The Case for Inclusivity
Diversity across the industry is finally becoming an issue that can no longer be brushed aside, it’s becoming more than just the bare minimum that we are unfortunately used to seeing. Whilst efforts are being made to diversify the workforce, we need to give the same amount of attention to ensure that our environments are inclusive.
It’s important to distinguish between diversity and inclusion…
Diversity
Diversity refers to the representation of individuals who are unique with different characteristics, genetics and traits from a variety of backgrounds. Often this can be made up of different races, cultures, beliefs, genders, ages, physical abilities and sexual orientations.
Inclusivity
An inclusive environment is not just one made up of a diverse group of individuals, it is one where everyone feels safe, accepted, respected and valued for who they are regardless of their background, beliefs, race, culture, religion, gender, age or sexual orientation. It is an environment where unconscious bias ceases to exist and each individual’s differences and brilliance is celebrated and appreciated.
A diverse workforce requires an inclusive environment
Inclusivity and diversity really do go hand in hand, without inclusivity, diversity cannot thrive. To attract and retain a diverse pool of talent it is truly important to create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and is supported. To foster the creativity and performance that inclusivity brings, it is vital to create an environment where every individual is valued and heard. Without the sense of belonging and empowerment that an inclusive workplace creates, people feel unsupported, their success is stifled, and retention of your workforce will be poor. The impact of not having an inclusive environment not only has a negative impact on current talent, it has an impact on attracting new talent. It is essential that we ensure that everyone feels that they can truly be themselves, without fear of being judged or discriminated against for them to be the best they can be.
The benefits of inclusivity
Variety of perspectives
Different backgrounds, life experiences and values create diverse people, diverse people create innovative and creative ideas which push the boundaries. Having a wider variety of different perspectives from a diverse team that aren’t afraid to challenge one another encourages the critical thinking process leading to better outcomes for the business.
Improved problem solving and better decision making
Diverse teams can analyse a problem or opportunity from a variety of different perspectives. Teams draw upon their different experiences and knowledge to fully understand the various possible outcomes. Inclusive environments creates teams that are able to solve problems more efficiently and effectively and conclude to more informed, better decisions and solutions.
Improves employee engagement, wellbeing and performance
In an inclusive environment where people feel valued and respected, they are more likely to be happy and satisfied at work which has a great impact on wellbeing. When people feel appreciated and recognised for the work that they do they are more engaged and motivated to perform as well as they can for the company. Having a work environment that removes its unconscious bias means that everybody and anybody can perform to their highest standard and push boundaries that we have unconsciously set.
How can we foster diversity and create an inclusive environment?
Fostering diversity and creating an inclusive environment requires strong leadership and strategy to promote a culture where every individual can feel they can be entirely themselves at work.
At Exyte Hargreaves, we recognised that for us to accelerate our efforts in driving forward a truly inclusive environment we needed to appoint a leader to set a clear strategy and strengthen our accountability. Something we did through the recent election of our E,D&I chair for the business Lucy Pinter.
Whilst leadership and strategy is a necessary step to create drive and ambition, an inclusive environment isn’t possible without the involvement of everyone. This means promoting openness, honesty and respect amongst all employees, to appreciate and support one another’s differences and beliefs. Taking a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, bullying and harassment of any kind, against any person. Our company values have been key to building inclusivity and communicating the culture we expect for our people where wellbeing comes first and everyone supports and celebrate one another.
With minority groups often being underrepresented in the workplace, support groups, networks, and mentorship schemes can connect colleagues with like-minded individuals who share similar experiences. They are a great way for people to come together for support, to raise awareness of inclusivity issues and provide a safe space for people to share knowledge and skills to empower and motivate one another to strive to advance further in their careers.
