Creating an inclusive workplace starts with you. You have the power and the responsibility to lead inclusively and how you lead is inextricably linked to how you, your colleagues, and every stakeholder experience inclusion.
Here are five quick tips to help you build an inclusive and equitable workplace culture.
1. Maximize the approachability factor.
One way to foster a healthy and productive work environment is to maximize the approachability factor. Being approachable at work is not only an important step to increase your professional networks, but it also inspires openness, collaboration, and information sharing and stimulates deep, meaningful, and positive culture change.
Research shows that in organizations where employees perceived leader/management openness (approachability), individual contributors were more inclined to amplify their voice and more likely to take business risk.
2. Create a positive healthy work environment.
A positive and healthy work culture is a key driver to business success. Research shows that a positive workplace culture improves teamwork, raises morale, increases productivity and efficiency, and enhances retention of the workforce. In addition, job satisfaction, collaboration, and work performance are all enhanced. Most importantly, a positive workplace environment mitigates stress in employees.
Having Difficult Conversations
3. Lead inclusively.
Diversity is the count. Inclusion is how we ensure that the count matters. University of Michigan professor and social scientist Scott Page in his seminal text, The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies proves how diversity yields superior outcomes and why leading with an inclusive mindset enables high overall performance. When employees feel empowered to bring their true self to the office—without ever feeling like an outsider the business wins.
Avoiding Unconscious Bias at Work
4. Give feedback.
Conflict is inevitable— in work and in life. So, developing the skills to give and receive feedback is important in preserving an inclusive workplace. Having difficult conversations build communications skills and may improve your relationship, teamwork and business performance, says author and consultant Marlen Chism.
Difficult Conversations: A Nonjudgmental Exercise
5. Engage in thoughtful communications, frequently.
When there’s a breakdown in communication it is the fault of the sender and the receiver. Communicating with others can be difficult and requires self-awareness and honesty. Being able to communicate thoughtfully with colleagues takes effort, thoughtfulness, and repetition.
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