Creating an Inclusive Workplace: a How-to Guide for Staff and Employers

The world has gotten smaller, and our work environment should be changing with it. As communities have become more diverse and interconnected, an inclusive workplace is more important than ever. Organizations tend to thrive when employees respect each other and celebrate their differences, while companies that fail to change with the times can easily get left behind. 

The benefits of an inclusive workplace culture extend beyond the individual employees, and make for stronger, better companies and happier staff. Today’s job applicants actively look for inclusivity when they search for work, indicating it’s a key quality that no organisation can afford to overlook. In this article we’ll describe inclusive workplaces, as well as provide some useful tips to foster diversity and belonging in your own organization. 

What’s the meaning of an inclusive workplace? An inclusive workplace is one that nurtures connection between employees regardless of their background. Inclusive workplaces focus on celebrating and supporting its underrepresented staff, so they may feel safe and valued at work. The goal of an inclusive workplace is to honor employee’s differences and contributions to make work a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.    

There are many different benefits of creating an inclusive workplace, and here are just a few:

Improved Employee Engagement

Employees that feel safe and valued are going to be less stressed, and more content and engaged at work. 

Increased Productivity

As employee engagement rises, so does productivity. An inclusive workplace culture removes tension and supports employees, giving them the opportunity to do their best at work, and focus on their goals and tasks. 

Enhanced Decision-Making

Having a diverse and inclusive workplace allows people to share new and unexpected ideas and draw on their varying experiences. When people who think differently come together with a shared goal, they are more likely to come up with creative solutions to existing problems. 

Innovation and Adaptability

An inclusive workplace is an adaptable one. Having a more diverse staff means a greater variety of skills, and an increase in upskilling. For example, younger generations can support the development of their older peers, improving a company’s chances of surviving changes and growth. 

Diversity of Perspectives

With different people working together, an inclusive workplace is blessed with a range of different perspectives. Employees will bring their own unique experiences and processes to the table, allowing for dynamic problem solving and innovative approaches. 

Global Reach

Your market reach will increase when you embrace the norm of an inclusive workplace. Diverse organisations have a more universal appeal, and tend to perform better financially than companies who fail to innovate.   

There are clear disadvantages for not creating an inclusive workplace. Here are just a couple examples. 

Resistance and Pushback

Imagine feeling undervalued and uninvolved at work, and you can see why staff might struggle in an environment that is exclusive and ignorant of people’s differences. 

Perceived Favoritism

If you don’t embrace an inclusive workplace culture, you might be the subject of accusations of favoritism. Some groups might be more primed for success in an exclusive work environment, and you risk alienating others by not considering their unique needs. 

Cultural Clashes

In a more segregated workplace, misunderstandings are common, and that will inevitably lead to confrontation between different groups. 

Implicit Bias

When you lack an inclusive workplace culture, implicit bias can go unchecked. Most people aren’t aware of their unconscious biases and change in this regard can only come from exposure to people and experiences that are different, challenging us. 

Stereotyping and Generalizations

Inclusive workplaces foster understanding and communication, while restrictive ones fail to challenge stereotypes and lead to tension.

Limited Representation

One benefit of an inclusive workplace is there is more diverse representation among the staff, which benefits individuals and companies alike. Limited representation can reduce an organisation’s reach and hinder its performance. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives aren’t fringe ideas, and an inclusive workplace has increased appeal. Job seekers actively look for inclusivity when they make decisions about applying, and executives are more aware of the financial benefits of a diverse staff. The advantages of an inclusive workplace are embraced worldwide by companies such as:

Mastercard 

Consistently ranked high in diversity, MasterCard has an equal pay policy and they’ve established 9 different business resource groups which are active across 47 countries. 

Cisco

Cisco is a technology and telecommunications company committed to diversity. Less than 50% of their workforce is white, while nearly half of their senior managers are women.

Johnson & Johnson

A global pharmaceutical brand, Johnson & Johnson demonstrates its commitment to an inclusive workplace through ERGs and development programs. Thirty-six percent of their management staff in America is ethnically diverse. 

Marriott 

Marriott is a hotel and hospitality brand that made it on Forbes list of ‘America’s Best Employer for Diversity.’ They are engaged in several campaigns to promote LGBTQ+ diversity, and they recently received a perfect score for Corporate Equity Index by the Human Rights Campaign. 

It’s tough to consider your personal responsibility in creating an inclusive workplace. Inclusivity is often developed from the top down, since management shapes and informs company culture and policy. But that doesn’t mean that employees are powerless, or that they can’t engage in inclusive behaviors to support a more diverse and equitable work culture. 

If you’re looking for ways you can help foster an inclusive environment, the following are some examples of inclusive behaviors in the workplace. 

1. Listen actively

An inclusive workplace deeply relies on mutual understanding, and the best way to encourage this is through active listening. Take time to listen to your coworkers and try to pivot your focus away from yourself and your contributions to the conversation. 

2. Speak up against discrimination

‘If you see something, say something’ is a good rule to abide by. People in minority groups face discrimination every day, and it’s important to lend them your voice when you notice inappropriate behavior. 

3. Promote equal opportunities

To foster a more inclusive workplace, look for chances to advance equity. This could be something like recommending a hard-working coworker for internal promotion, making suggestions for recognizing outstanding performance, or proposing a more equitable promotion rubric. 

4. Use inclusive language

Part of building an inclusive workplace culture is using inclusive language. This means avoiding language that has bias, that stereotypes, or discriminates against people based on their culture, gender, ability, or orientation. Inclusive communications can include asking someone’s preferred pronouns, or choosing wording that focuses on accessibility instead of disability. 

5. Cultural awareness

Cultural awareness takes time and effort and it’s vital to creating an inclusive workplace. You can do research to learn more about the groups you work with, to help with things like culturally appropriate language or recognizing holidays. 

6. Challenge stereotypes

Stereotypes can feel deeply entrenched but should always be challenged to foster an inclusive workplace. For example, consider how mothers are often perceived to be less ambitious, a harmful stereotype that impacts their chances of getting promoted. It's everyone’s responsibility to carefully evaluate their potentially biased ways of thinking.  

7. Don’t dismiss or dispel contributions from others

Everyone has something to add to an inclusive workplace, and it’s important to consider how much value each individual brings. Don’t be quick to dismiss someone’s input and its importance.  

8. Feedback and open dialogue

An essential part of an inclusive workplace is open and inclusive communications. Seek feedback from others so you can improve your understanding and grow as a person. Create a culture of openness by listening carefully and not getting defensive. 

9. Lead by example

If you are in management, the best way to create an inclusive workplace is to lead by example. Managers can really shape company culture, and it’s therefore essential for you to be aware of your impact and to engage in inclusive behaviors every day. 

While employees contribute to and share in their work culture every day, employers have an important role in supporting their inclusive workplace. Ideally, inclusivity should be a partnership between staff and employers, but as decision makers, you really have power to create an environment that advances equity and inclusion 

The following ideas are just a few ways to support your efforts in creating an inclusive workplace.  

1. Educate leadership and employees about inclusion

Education programs and workshops are essential for developing a more inclusive workplace. As an employer, you can distribute learning material and give your managers and staff access to programs on diversity and inclusion.  

2. Diversity in hiring and recruitment

It’s important to look at your hiring and recruitment practices if you are keen to create an inclusive workplace. Gather data on your current staff diversity statistics. Is your hiring process equitable, and does it support everyone’s differing needs? If you have a dearth of diversity among your newest staff, you should examine what changes you can make.  

3. Equal pay and benefits for all

Equal pay is crucial for an inclusive workplace. Gather salary data and identify people in similar roles to compare their pay. You can also consider making your pay scale transparent and posted openly. 

4. Regular training on inclusion and diversity

It’s easy for once inclusive workplaces to slip back into poor practices and engage in bias. One way to prevent this is with regular diversity and inclusion training, such as workshops or videos that you can make mandatory for staff. 

5. Promote inclusivity in decision-making

Policies impact different groups in different ways, and it’s important to have diverse representation at the highest decision-making levels. This means ensuring there is equal representation in management, and that decision-making committees aren’t homogenous. 

6. Celebrate differences

Look for ways to celebrate your staff’s diversity. There are many ways to do this, such as creating an inclusive calendar and recognizing holidays from different cultures.

7. Remove barriers to participation

For a more inclusive workplace, consider the barriers in place that make everyone’s equal participation difficult. For example, language barriers, or accessibility issues. 

8. Embrace flexibility

An inclusive workplace requires flexibility. Organisations which rigidly adhere to their old, deeply rooted practices can fail to make appropriate changes when necessary. 

9. Create events and initiatives focused on inclusivity

There are many initiatives you can embark on to create a more inclusive workplace. You can establish ERGs, which provide a strong sense of community. You can celebrate different holidays at work, or host workshops and speakers. The possibilities are endless. 

While it’s easy to overlook the importance of an inclusive workplace, supporting diversity and inclusion at work has become the norm across industries. Inclusive workplaces foster understanding and communication between employees, regardless of background. As an employee, you might find it hard to know your role in creating an inclusive workplace, but rest assured there are many actions you can take to increase inclusivity at work. Your responsibility as an employer is equally important. Sites like CakeResume are a great place to find staff, as we have a large, diverse audience with a variety of skills and experience. Follow us for more tips on diversity, equity and inclusion at work. 

— Originally written by Tiffany Quinn —