Why Inclusion Comes First
The approach to diversity in our workplaces is constantly changing. While there are various acronyms for this work (DEI, EDI, I&D, EDIB), at Inclusity, we think that inclusion matters most. We believe this so strongly that we’re steadily shifting from DEI to use the acronym IDE, which places inclusion first. Making sure that Inclusion comes first forms a a strong foundation for a company’s culture, employee engagement, sense of belonging, and recruitment and retention efforts.
Inclusion Leads to Diversity
Over the years, a lot of emphasis has been placed on diversity with the assumption that inclusion will follow. However, once you bring diverse individuals on board, what is their experience of the workplace culture? If it’s not an inclusive workplace, diversity and belonging just won’t thrive. This is why inclusion comes first, or at least why it should.
Diversity refers to the traits and characteristics that make people unique while inclusion refers to the behaviors that ensure people feel welcome. Inclusion is the conscious effort to support diversity. To sustain a diverse workforce, people have to be taught how to manage, lead, operate, and hire in an inclusive way, which creates an environment in which everyone feels comfortable to be themselves. If you get this right, you’ll naturally attract diverse talent.
Belonging Follows Inclusion
Let’s introduce another letter to the IDE framework – B for “Belonging.” It’s a goal of IDE efforts that people feel a sense belonging. It means people feel the psychological safety to bring their authentic selves to work and truly feel a part of something. Before employees can feel emotionally safe and accepted, there must be a level of inclusion so they’re not facing microaggressions, unconscious bias, and other forms of exclusion. Creating genuine feelings of belonging is a critical factor in improving engagement and performance. And making sure inclusion comes first will help diverse employees feel like they belong!
“Organizations should focus on becoming intentionally inclusive – learning what behaviors lead to intentional inclusion,” Maria White, CEO and founder of Inclusity, shares. “Then, once they achieve that, they can set the course toward becoming a culture of belonging.”
Focus on Inclusion
Following are five ways to make sure inclusion comes first:
Integrate inclusivity into your core values. Including inclusivity in your core values sets the tone for an inclusive company culture. It signals to both new hires and current employees the expectations surrounding diversity and acceptance within the business.
Create an inclusive workplace taskforce. Create a team of people who are knowledgeable on the topic of inclusion and have a passion for it. Encourage the team to come up with strategies that can be implemented throughout your organization.
Assess the culture regularly and take action to address concerns. Confidential surveys, focus groups, and informal discussions can help identify concerns about the workplace climate and potential solutions. Employers should ensure that a diverse cross-section of the workforce is involved in identifying problems and potential solutions.
Expect leaders and managers to participate in behavior-based inclusion training. In addition to increasing awareness, IDE workshops will have the most impact if they are behavior-based. People need to be taught how to engage in the types of behaviors that organizations would like to see.
Practice inclusive leadership. Leaders need to create a safe team environment where all employees can speak up, be heard, and feel welcome. They should embrace the input of employees whose backgrounds differ from their own, foster collaboration among diverse staff, ask questions of all members of the team, facilitate difficult conversations, and give actionable feedback.
An inclusive culture and making sure inclusion comes first is one of the best ways to create and maintain a healthy and diverse workplace that gives employees safe spaces where they can feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. Pave the way for true cultural transformation by making inclusion a sustainable part of your organization. To learn more about how to put inclusion and diversity into action, explore our services.
