According to this Glassdoor survey, when trying to understand what a company’s commitment to D&I is truly like, people trust the organisation’s employees the most. Very few would rely on the senior leadership team, the company website or recruiters to give a true reflection of what diversity and inclusion is really like in that business.
What can business leaders take away from this?
That it is not enough to just share D&I positive posts, logos and articles on websites and social media, or have recruiters insist that your business is active on the D&I front.
True diversity and inclusion comes from within.
Your employees are your advocates and they will give honest reflections of your company’s culture, so in order for them to share positive accounts of your organisation’s attitude to diversity and inclusion, you must first create it!
Here are some ways you can cultivate a good D&I culture in your business:
Speak openly, both as a company and a business leader, about your commitment to D&I
Create a safe work environment where employees can air concerns or suggest opportunities for improvement in your D&I strategy, e.g. Diversity and inclusion discussion groups, workshops, training sessions, etc.
Support D&I charities, either with in-office activities or by allowing staff to have extra time off to take part in a charity day
Ensure your hiring processes are non-discriminatory, including accessible job adverts with non-gendered language and flexible interview processes which can be adjusted to individual’s needs
Encourage all staff to use inclusive language, such as learning and using preferred pronouns, saying spouse or partner instead of husband/wife, and avoiding gendered words such as “guys” and using “folks” or “team” instead
Promote non-binary and genderqueer inclusion by providing gender-neutral restrooms
Provide inclusive spaces such as prayer or meditation spaces, lactation rooms for new mothers, and quiet workspaces for workers who may be distracted or overstimulated by open floor plans
There are many more ways you can tweak your company’s processes, office space and operations to improve inclusivity and it can sometimes seem overwhelming.
It’s important to remember that you can’t tackle everything at once. To begin, pick one or two initiatives to implement and your successful D&I strategy will grow from there, leading to a happy, diverse workforce which feels truly valued.
If you would like to discuss this or any of the topics covered in our articles, please get in touch.
MERJE is committed to cultivating diverse, inclusive workplaces both within our own business and the clients we work with. Read more about our MERJE Together pledge.
