How can you use HR skills to create an inclusive culture?

1 Assess the current state

Before you can design and implement any initiatives to improve inclusion, you need to understand the current state of your organization's culture. You can use various tools and methods to collect data, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, and audits. You should aim to measure aspects such as diversity, equity, belonging, psychological safety, and communication. You should also identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your culture, as well as the gaps and barriers to inclusion.

2 Educate and train

One of the key roles of HR is to provide education and training to all levels of the organization on topics related to inclusion. You can use your skills to design and deliver effective learning programs that raise awareness, challenge assumptions, and build competencies. You can also use your skills to evaluate the impact and outcomes of your programs, and to provide feedback and coaching to learners. Some of the topics you can cover include diversity and inclusion, unconscious bias, cultural intelligence, allyship, and inclusive leadership.

3 Align policies and practices

Another way you can use your HR skills to create an inclusive culture is to align your policies and practices with your inclusion goals and values. You can use your skills to review and revise your policies and practices to ensure they are fair, consistent, and transparent. You can also use your skills to monitor and enforce compliance, and to address any issues or complaints. Some of the areas you can focus on include recruitment, compensation, performance management, career development, and recognition.

4 Engage and empower

Creating an inclusive culture is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires the involvement and commitment of everyone in the organization. You can use your HR skills to engage and empower your employees, managers, and leaders to participate and contribute to your inclusion efforts. You can use your skills to communicate your vision and expectations, to solicit feedback and input, to facilitate dialogue and collaboration, and to recognize and reward achievements. You can also use your skills to create and support networks, committees, and champions that advocate for inclusion.

5 Innovate and adapt

Finally, you can use your HR skills to create an inclusive culture by being innovative and adaptable. You can use your skills to research and benchmark best practices, to experiment and pilot new ideas, and to leverage technology and data. You can also use your skills to assess and adjust your strategies and actions based on the changing needs and expectations of your organization and stakeholders. You can also use your skills to foster a culture of learning and improvement, where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth.