Here's how you can foster a diverse and inclusive workplace for the future.

Best way to attract talent from all walks of life, all ages, backgrounds, and cultures is to have a "Signature" for your organization. No organization worth joining should have to recruit much at all. Talent from all generations and backgrounds will line up for the organization. Be clear as to exactly what kind of culture you lead. "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." - Peter F. Drucker. For an org that is intense, competitive, high-octane, strong performance driven...declare it. If a job seeker can't tolerate that kind of culture, don't apply. If they do, apply there. A "Team" culture...no room for Rambos. Teamers, come work with us! Instead of DEI, aim for MEI: Merit Excellence Intelligence. Hire for attitude, train for skill.

I believe that diversity and inclusion are key factors to create a strong company or team culture. Everyone regardless of gender, age, background should feel welcome in joining the team. After many years working and living in five different countries and travelling across the globe, I have come across many diverse cultures, traditions, beliefs and backgrounds. Through these experiences I could grow not only professionally but also personally. There is always something valuable to learn from different cultures and backgrounds. That's why I believe the diversity of a team is a strength that can not be replaced with anything else.

Its no so difficult actually. You look at skillset & cultural fit and attitude instead of XYZ. XYZ being gender, sexuality, race, skin tone, political affiliations etc. Not sure why people are complicating this on both sides. Some organizations go way out of their way in the name of inclusive hiring and some organizations have caveats to hire only people who do not belong to specific sexuality or race or gender. Both are part of the problem. We hire for skills and attitudes, we interact and form bonds based on common interests and work dependencies. As a manager, it becomes our responsibility to ensure people in your teams are respectful to each other and correct when someone is crossing boundaries. Ensure biases are left at home.

An example I have seen in companies that foster diversity and inclusion is their ability to Innovate increases multiple folds. A commitment to diversity and inclusion helps attract top talent from a wide range of backgrounds. People are more likely to join and stay with an organization that values and respects their individuality.

Building a strong future workplace means valuing everyone's differences. To truly value diversity, listen to the different experiences in your company. Training on inclusion and equity, alongside diverse recruitment, paves the way for a wealth of ideas. An open and respectful environment, plus targeted support for underrepresented groups, ensures everyone can contribute and thrive. Flexible working and cultural awareness all help create a workplace where everyone feels valued and successful. Diversity is simply good business.

Inclusion and belonging require organizational and cultural change to create psychological safety for those who are and have been socially and politically under-estimated, under-resourced, and undervalued. This can look different based on where in the world you inhabit. It is important to look for the intersectional experiences of people who represent various identities, for example, Black women in the US context. This requires structural shifts that focus developing growth mindsets and the ability to view failure and change as opportunities. With this mindset it become easier to institute policies that normalize inclusive practice.

In my experience, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace for the future began with these 3 things. -I believe in leading as my authentic self as an example to others to also feel comfortable in their skin. -Speaking up and/or having uncomfortable conversations about issues or ideas related to diversity (especially serving as the voice for others who fear this) made a difference and empowered others. I began all diversity initiatives at an organization just by having a conversation about how staff were feeling about the state of our world! -Lastly, create a space where people feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves. I was able to build trust with a systemwide team. I've left a lasting legacy of impact and you can too!

Well, I can relate. I had a similar experience in 2019 when I visited one European country as part of a group from 27 different countries and I happened to have been the only one 'of color.' I felt isolated as everyone spoke a common 'local' language for the region which made me fail to network and relegated me to my hotel room for 2 days. I provided a solution to the problem we were working on during the break-away session and was more competent to present. After an excellent presentation that saw our group being awarded the first position, individuals got interested and started asking which African country I came from and others offered their business cards, but I said thanks, but no thanks - I declined. Inclusivity must NOT end on paper.

I agree that the inclusion part is the hardest part for most companies because it takes behavioral changes in your day to day work. When you invite people of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures to the discussion table, you have to make them feel welcome there, like they belong, like their voice and opinions matter. Just having diverse bodies in the room is not enough. It’s worse to be invited and be made to feel like they should sit quietly and feel lucky to be invited.

Its important to realise and accept that we all have inherent biases and judgments about people and things around us. In addition, its very normal that people tend to like and associate with persons who are similar to them. Education and exposure helps us to recognise these biases and judgments, and manage them effectively in the workplace and in our personal life engagements. The more we engage with others, the more we realise we have more similarities than differences.

Educating teams and employees about diversity is very important for two reasons - They should understand the value and importance of diverse culture - Organizations should address any insecurities which are being developed in current employees due to lack of knowledge on diversification and promoting a negative culture. Many a times people do not understand what diversity it about and create different perception based on their limited knowledge on the subject. Educating them and build a inclusive culture is important for the success of the organization.

while diversity brings a wealth of perspectives, it can also lead to initial friction. Team members may have unconscious biases or misunderstandings about different backgrounds and experiences. Ongoing DEI education acts as a bridge towards helping employees identify and mitigate the underlying biases in their interactions equipping teams with the knowledge and skills to navigate diverse cultures and backgrounds team members feel valued. facilitate interactive workshops that encourage discussion, role-playing, and case studies to apply learnings to real-world situations with experienced mentors. education is not a one-time fix; it's a continuous journey that builds a strong foundation for team success.

For a truly inclusive workplace, employee participation is key. It’s important to empower all team members to contribute to inclusivity initiatives. This can be achieved by creating forums for open dialogue, encouraging feedback, and involving employees in diversity programs. By valuing their insights and experiences, organizations foster a sense of ownership and commitment towards inclusivity goals. Active participation from every level ensures that inclusivity is woven into the fabric of the company’s culture, making it a collective and ongoing effort.

Inclusive workplace demands active participation of the employees. To do this, each employee should be empowered. Organization should work on the environment so that each employee feels, from the core of their heart, that they are empowered. Provide trainings to all the employees so that they can understand what are biased decisions or how to recognize unconscious biases and how to overcome those. Provide training on the diversity so that they can learn how to embrace diversity and what will be the impact if the same is not there. All these are not a one-time activity - this should be on regular basis, so that all these gets into the blood of each employees.

1. Demographics across organization levels 2. Retention across employee groups 3. Employee turnover 4. Adverse impact 5. Candidate demographics 6. Employee advancement / Promotion rate 7. Equal pay and pay equity 8. Employee resource group (ERG) participation 9. eNPS (Employee net promoter score) 10. Initiative-focused DEI metrics

After all these measures taken into action, organization need to measure the progress to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace for the future. Because, what gets measured gets managed. Prepare different metrics to track the progress in diversity and inclusion on regular basis. Reach out to your employees and ask for their feedback. Create and environment so that employees can give their feedback without any fear. Based on the data, look at your improvement areas, add/ modify/ upgrade/ abolish policies, look at your leadership band and make them accountable for the outcomes, etc. All these will make an organization transparent. Transparency in reporting these metrics can also build trust among employees.

Organization moves with the help of visionary leaders. Empower your leaders so that they are ready to lead from the front. Leadership engagement is crucial for driving any cultural change, including efforts towards diversity and inclusion. Make sure your leaders understands the real meaning of diversity and they are utilizing that knowledge on daily basis with his/her team. Otherwise, all these efforts will simply go onto the water!! Leaders should belive that these things works and once that is in their blood, automatically things will start improving.

Employee Engagement and Productivity also flourishes. A diverse and Inclusive workplaces foster a sense of belonging and respect, which boosts employee morale, engagement, and productivity. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to contribute effectively and stay committed to the organization. And when Ethical and Social Responsibility is promoted with diversity and inclusion, it demonstrates a commitment to fairness, equality, and social responsibility, enhancing the organization's reputation and trustworthiness.

Leaders should exemplify diversity and inclusion through unbiased recruiting, building connections with employees, and transparent communication. To create a supportive environment for all employees, building inclusivity in the workplace must be a clear goal.

In order to show engagement, you should allow people with disabilities to become leaders, and they could give you and the company the edge you need. In many cases, they know your customer base better than you do, or they might know new and different channels to get the message out. And they are resilient to the bone as they, in many cases, have been discriminated against before and won't give up easily.

Establish a review schedule: Set up regular intervals (e.g., quarterly, semi-annually) to assess diversity and inclusion efforts. Collect data: Regularly gather metrics on workforce diversity, inclusion initiatives, and employee feedback. Analyze trends: Look for patterns and changes over time in your diversity and inclusion data. Identify areas for improvement: Based on the data, pinpoint processes or policies that need adjustment. Involve employees: Create channels for ongoing feedback and suggestions from all levels of the organization. Update policies: Regularly revise company policies to reflect best practices in diversity and inclusion.

Fostering a diverse and inclusive (D&I) workplace is no longer a feel-good initiative; it's a strategic imperative. Imagine a marketing team tasked with developing a campaign for a new fitness app. A team composed solely of young, athletic individuals might miss crucial insights from older demographics or those with physical limitations. However, a diverse team could leverage varied fitness levels, cultural perspectives, and technological expertise to craft a more inclusive and effective campaign that resonates with a broader audience. Continuous Learning and Ongoing DEI education acts as a bridge, fostering empathy, understanding, and ultimately, a more cohesive team

Fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace for the future involves a multifaceted approach. It involves creating a culture that values and respects everyone's differences, with training, open communication, and equal opportunity policies. Recruitment should attract a wide range of candidates, and career development must be accessible to all. By embedding these principles into the core values of the organisation, a truly inclusive and diverse workplace can be realised, driving innovation and improving overall performance.