You’re the boss of your own organization, so you get to decide what kind of workplace it is. Are you ready for one that’s open and welcoming? What does a diverse and inclusive workplace look like? Here are four traits of an inclusive organization:
Inclusive Organizations Recognize The Need For Change
One of the most important steps in creating an inclusive organization is recognizing that change is necessary.
- Diversity and inclusion are not just cultural issues. They can affect your bottom line as well. According to a study by McKinsey & Company, high-performing companies have “the highest levels of gender diversity at senior levels.” Additionally, according to Forbes: “Diverse teams consistently outperform non-diverse ones on every measure — revenue growth, customer retention and employee satisfaction.”
- The benefits of having an inclusive environment go beyond being able to attract top talent. It also improves employee retention rates and increases productivity among all team members.
Willing To Invest In A Culture Of Inclusion
- Inclusive organizations are willing to invest in a culture of inclusion. This means that they make it a priority to hire people from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences and make sure that everyone feels welcome and included at work.
- How do they do this? They ask questions like: Who are we hiring? Are we making sure we’re reaching out to diverse groups? Are we looking at the demographics of our staff or our customers?
- The benefits of having an inclusive organization include increased productivity, higher employee retention rates, better customer satisfaction scores and more innovation within your company.
Provide Training And Education On Diversity And Inclusion
Training and education are crucial parts of creating an inclusive organization. It is important to provide training and education on diversity and inclusion for everyone in your organization, from the boardroom to the mailroom. As per the professionals at Intuit, “The training should be ongoing and tailored to meet the unique needs of your organization.” This can be done by qualified trainers who have been trained in diversity and inclusion.
Communicate Their Commitment To D&I Throughout All Levels Of Their Organization
The commitment to D&I must be communicated throughout all levels of your organization. This means that you have to make sure that your CEO and other high-level executives are on board with the idea of promoting diversity, as well as communicating that commitment to lower-ranking employees in order for them to understand its importance. From there, it’s up to each individual manager and employee at every level of the hierarchy to ensure their own behavior reflects this commitment.
Inclusive organizations are aware of their unique needs and make sure they have the right people in place to meet them. They also recognize that diversity and inclusion go beyond hiring practices—they encompass a wide range of issues and support systems, from HR policies to mentoring programs. But perhaps most importantly, they’re willing to invest in the culture of their organization, so employees feel safe when raising concerns or discussing sensitive topics with each other.
