What are the best practices for creating a diverse and inclusive work environment?

At a minimum, your team should look like your market. In Houston, the population is arguably the most diverse of any American city. Consequently, my team reflects this diversity. This, in turn, assures that I will have the perspectives and experiences required to best serve my market by simply paying attention to my own team.

To create a diverse and inclusive work environment: Implement Bias Training: Educate staff on unconscious biases. Inclusive Recruitment: Diversify hiring sources, use unbiased language in job descriptions. Promote Representation: Ensure diversity in leadership and decision-making roles. Inclusive Policies: Develop policies supporting different needs and backgrounds. Regular Feedback: Encourage and act on employee feedback about inclusivity. Celebrate Diversity: Recognize and value different cultures and backgrounds

Fostering an inclusive culture has to be the key foundation here. You can do lots of internal or external high profile PR work if you miss genuinely creating the culture behind it it will be seen as just that PR.

I agree with this content, however one glaring omission is that engrained in the culture should be the responsibility of all employees to uphold the culture of diversity equity and inclusion. It should seep into every part of the workplace and part of the education of course is how to handle the times when an employee, leader, team etc does something outside of the values aligned with what should be the minimum expectation for all. I would encourage adding expert facilitated opportunities to connect and share. There are so many brilliant driven passionate professionals and organizations in this space who can help guide organizations teams and individuals that attempting this cultural transformation alone is dangerous.

Fostering an inclusive culture is widely recognised as a foundational and critically important aspect. A truly inclusive culture transcends policies and practices; it permeates the daily interactions, decision-making processes, and overall ethos of the organisation. In essence, an inclusive culture serves as the bedrock for attracting and retaining diverse talent, fostering innovation, and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.

An inclusive culture won't happen organically. People are busy and set in their ways. Having a sense of community at work has been identified to be beneficial. Employees need to feel they have membership, influence, fulfillment of needs, and emotional connection. Leveraging technology will be key, especially in the face of hybird working. So, if you want to build inclusive environments, have a step by step strategy. Don't just let it grow.

In this stage it's also crucial for success to hold yourself and others accountable, on an individual level. We sometimes tend to measure and evaluate our DEI efforts only on a aggregated level. To truly be able to know where our strengths and weaknesses are we need to be brave and hold everyone, especially leaders, accountable even when it comes to diversity and inclusion. It's not about finding someone to blame, it's about knowing where to put in extra help and efforts in order to be better.

Be careful not abdicate these responsibilities when engaging external support. It’s your business and people and thus you to show and maintain the leadership of the project.

What I have learned in my own organization is that strengthening inclusion and diversity can feel schizophrenic at times. You can't (only) push it top down, because then it is non-inclusive per se and you only drive your own perception of how diversity and inclusion should be strengthened. On the other hand, if you give the work back to the team or a champion in it, there might not be enough decision power behind the topic and the mandate can get fuzzy. The topic is as important as it is difficult to get right. Let's keep a learning mindsets! (And I hope more diverse voices will be invited to comment on this article ??)

It begins with active recruitment from varied backgrounds, ensuring bias-free job descriptions, and promoting a culture that values different perspectives. Implementing unconscious bias training and establishing diversity-focused groups or committees can foster an inclusive atmosphere. Leadership must actively listen and respond to diverse voices, incorporating their insights into decision-making. It’s crucial to set clear, measurable diversity goals, regularly assess progress, and adapt strategies as needed. Celebrating cultural events and recognizing individual contributions can enhance a sense of belonging.

When building your diverse and inclusive team, don't just hire people from a diverse background and then try to get them to all behave the same way. Identify the differences and allow each tram member to shine and celebrate their heritage, values and idiosyncrasies. Everyone is different. Find those differences, and create an inclusive environment to celebrate, not suppress the unique attributes of all to drive true diversity. And this diversity will breed excellence of the team, creative innovation, and the very best decision-making you can get.