As an African-American female motivational speaker who harnesses the power of stories to address diversity and inclusion, I can state with absolute certainty that at no time in the history of our nation has the deliberate cultivation of diversity and inclusion in the workplace been more important. My audience members of Asian-American, African-American, and Hispanic backgrounds never fail to share with me how much they appreciate my honest presentation about inclusion. After all, there is a distinct difference between diversity and inclusion. Think of it this way: diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.
I realized the importance of inclusion while conversing with my daughter and her friends one evening. One friend works for a company where the CEO is a fine man, committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. He always makes the effort to cultivate a sense of belonging and to make sure every employee feels empowered. The story, however, was entirely different at another friend’s office. She said that oftentimes conflicts occur due to intolerance among fellow employees at her job site. In worst case scenarios, the conflicts metamorphose into animosity and sometimes even create situations of anger and aggression. This paradox compelled me to do further research. I ultimately reached a conclusion that successful diverse and inclusive companies not only promote innovation and creativity but also outperform companies with a more homogeneous workforce.
“Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same.
-Angelina Jolie
We all need to be valued and respected for who we are and allowed to reach our highest potential in our own unique ways.
In this blog, I share with you some tips on how diversity can lead to inclusion for all employees in your workplace:
Implement the “Inclusive Workplace Model
Many organizations offer different incentives like generous bonuses, free tea and coffee, employee recognition programs, etc. to retain their employees. But even these incentives don’t work when the employees feel alienated in the workplace.
For instance, consider the Muslim employee who feels unsafe to mention his religion and therefore, doesn’t offer his daily prayer on the company grounds. Or picture a working woman who avoids putting her children’s pictures on her workstation so as to not let anyone question her commitment to the job. Employees who differ from the rest of their colleagues in sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion, race, nationality, age, and gender are often reluctant to expose their true identities at work and are generally fearful of negative consequences.
Such aspects of the absence of inclusivity shouldn’t be ignored if a company aims to create a workforce that reflects a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The “Inclusive Workplace Model” ensures the involvement and empowerment of employees regardless of their differences. Many companies are having success with Employee Resource Groups, composed of volunteer employees working together to achieve inclusion for all. These groups often include members of the company’s leadership teams.
“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.
-Maya Angelou
Instill a Sense of Belonging for Everyone
For your company culture to be inclusive, a sense of belonging for everyone must be established. I have learned from my personal experiences that changes are not linear. A sincere effort toward creating a true diverse and inclusive culture can achieve an atmosphere of belonging. When all employees have a sense of belonging they become engaged in their work and the service they provide to the customers and community at large. Diversity and inclusion allows a company or organization to reflect the culture of their communities and customers. Diversity and inclusion pave the way to extending marketplace reach.
Empathetic leadership is Indispensable
Studies show that many companies believe the integration of diversity and inclusion in the culture of a workplace is the sole responsibility of the Human Resource Officers. The results of these studies show that allotting this duty to HR is a flawed approach. As a matter of fact, superficial policies and language are insufficient to bring about real change. A company’s D&I practices cannot thrive unless the entire C-suite steps in with leadership commitment.
The company’s leaders need to reflect on their own personal stories for the purpose of identifying the feelings that are created when isolation occurs. They might recall a time when they were excluded, so they can apply the lessons learned and at the same time empathize with employees who feel that they are being excluded.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Daily Reflection of the Needs and Preferences of Everyone
Some companies have begun to designate quotas to boost inclusion, but experience and research show that quotas may increase diversity, but not necessarily inclusion. Inclusion involves making all employees feel valued, respected, and welcome every day on the job. To nurture top talent and develop new leaders, a company should provide an employee experience that is designed with the ultimate goal of promoting inclusion on a daily basis. It is also beneficial to draft a plan to measure the impact of this design for its effectiveness.
Use Independent Focus Groups to Obtain Data
One effective way to collect qualitative data and obtain detailed insights into employees is through independent focus groups . Not only will the employees speak more comfortably and freely with an outside facilitator, the outside company will also maintain a neutral position.
In a nutshell, improved efforts toward inclusion and diversity in the workplace positively impact innovation and creativity, and translate into increased organizational performance, increased employee retention, and better employee engagement.
