Individual differences are often more noticeable in group settings, including the workplace, due to variances in self-expression, communication styles, and personal values. In our increasingly fast-paced and divided world, it’s more important than ever for human resource leaders to craft inclusive workplace strategies that foster welcoming and collaborative environments for employees.
The good news is that work can bring people together by uniting efforts through shared values and goals. By cultivating conditions that encourage people to bring their authentic selves to work and feel supported in doing so, organizations not only enhance collaboration but also unlock the full potential of their teams.
Organizations that prioritize inclusivity also empower their employees to build meaningful connections and thrive long-term, helping them feel valued, seen, and heard individually and as part of the team.
Core Components of An Inclusive Workplace Strategy
Recruit Diverse Voices for Inclusion
For someone to feel welcome in the workplace, they have to be able to picture themselves in it, meaning they see and can connect with individuals of similar backgrounds, identities, and/or values. Candidates may be discouraged from applying (and current employees may feel compelled to leave) if they don’t see others like them in organizations, so we, as HR leaders, must build and maintain skilled, diverse workforces.
Achieving this starts with purposeful recruitment, which sources candidates from various backgrounds and experiences, leveraging diverse organizations and inclusive job boards, among other resources, to seek new leads. It also requires job postings to convey a genuine commitment to nurturing inclusive workplaces that attract people whose values align and who will help champion them daily. Achieving diversity through recruiting takes time and dedication. Focusing on early-in-career roles where organizations typically hire in greater volume and promote through established career tracks is key, as is hiring into essential leadership roles.
When building a recruiting strategy that improves diversity, be mindful of how “diversity” is defined in your company’s regions, as this term can vary significantly by country.
Foster Inclusive Workplace Culture
Maintaining a culture of inclusion in the workplace is critical for all voices, including dissenting ones, to feel heard and to create an organizational tone that welcomes authenticity and collaboration. A diverse workforce increases perspectives, enhances creativity, and broadens skillsets, improving the team’s problem-solving skills and productivity. But only if all employees feel comfortable sharing their unique ideas with colleagues and leadership.
We can help by facilitating DE&I training programs that educate employees on recognizing unconscious bias and microaggressions in the workplace, and by providing strategies for better allyship with marginalized or minority individuals.
Focusing on results and how those results were achieved is fundamental to creating an inclusive workplace culture. Ensuring employees are equipped and encouraged to support one another is essential to inspiring them to respectfully challenge and advance ideas and resolve conflicts together.
Tailor Early Career Development Programs to Fit Individual Needs
HR leaders must also personalize professional development training programs to set employees up for success. To best support them, consider including the individual’s identity (as they identify and interact in the workplace) and how it’s represented at your organization.
For example, in a workplace with more male than female employees, ensure everyone knows the educational opportunities and resources available to welcome female new hires. Encouraging employees to connect with the broader company community, while helping women network and build mentoring relationships, will enable them to flourish.
Tailoring offerings based on individual needs from a skills development perspective offers another way for companies to set people up to succeed. This is especially important for new hires or those early in their careers as they find their footing. For instance, an employee in a sales role whose negotiation skills are below their goal level may require curated, 1:1 coaching to help them get where they want to be.
Cultivate Connection in a ‘Remote Work’ World
Regardless of your post-pandemic return-to-work policy, which can vary depending on your company’s size, industry, and internal guidelines, it’s crucial to identify creative ways to engage and connect employees. Allowing people to come together—via virtual and, more effectively, in-person—helps to break down barriers and forge trust. In today’s world of hybrid and remote work, figuring out the right strategy to create opportunities for connection requires flexibility.
Many business leaders are eager to get employees back in the office. While company-wide, in-office mandates will get employees in the door, it’s essential to find ways to make employees want to come into the office instead of feeling forced to do so. This can be encouraged through weekly catered lunches, the tried-and-true happy hour (great when paired with an exec visit or key milestone or event), or an early release on a Friday for employees who work in the office that day.
If your company is primarily remote, but you have some budget to spend, consider investing in in-person team meetings at company headquarters. Focused time when whole teams can come together and brainstorm is invaluable, especially for employees new to the workforce or your company. (Remember, they’re just beginning to form working methods, develop professional relationships, and navigate their careers.)
Fostering an inclusive workplace is essential for unlocking staff potential. Organizations can create an environment where employees feel valued and empowered by actively recruiting diverse voices, cultivating a supportive culture and community, and personalizing development opportunities. Ultimately, prioritizing inclusion enhances collaboration and creativity; it drives long-term success for your employees, ensures a great customer experience, and results in superior business performance. How do HR leaders know if their strategies are working? Anecdotes from employees are an essential way to monitor, and other quantifiable measures such as employee survey results, hiring, promotion, and retention metrics can help steer efforts where they will have the most significant impact.
