Creating an Inclusive Workplace

Is your workplace inclusive?

I hate to break it to you, but creating a culture of diversity and inclusion is not just about running a webinar on D&I or monthly events that support different groups in the organization.

Building an inclusive workplace, where everyone feels welcome, seen and valued, starts with inclusive leadership and a system (not just events!) that enables and supports it.?

Let's break this down to practical steps and points for reflection.

Make it clear

You can’t create something you don't see or understand clearly. For example, many people say, "I want to be successful" yet don't have a clear picture of what success looks like for them, may end up chasing other people's version of success and find zero fulfillment or satisfaction in it. If you want to have a nice dress or suit made for an upcoming gala event, your couturier needs to have an idea of what you want, draw up a sketch and also get your body measurements.?

Sounds pretty basic right?? Yet many organizations miss out on this.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself...

What does an inclusive culture look like for you or your organization??

• How do people treat each other and communicate??
• How is the workplace designed??
• How do people work??
• How are meetings conducted??

How would you describe an inclusive leader??

• How do they speak??
• How do they act?
• How do they help their team succeed?

By having a clear picture and definition of inclusivity in leadership and the workplace, it would be easier to identify gaps that you need to address. This will also enable you to take more intentional and targeted steps.

Make it visible

Inclusivity begins with I.?

I shared this post recently on LinkedIn. Everyone can and should do their part in making people feel seen, connected and valued. This means that when more people do their share in practicing inclusivity, it becomes part of everyday behaviors, and hopefully creates a collective culture.

But, keeping in mind what John Maxwell said, "Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less,” leaders then have huge influence in creating this culture.?

So what must leaders do??

Leaders must model the behavior.?

An article by BetterUp says that leading by example can benefit the organization by boosting morale, building trust and respect, fostering a positive work culture, and increasing productivity.?

So whether you're trying to build a culture of inclusivity, or encouraging people to look after their wellbeing, leaders must set a good example.

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Make it sustainable

One often overlooked aspect of trying to implement change is setting up systems.

A system is defined by Wikipedia as a group of interacting or interrelated elements that act according to a set of rules to form a unified whole.?

Having been in IT and Business Operations, and managed training and development practices that meet ISO standards in my corporate life, I know how important it is to create systems that enable operationalization. And now as a Certified ICAgile People Development Professional , I understand better how systemic and environmental factors play a huge role in ensuring sustainability of practices and creating a culture.

So what does creating a system mean?

Let me illustrate an example of how I would do it for a client.?

First, I would conduct listening exercises to understand the organization’s current state. Some might also call this a gap analysis. The results would then be shared with the leaders and cascaded to the teams accordingly.?

Based on the results, the content of the program will be developed. This may include a workshop for leaders on topics like diversity, trust, safety and difficult conversations. And perhaps also one-on-one or group coaching to expand self-awareness and build relationships.?

But it won’t stop there.?

Outputs of the workshop might be to create a diversity council that ensures all hiring or promotion decisions are fair and inclusive. Or maybe to review how the office facilities can be improved to be more inclusive.?

There must be regular forums to support managers and teams. They might have focus group discussions on understanding generational differences or check-ins? to share challenges they encounter. Having a mechanism to track and report progress is also essential.?

Diversity is an advantage

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences” -? Audre Lorde

Having a diverse workforce, not just demographically but also cognitively , can benefit the organization in many ways. It can foster creativity and innovation, as well as improve employee motivation and engagement when they feel safe, trusted and valued.?

The workplace will always be diverse, and you can deliberately amplify that through the people that you hire and promote. But to make diversity work to your advantage, you must foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels welcome, seen and valued.?

To create an inclusive culture, don’t just start and end with information dissemination or one-time events. Make it stick.?

How? By making it clear, visible and sustainable.?

Coach Kurly de Guzman is a Career and Leadership Coach and one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices based in the Philippines. She continuously seeks ways to add value to leaders and their teams through her newsletter, leadership and career development workshops as well as group and 1:1 coaching sessions for clients.?

To work with Kurly, send an email to [email protected] or book an exploratory call to discuss your organization’s needs here .