An inclusive culture requires understanding the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). From physical barriers to societal stigma, examples of DEI issues are widespread both globally and locally.
Tokenism is one common way of failing to bring real change; other obstacles include unconscious bias and microaggressions during hiring processes or job descriptions which fail to attract diverse candidates.
Ethnic Diversity
Ethnic diversity is an essential aspect of inclusion. It refers to people from various races and cultures; yet is often treated separately from race. Ethnicity encompasses more than race; for example religion, language and origins all play a part.
Ethnic diversity brings many advantages to both workplaces and communities. It enables a broader perspective to be taken when approaching complex problems, while simultaneously increasing levels of inclusion. When fully accepted and appreciated, ethnic diversity enables solutions that would otherwise remain intractable to be found through multiple points of view.
Studies have demonstrated that companies with diverse executive teams tend to outshone their competitors. Furthermore, employees from ethnically diverse backgrounds bring unique cultural insights that can enhance customer engagement and foster stronger business relationships.
But when ethnic diversity is not prioritized, it can lead to disparity and exclusion in communities where segregation and economic inequality exist. A person’s ethnicity could determine access to services or how they are prioritized for community support programs.
Due to cultural biases and privilege, certain ethnic identities tend to be considered dominant or privileged while others aren’t. Examples of identities that fall outside this norm are women, people with dark skinned and darker-skinned race backgrounds, LGBTQ persons, disabled individuals.
Though some individuals might object to being identified by ethnicity, ethnicity analysis is necessary in measuring and monitoring discrimination and inequality between races and classes. Furthermore, it helps draw attention to marginalisation issues while building more inclusive communities. Care must be taken when using this term so as not to racialize people and cause distress.
Gender Diversity
Gender diversity can bring new insights and improve problem-solving abilities for businesses. Gender diversity also allows employees to gain more of an understanding of customers and communities around them, which allows them to develop better products and services for customers and communities alike.
Companies that prioritize gender diversity enjoy an advantage over companies who do not, attracting top talent as a result. According to research by Catalyst, gender inclusive workplaces were linked with employee satisfaction and performance – including team problem-solving skills, work engagement levels and intentions to remain with a company.
Gender inclusion refers to the fair and equal representation of men, women, and non-binary people within an organization. Gender inclusion goes beyond simply addressing wage disparity or striving to attain gender equality – this only scratches the surface. Gender inclusion also encompasses supporting employees as they explore and embrace their gender identities; all genders within an organization receive equal treatment while using pronouns of their choosing – something wage gaps cannot do.
Gender inclusion can be achieved in many ways, from hiring policies that evaluate qualifications without bias to mentoring programs for women and flexible scheduling options. Furthermore, it’s vital to foster an environment of openness while simultaneously addressing any microaggressions or unconscious bias that might exist in an organization.
Businesses looking to make an impactful statement should start from the ground up by ensuring all candidates are considered when filling positions, which requires reviewing interview processes to eliminate any questions or tasks which might disadvantage female applicants. Equal opportunities should also be granted as well as training and support provided to women who hold leadership roles.
Though gender diversity should be prioritized, it should also be seen in relation to other forms of diversity such as racial and cultural. Without an inclusive leadership team in place it can often be hard for businesses to attain gender equity resulting in ineffective decisions and poor business results.
Disability Inclusion
Disability inclusion involves providing individuals with disabilities equal access and opportunities. This involves eliminating physical and attitudinal barriers that prevent disabled people from participating fully in their communities, workplaces and social environments; as well as emphasizing what individual contributors with disabilities offer organizations.
Establishing an inclusive workplace can help your company attract and retain talented employees from diverse backgrounds, which in turn makes your business more cost-efficient in the market. Inclusivity also brings new ideas and perspectives into the workplace that increase productivity; employees who feel like their differences are valued instead of simply tolerated can significantly boost morale, leading to greater collaboration.
Effective disability inclusion should be at the core of every company. Meeting quotas or adding one or two people with disabilities won’t cut it; your culture must embrace inclusiveness for everyone.
Some companies have made strides toward disability inclusion, while others remain challenged. Unconscious bias can keep employees from sharing their own experiences or cause them to overlook opportunities that would benefit employees with disabilities.
Integrating diversity and inclusivity into your corporate culture can help identify and address unconscious biases within your workplace, encouraging employees to report discriminatory acts that they witness – creating an more empathetic world overall.
One can accommodate individuals with disabilities in the workplace by providing accessible restrooms or making more significant alterations to policies or work processes; some employers might need to offer audio description for events or offer video options for remote employees who cannot attend meetings in person.
Disability inclusion goes beyond addressing discrimination against disabled workers; it also incorporates aspects that have historically been excluded from society, such as indigenous people, women, LGBTQ individuals and other minority groups. By making equality central to your culture, you can foster an environment in which everyone feels appreciated for who they are and the contributions they bring to society.
LGBT Inclusion
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) employees tend to be underrepresented in leadership positions at their companies, particularly women of color and LGBTQ+ men and women who identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming. Due to this underrepresentation in leadership positions at work, many LGBTQ+ employees don’t feel safe being themselves at work which causes less engagement and productivity, which in turn negatively affects performance.
Establishing an inclusive workplace culture for LGBTQ+ employees is integral to creating an environment in which all feel welcome. This goes beyond hiring those of this identity; rather, it means providing an atmosphere in which they can express themselves freely at work. One key part of this is making sure all team members use preferred pronouns in interactions and that terms used to refer to significant others are inclusive.
Though this may seem like an insignificant detail, even small differences can have significant consequences. For example, using “he” when discussing their partner can be confusing to team members who identify as LGBT or non-binary. To avoid such confusion in meetings and formal company communications such as employee directories, email signatures and Zoom titles.
Diversity, equity and inclusion is about creating an environment in which everyone feels accepted and valued despite their identity or circumstances. Achieve this requires removing underlying structural barriers that prevent people from realizing their full potential as well as challenging biases that lead to discrimination and exclusion.
Leaders must create an inclusive culture centered around diversity, equity and inclusion by developing policies, practices and cultures that support this objective. Although it may be challenging, leaders should remember that everyone has their own set of experiences which require various approaches in order to break down any barriers within our society.
Establishing an inclusive workplace can be a significant challenge, and especially during a pandemic like COVID-19. Building such an inclusive culture begins by acknowledging any barriers which need to be broken down, setting goals for the future while taking steps right now to increase inclusion.