Creating a More Inclusive Workplace

Most workplaces have a diverse set of employees, whether in terms of the language they speak, job categories/levels, qualifications, etc. As a manager, one needs to strive to develop a unified set of people who are aligned with the common goals, while appreciating their individuality. Milestones such as reaching a production/efficiency goal, sales/dispatch targets, commissioning of new equipment or system, etc., offer great opportunities to bring out people from their respective silos and mingle with the rest. Occasional team outings with the families go a long way in improving the bonding between employees at a personal level.

In the picture: Our esteemed colleague and boiler operator Kaliamoorthy inaugurating the material handling lift

We pursue these avenues holistically, without being seen as doing it to cross a checklist. For example, when we commissioned a material handling device, we had the ribbon cut by an operator and took safety pledge in a language spoken by the minority section in the plant. This helped us to send a message in one stroke about being inclusive as for job levels as well as the origins of people.