Many companies have prioritized creating a diverse workplace, but very few have taken the steps needed to make those employees feel accepted. However, considering that 80% of job seekers want their future employer to make measurable inclusive efforts [Deloitte], it’s becoming more critical for companies to make it a priority.

And today, DEI initiatives are more important than ever. According to a recent HRDive piece, they shared a survey of more than 400 women, “half of women said they’re being cautious about changing jobs, prioritizing job security over their career growth and seeking employers with DEI commitments.”

Why Is It Important to Have an Inclusive Workplace?

An inclusive workplace is a foundation for a successful business. Inclusive teams are over 35% more productive (LinkedIn Learning), profitable, and more sought after by employees. 72% of workers aged 18-34 said they would consider turning down a job offer or leaving a company if they did not think that their manager (or potential manager) supported DEI initiatives (Glassdoor).

Creating a diverse, inclusive environment is paramount to company growth and can also impact the happiness of your workforce. An inclusive workplace makes people feel respected and safe, allowing them to be their authentic selves without fear of judgment, harassment, or punishment.

When people are unsatisfied with their work environment, they are more likely to leave or have a negative opinion about their employer. Companies can take measurable steps to reduce churn and retain their top talent.

8 Powerful Ways to Build Inclusion in the Workspace

1. Start from the top 

It can be challenging to change the company culture without support from management, which is why the leadership team must understand and prioritize inclusivity within the workplace. 

Company leaders have the reach to impact everyone underneath them. Not only should they be setting a good example for the company, but they also have the power to implement goals and actions based on inclusivity. After all, managers should lead by example to create positive change that spreads throughout the rest of the organization.

One of the most impactful ways to educate managers is to participate in inclusivity training. This will equip them with the right tools to make essential changes in their team and company. 

2. Integrate inclusivity into your company’s core values

A diverse and inclusive workplace positively impacts a company’s success. But simply talking about the benefits of an inclusive environment isn’t enough. Companies need to implement steps to see the benefits of their actions.

As such, many businesses have chosen to add inclusivity as a core company value. 

This affects your company culture and plays a massive role in how your business hires, creates a lasting impression in the community, and manages projects. A company’s value drives decisions that can impact all aspects of the business’s future.

Inclusivity as a written company goal also gives new hires a glimpse into what they can expect while working for your company. Employees must embrace differences because ignorance and hatred will not be tolerated. 

3. Enhance your communication

The way we communicate with each other has a huge impact on how comfortable we feel in the workplace. All of our interactions must make people feel as safe as possible.

• Use inclusive language: Nobody on your team should ever feel left out. Ensure you use neutral words that don’t point out someone’s race, gender, or sexual preference. Most importantly, don’t assume you know someone’s preferences or background without speaking with them first!
• Communicate with frequent check-ins: Your coworkers may be experiencing challenges that may not seem obvious to others. Now and then, check in with them to see how they are feeling and if there is anything you or the company can assist with to help them through their conflict.
• Create opportunities for conversation among coworkers: Acceptance doesn’t just come from the top – it also comes from other coworkers. Give your employees time to communicate and connect through a meeting or virtual team-building activity.
• Create multiple avenues of communication: Face-to-face meetings may not be ideal for everyone. Make it known that people have other preferred methods for asking questions or voicing concerns. This could be through live chat software, email, or even an anonymous feedback system.
• Secure your communications at work: Many employees tend to compromise security for business continuity. It is very important to secure their collaboration and ensure data privacy. A phone or email validation and verification API process could help. 

4. Provide safe spaces for employees

Employee happiness isn’t just about praise and promotion. It also applies to how comfortable they feel in their work environment. Creating a safe space in the office is crucial for people to feel accepted by their company and by other employees.

For example, consider creating gender-neutral and handicap-accessible restrooms. A room for prayers or breastfeeding parents may also be necessary. Introverted or easily distracted employees may also want a quiet area where they can work without being disturbed by others. 

5. Create an inclusivity task force

Many employees are passionate about creating an inclusive work environment. Creating an inclusivity task force would allow them to brainstorm other interesting and meaningful ways to increase diversity in the company.

The task force can then collaborate with management to develop goals or initiatives. It can plan events that celebrate diversity, like inviting guest speakers into the office, volunteering in local communities, or participating in parades or marches. These activities are essential for building knowledge, promoting acceptance, and team bonding. 

However, the task force must include people from different backgrounds. A diverse group can help expand the company’s offerings to its employees in terms of activities and events.

6. Provide inclusivity training

Proper training is not only for managers and executives; inclusive education can benefit every person in the organization.

Although there is a lot of overlap, it’s important to remember that inclusivity training is not the same as diversity training. Diversity focuses on who is employed at your company, while inclusivity is more about making those employees feel safe, welcomed, and represented. 

However, inclusivity doesn’t have to be a completely separate topic. If your company already has diversity training initiatives, set aside time to talk about inclusivity. You can also include this training the in onboarding process to inform new hires about company expectations before they start. 

7. Hold more effective meetings

Team meetings are a great way to bring the team together. However, some employees on your team are less inclined to speak up. Therefore, it’s crucial to create an atmosphere in which people feel comfortable sharing their opinions and thoughts in front of others. Here are some easy ways to do so:

• Share meeting materials: The foundation for an effective meeting starts with a game plan. Before you call your team together, ensure you have a goal for the meeting. Send an agenda itinerary to all participants beforehand. This will give everyone time to prepare any questions and thoughts.
• Reach out to virtual workers: If some of your employees are remote, they may feel left out from groups who are interacting face-to-face. In these situations, ensure virtual workers get an equal chance to participate in the discussion during your meeting. If you have employees who just started working from home, help them adapt to remote work.   
• Give credit: Praise and recognition are essential for team morale. Giving credit where it’s due also enforces the behaviors and goals important to the company and sets the standard for how others should behave or interact with each other.
• Allow for discussions: Not all meetings have to be about work-related projects. Allowing employees to voice their ideas or interests can benefit the team. Hold town halls, daily check-ins, or team lunches to enable everyone to talk with each other.
• Record them with an AI notetaker: Recording each meeting with an AI note allows participants to stay fully engaged in the conversation without worrying about capturing every detail because the AI notetaker is recording the meeting, providing a transcript, and action items. It also ensures everyone has access to accurate, real-time notes, regardless of whether they were able to attend.

8. Communicate goals and measure progress

As with any other company goal, communication is key to gaining the support of your team. The problem should be identified and actionable steps and desirable outcomes must be communicated.

Employees can find it challenging to commit to goals when they don’t fully understand why. Therefore, the reasoning behind inclusive initiatives should be discussed in great detail. Show figures and data to teach them about the problem at hand.

Once everyone understands the issue, implement a game plan for progress that includes actionable steps employees can take (personally or as a team) to be more inclusive at work. 

Finally, set realistic goals to measure the outcome of your inclusion plan. How will you know your plan was a success? What will this change for the company or the impacted employees? With these measurable goals, your employees can see the results of their labor, motivating them to continue making progress in the future. 

Final Thoughts

Making sure your employees feel accepted and safe at work is a worthwhile task. However, creating an inclusive environment takes work. Implementing the measures explored in this article will demonstrate their value in forming a happy team and successful company.