Nowadays, there are commonplace corporate terms that didn’t exist until relatively recently. Sometimes it’s called DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), or it’s labelled as “EDI&B” (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging).
Both new terminologies and any sort of initialism can confuse people and put them off understanding just what is being talked about. “Equity in the workplace” or “cultural competence” aren’t phrases that are immediately clear. However, “building inclusive workplace culture” is clear from the off: everyone is welcomed, invited and considered.
So, what we’re going to focus on here is the “I” part of the conversation: inclusivity.
Employee engagement rises with a sense of workplace belonging. Inclusive leadership is made real when there are inclusion strategies in place. This article also looks at promoting workplace diversity - and what this all really means..
Understanding the Importance of an Inclusive Culture
The reason that these terms are new is that the world is not the same as it was 30 years ago. The expectations of employees today are well-documented as, for the most part, needing a sense of purpose and passion alongside the salary and financial benefits of a role - particularly for high-performing people. One aspect of this is a sense of belonging, of being welcomed and respected as the unique individuals they are, rather than simply cogs in a machine. These expectations come at the same time as society itself in a new reality: one of diversity wherein differences are to be celebrated instead of hidden or shunned.
An organisation without a visible, understandable and actioned strategy on inclusivity is set up to fail with employee satisfaction and retention. How do you make sure that doesn’t happen to you?
What is an Inclusive Workplace Culture?
Culture itself may sound intangible, but all it boils down to is the accepted norms of a group’s beliefs and behaviours. From the perspective of inclusive workplace culture, the question is: do employees have interactions and experiences that signify an inclusive environment?
Away from diverse teams’ simple to-do lists, project boards and task-based meetings, what actual experiences, content and actions are they consuming that denote: “your personality, lifestyle, background and needs are considered and welcomed in this organisation”?
It’s also vital that the organisation offer a confident narrative of what workplace diversity and inclusion mean to them. Beyond phrases ‘from the organisation’, the founder, CEO or head should be able to personally lead with the description of what this means both as a concept and as a reality to the employee experience.
Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Clearly and confidently explaining that the employee experience has been created with inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of the strategy: it sounds obvious when you read it, yet many organisations don’t address it in real terms.
Diversity means not just acceptance but celebration of the unique aspects of each person. It’s not about race, ethnicity or tokenism, but a core belief that team innovation, employee engagement and a positive culture happens as each person is treated as an individual, not as a staff member ID number.
Staff retention through inclusion is one obvious benefit: if people truly feel valued, treated as adults, shown respect then they are less likely to hit the ‘Jobs’ button when scrolling through LinkedIn. During their work, feeling a sense of belonging drives people to offer their best, as they see their skills and abilities contributing to something worthwhile, beyond mere profit.
Challenges to Building an Inclusive Culture
We can talk about barriers to diversity and the difficulty in managing diverse teams, but what it really comes down to is cultural integration. It can be looked at in two key points, for better understanding. The first is initial messaging, and the second is outstanding touchpoints through the employee experience.
What this means is: What is the central message from leadership about their beliefs in the importance of diversity and inclusion - and how often is this communicated? Secondly, what events take place through the year that are relevant to this? “Event” here can mean a figurative moment or piece of communications, or actual events, whether in-person or virtual.
Strategies for Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
Strategies sounds a big, overarching word, but let’s not get lost in precise semantics between tactics, actions and strategy. Basically put: what are the specific actions that could be simply listed if the organisation was asked: how do you signify a commitment to workplace diversity and inclusion?
Inclusive Hiring Practices
These can be stated methods of inclusive hiring and fair recruitment. This, again, does not mean the organisation is expected to simply say “we hire from minority backgrounds” in a job ad. It means what exists to ensure unbiased hiring and talent diversity? For one example, stating “university degree required” pigeonholes people who may not have had access to university education in life.
Building Cultural Competence in Teams
In the actual employee experience, are there activities available to all? How is wellbeing addressed throughout all of this?
Wellbeing is a key piece of the modern day workplace experience. Good employers who wish to create a strong culture and ensure staff retention will address the holistic wellbeing of their people, namely mental, physical, emotional and social wellbeing, potentially including financial wellbeing into the mix where appropriate.
Are the events, content and experiences of wellbeing at work inclusive? Do they allow everyone to take part, no matter their personal level of education, their specific life experience and goals, and their comfort levels with wellbeing topics?
Implementing Inclusive Leadership
Team empowerment happens through inclusive leadership and supportive leaders.
Leadership sounds like a high and mighty word about finding success and being generally wonderful - the reality is how people feel about you as a person.
Respecting the daily lifestyle and life routine away from the workplace is just as - if not more important than what happens in work meetings. But speaking of work meetings, inclusive leadership shows up by the ability to embrace the differences in people. Some team members are able to quickly vocalise thoughts in a group space, while others are not. Some people can grasp operational mechanics quicker than others. Inclusive managers appreciate the differences that each person brings to the table and have the ability to get the best out of each person, whatever their individual working style and personal route to best performance.
Encouraging Open Communication and Employee Involvement
Open communication is one of those obvious terms that gets thrown around. But it doesn’t just mean that anyone feels like they can say anything at any time. Communication impacts inclusivity by having open guidelines to communication.
The organisation as a whole entity can speak about the recommended ways for people to analyse situations, provide feedback, communicate with either their line manager or HR (or others) - it doesn’t have to be from team leads alone.
There’s also a consideration for cross cultural engagement and cultural exchange, whether it’s based on cultural competence training or the possibility to interact and collaborate with others in different regions.
Creating Safe Spaces for Open Dialogue
Open communication means safe workplace dialogue, and a place where workplace respect means employee voices have a place to go. Whether that’s a permanently open and anonymous feedback channel, or a signposted structure of recommended flows of communication in various situations.
Creating feedback culture is dependent on these structures, and also ensuring team leads are fully aware of how they can best perform group scenarios that are relevant to group feedback on work projects.
Encouraging Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Inclusive communities are a great way to promote team connection.
Away from communication about work and projects, what employee resources groups or ERG benefits are in place that allow people to talk away from solely work? How does the organisation support workplace support groups?
Whatever the final choices being made, the best work environments offer clear communication about how people can connect and communicate about social issues, personal passions and opinions outside of work.
Providing Ongoing Training and Development on Inclusivity
Employee development nowadays often includes inclusivity training and diversity education. Other effective ways to achieve these is to unite employees in a common goal, at the same time as providing workplace learning. Rather than offering training for inclusivity merely for the sake of it, tie the training in with a resulting recognition and reward system for taking part.
Real-World Examples of inclusion
Big names put inclusion at the forefront of their work culture. Ernst & Young, for instance, has made a comprehensive Diversity Business Network, which connects employees from various backgrounds, offering mentorship and career support. This is backed by their Inclusion Council, a dedicated group that has internal initiatives like workshops and video series to educate staff on diversity and inclusion.
Accenture takes a similar approach, offering cultural competence training alongside employee resource groups (ERGs), getting cross-cultural engagement, and encouraging open dialogue. Their programs promote a learning environment where diverse perspectives are not just heard but celebrated.
At Google, their internal and external initiatives include providing tailored workshops aimed at promoting empathy and active listening. This is complemented by ERGs that allow employees to share experiences and create safe spaces for discussion.
Salesforce stands out with its global inclusivity efforts, supporting cross-cultural exchange and ensuring employees from diverse backgrounds feel heard through dedicated feedback channels and an open-door policy for ongoing development.
How Stayf Helps Create an Inclusive Culture
Stayf is used by MNCs and SMEs for connecting multiple business objectives in one place. For one thing, the team-based wellbeing experiences in the Stayf app emphasise inclusivity. It’s a great way for organisations and leaders to explain that a Global Wellbeing Challenge is taking place for the very reason that it is inclusive and will connect people together from diverse backgrounds.
Inclusive Focus Through Wellbeing
Wellbeing Challenges by Stayf aren’t based on physical fitness or solely exercise, and they don’t simply reward those who move the most. The app mechanics are built for inclusivity and customisation. Wellbeing Challenges can be about acts of kindness and praising colleagues, and it’s participation and effort that is rewarded in league tables and points-scoring.
Open Communication and Doing Good
Companies like Coca-cola have used Stayf for their CSR, charity fundraising initiatives. It’s a good purpose that brings people together, whether remote or dispersed globally. It gives people awareness of their colleagues in different places and connects people together. They’re able to chat in safe chat rooms in the app. As they share their experiences and personal wellbeing routines, communication comes alive away from simple work-based meetings. Morale raises as people understand that there are other real people at the end of the line.
Diverse Wellbeing Content
Wellbeing doesn’t mean enforced meditation. Stayf’s customisation means that specific content can be delivered to different workforces. Stayf is loved by workers of diverse backgrounds as it presents content in a diverse range of consumable options. there are light, easy-to-understand nudges and stories, as well as micro-courses and bite-sized lessons. Content ranges all the way through from mental, physical and emotional wellbeing to financial wellbeing and more..
Conclusion
Building an inclusive culture goes beyond hiring practices and mission statements. While these are important foundations, it’s truly the day to day interactions and sense of connection between colleagues that can create successful employee engagement.
Stayf is an affordable way to bridge wellbeing, employee engagement, DEI and CSR. It’s proven to bring people together with very high interaction rates, whether a global corporation or regional SME, from office to remote to deskless workers.
Get in touch and one of our friendly team can discuss how this can be customised for your organisation, and up and running in days with a fully supported, easy solution.