THE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE PLEDGE
David Liddle
TRANSFORMING WORK. CEO of The TCM Group | Culture architect. HR Most Influential Thinker 2024. Author. Speaker. Thinkers50. Founder of peopleandculture.com. President of People & Culture Association. Lifelong mediator.
There is a lot of heat surrounding ED&I at the moment which made me reflect on The Inclusive Workplace Pledge that I created for readers of my 2021 book Transformational Culture...
An inclusive workplace is one where we can be the best version of ourselves: free from others judging, condemning, or excluding us because of our age, race, gender, class, physical ability, mental health, sexuality, or religious preferences. In an inclusive workplace, our differences are a sign of strength, not a cause of adversity.
Each of us is recruited and promoted, purely on merit i.e., our ability to do the job. Our recruiters, managers and leaders know how to reduce the potential for prejudice and bias in their decision making; they are well trained, and they are encouraged to constantly review and evaluate their own commitment to an inclusive workplace.
In an inclusive workplace, every employee is afforded opportunities to listen to, and to learn from their colleagues, as they are of me. An inclusive workplace is a workplace where each voice is heard, and each contribution is valued. An inclusive workplace requires hard work and action; it demands respect, civility, dignity, dialogue, psychological safety, and collaboration.
We understand that an inclusive workplace is not about inane platitudes and superficial pleasantries. It can involve some tough talking, with differing beliefs, values and points of view being expressed, sometimes strongly. That is healthy and perfectly normal. We recognise that this is the bedrock of an inclusive, innovative, and creative organization; it is, after all, an enabler of a transformational culture. We understand that these conversations make us, and our organization, even more successful.
When we disagree, as surely we will, we can be confident that systems have been put in place to protect us from harm, but which enable us to resolve the concerns in a conciliatory, supportive, and meaningful way. If we are unable to do so, we do not get penalised or blamed and the issues do not get swept under the carpet. Our managers are there to support us; they know that managing an inclusive team will mean they have to resolve the odd disagreement and the occasional quarrel. They are trained and they are confident to do so. If for any reason they cannot resolve the situation, we don’t get dragged into complex policies and divisive processes. Yes, formal procedures do exist, and they are there if all else fails, however, we have access to trained mediators, facilitators, coaches and mentors who can assist us to reach resolution, as required.
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In an inclusive workplace, each employee can flourish, and achieve their full potential.
Our inner brilliance is recognised for what it is; it is nurtured by our managers and leaders because, they too can see that inner brilliance. They will work with me to grow it, and to bring it to the fore. When they do, they will cherish and nurture it. They will not be threatened by it, they won't try to undermine it, and they won't try to claim it as their own.
The inclusive workplace pledge is taken from my 2021 book Transformational Culture: develop a people centred organization for improved performance. Available from https://amzn.to/4avvFCn
I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to share your thoughts and wisdom....
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3 周I really enjoyed reading this David.. The commitment to an inclusive workplace—where differences are seen as strengths and not barriers. My experience has been this is what truly drives transformational culture. Research continues to show that organisations fostering psychological safety and strong EDI principles experience higher engagement, innovation, and retention (Edmondson, 2019). From my own experience in frontline services, leadership, and coaching, I’ve seen first hand how meaningful action—not just words—shapes an inclusive culture, empowering teams to challenge bias, and builds a bridge to psychological safety. The impact is profound: greater trust, stronger teams, people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and challenge constructively without fear of judgement or repercussion. They contribute more fully and authentically, and better outcomes for those we support, enable and empower — This supports real inclusion to take root, not just as a policy but as a lived experience, as Gemma Bromfield has attested to (great to hear?your views Gemma)! A culture like this doesn’t happen by accident; it takes intention, action, and courageous leadership. It’s so inspiring to hear this approach being championed! ????
People & Culture professional
1 个月Rebecca McNulty
Transforming workplaces through Mediation ??Conflict Coaching | Promoting positive, inclusive cultures ??Mental Health First Aider and Neurodivergent advocate ?? Complex Workplace Investigations ??HR support
1 个月This post is so timely David. ED&I is my passion, my core beliefs, my values. There is so much work to be done out there and it is something that I am calling out a lot at the moment. I can honestly say, TCM is the most inclusive environment I’ve ever worked in. From yourself, to HQ, to the many consultants, I feel I can 100% be me, and what’s more, be valued for being me. That means the world to me. I have so many ideas buzzing round in my head as there is such an opportunity in workplaces to dismantle some of the harmful systems that prevent EVERY employee from thriving and feeling valued. ??