is not only a legal and moral obligation but is essential to being competitive in the market. If employees don’t feel a part of the organisation it is likely that their performance will suffer, along with productivity and innovation. Inclusivity is a key component to the success and growth of a business.
A diverse workforce is made up of individuals with a wide range of characteristics and experiences. Inclusivity is the commitment of an organisation to working as a team, valuing all employees, where perspectives and differences are shared.
Some organisations have struggled to create a diverse and inclusive culture, paying little more than lip service to it. Whilst some large organisations have been implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as providing quiet break out spaces and breast-feeding rooms, these types of initiatives are not always achievable for smaller businesses to provide. So, what can SMEs do to ensure they are providing an inclusive workplace?
Implementing inclusivity strategies
Having a clear non-discrimination policy is a good starting point to creating an inclusive work environment. However, it goes much further requiring a proactive approach to embed inclusivity into the culture of the organisation.
Two key factors for creating an inclusive workplace are education and communication.
Education. An employer and managers need to educate themselves on their staff and to educate their employees about each other. By taking the time to ask questions and talk to employees, they can really get to know them and understand their backgrounds, cultures and any specific needs they may have in the workplace can be accommodated for.
By learning about employees, it not only increases understanding about the individual employee but also builds trust and stronger working relationships. Implementing strategies to provide a working environment for employees needs, such as flexibility for people with certain conditions or cultural beliefs, builds an inclusive culture.
It is important that if employers acknowledge certain special days (a specific disability day or gay pride) or events from religious holidays that they don’t exclude other religious holidays or special days relevant to other employees.
Communication. This is key to creating an inclusive culture in the workplace. Open, effective communication, as well as clear channels for feedback will give everyone the opportunity to be heard and feel valued. Diversity and inclusion are best nurtured in an open workplace, where mistakes should be used as a learning opportunity and not for shaming individuals. One of the priorities of the modern worker is to feel valued in the workplace and for their values to be aligned with the organisations values.
Unconscious bias and inequality are still widespread in the workplace, taking a holistic approach to diversity and inclusion rather than setting targets and quotas is essential to making people feel included and valued.