Equality | How to design inclusion into everyday work life

How to design inclusion into everyday work life

Looking for ways to design inclusion into your everyday work life, but not sure how to get started?

We’ve taken a closer look at what it means for a workplace to be inclusive (and diverse), the benefits of fostering inclusion at work, as well as shared some practical tips for designing an inclusive workplace – advice you can take action on today.

Discover what your employees want from the workplace. See the latest Qualtrics report.

Here are some ways to get started:

1. Use inclusive language

Inclusive language is defined as “language that avoids the use of certain expressions or words that might be considered to exclude particular groups of people.” Any person or group can be excluded with language, but typically, this term is used for traditionally underrepresented or underprivileged groups.

Inclusive language is language that makes others feel safe and is not harmful to underrepresented groups. Sometimes non-inclusive words are used in conversation, but other times they can be subtly built into processes. Non-inclusive words, whether intended or not, can have a harmful effect on underrepresented groups.

2. Encourage inclusive decision making

When making business decisions have you ever stopped to think about who is in the room and whether the decision makers represent the true diversity of your team – including diversity of thought?

Diversity includes the full spectrum of human differences including diversity of thought. By leveraging our diversity, you can harness the full intellectual power across your organisation by hearing many different viewpoints.

Inclusive decision-making is about managing and improving who is involved and how business decisions are made, in a way that improves innovation, engagement, and results.

Here are five steps for making more inclusive decisions:

  1. Get more diverse voices involved.

  2. Create the space for psychological safety.

  3. Be clear on the criteria.

  4. Increase transparency in the decision-making process.

  5. Communicate the outcome.

Inclusive decision-making leverages diversity in a way that provides different perspectives. But this doesn’t just happen by itself. We need to be intentional about including diversity.

3. Hold inclusive meetings

An inclusive meeting gives everyone a chance to contribute and all voices are valued and have equal weight. Whether participants are in the room or online, across the table or the ocean, everyone should feel welcome to participate.

Here are some ways to make your meetings more inclusive:

  • Review your list of attendees. Ensure that you’re not missing people who represent diverse or dissenting points of view.

  • Provide momentary breaks in the conversation so others can stay apace and not be left behind.

  • Ensure the physical meeting space is accessible for those who may have mobility, ambulatory, visual, hearing, and/or sensory disabilities. This includes checking that any lifts or elevators to space are functioning properly.

  • Ask attendees beforehand if they require any visual or audio accommodations.

See how your employees want to interact when they go back to the office. See the latest Qualtrics report.

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