Beyond Buzzwords: Steps to Fostering Inclusivity and Diversity in the Workplace
A growing body of research suggests that diverse and inclusive workplaces perform better compared to those that lack representation. Bringing together individuals with different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds helps foster creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Inclusivity is also vital in creating a workplace culture where employees feel valued, respected, and supported. This then promotes employee engagement, satisfaction, and self-esteem, and lowers levels of stress and burnout in the workplace.
Inclusivity and diversity are not just buzzwords. They are fundamental principles that are required to create a workplace culture that promotes both success and employee wellbeing.
However, with the increase in attention surrounding “diversity” and “inclusivity” concepts in popular media, workplaces often misunderstand or misrepresent how these ideas should be integrated into their workplace culture. Employers may also feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to effectively implement and maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, or may fear making missteps that could cause harm or offense. Fortunately, there is a clear first step in this process, which is to develop a clear understanding of what inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) are, and why they are necessary in the workplace.
It is important to first understand the difference between inclusivity and diversity…
Diversity refers to including and embracing individuals with different cultures, races, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. For example, a number of different ethnic, generational, or religious groups may be present in a diverse workplace.
Inclusivity means creating an environment where everyone, and diverse perspectives, are welcomed, valued, and respected, regardless of differences in background or identity. For example, an inclusive workplace actively seeks out and respects the different perspectives and experiences of all employees.
Even if a company has a workforce consisting of employees from diverse backgrounds, it does not guarantee inclusion and equality if every individual is not given the same opportunities for growth (equity) and if there are barriers that prevent certain individuals from fully participating in the workplace (accessibility). This exclusion — when some individuals are given preference or opportunities to succeed over others — often goes unnoticed, which may be an unintentional yet common mistake made by many workplaces. However, it is the responsibility of the workplace to assess whether unintentional biases towards certain individuals exist, and how inequity or inaccessibility may be present within the workplace. Importantly, evaluating a workplace for bias, or a lack of IDEA, should occur across all levels - including individuals, leadership, policies, and values.
Steps to Fostering Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA)
It is crucial that organizations educate themselves to ensure that their efforts towards inclusivity and diversity are well-informed and appropriate. Moreover, organizations must ensure their actions to promote IDEA are not performative but are rooted in a genuine commitment to creating a better workplace for everyone. This means actively engaging with and supporting minority groups, taking meaningful actions to address issues of discrimination and hate crimes, as well as listening to, and valuing the voices of, marginalized individuals.
Actionable steps that a business can take include:
Inform and educate workplace personnel (across all levels) about the principles of IDEA to bring awareness to these critical concepts, and thereby empowering people to take informed and appropriate actions to address IDEA.
Create an IDEA policy that outlines the organization's commitment to IDEA, detailing steps the organization will take to ensure that it is living up to its values.
Establish an IDEA committee that is representative of the diversity of the organization and tasked with monitoring progress, addressing concerns, and making recommendations for future action.
Conduct a diversity audit to understand the current state of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including interviews with employees to assess their experiences.
Increase diversity in hiring by broadening recruitment efforts, training recruiters on unconscious biases, and revising job descriptions to ensure they are inclusive.
Foster an inclusive culture by regularly recognizing and celebrating diversity in the workplace, supporting employee resource groups, and providing opportunities for employees to share their experiences and perspectives.
Stay updated with social justice movements that allow the organization to continuously update and inform their policies and culture.
These are just a few examples of actionable steps that businesses can take, but the key is to embed a holistic commitment to understanding, implementing, and evolving IDEA in the workplace that is tailored to the unique context of each organization.
To learn more about creating a workplace culture that embodies inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, consider booking Drexler as a Speaker for your next corporate training event, lunch & learn, or community event. Drexler’s Foundations of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility talk provides real-world examples and tools for applying these concepts in different environments. If you are looking for a more focused approach, his Principles of Solidarity and Anti-Racism talk provides evidence-based principles of solidarity as well as tools for applying them in specific contexts such as BLM and COVID-19. Book a talk today to take the first step in creating a more inclusive, equitable, accessible, and diverse workplace!
Written By:
Drexler Ortiz, MSc, WellIntel Talks Expert Speaker, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology
Rachel Mallinson, BA, WellIntel Talks Intern