Creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all

The best way to get the most out of your people is through collaboration. It allows for innovation, growth, development and improvement, as well as a sense of commitment to those around you and boosts productivity.

It is for this very reason that inclusion is vital to a successful working environment. If there are people in the workplace that feel excluded and isolated, you can expect low engagement and productivity that can impact the wider team. This can only harm the success of all individuals involved as well as the organisation. It can also damage brand reputation and even lead to breaches of legislation – particularly if the individual is being excluded due to a disability. That’s why creating an inclusive and supportive work environment for all is central for any successful organisation.

What is diversity and inclusion?

Diversity and inclusion ensure people aren’t excluded for who they are. After all, we all come from various backgrounds and hold different beliefs. To be more specific to each, here is a short overview of the definition of both terms:

Diversity

Consistently recognising, celebrating and valuing differences. It can refer to there being a variety of things/choices/options, or it can refer to the practice and value of involving people from a range of social and ethnic backgrounds, inclusion of different genders, sexualities, etc.

Inclusion

Curating a healthy, open and supportive environment where everyone feeds into building the culture where people feel safe to be themselves without judgement. It typically refers to the inclusion within a group or organisation and can regard policy to provide equal access and support to groups of people who may be marginalised, i.e. those with mental or physical disabilities or possibly those who are part of a minority demographic.

From these basic definitions, you can see that both terms feed into each other. You cannot be inclusive without acknowledging diversity, and it is not possible to be truly diverse without inclusivity.

Diversity and inclusion, particular in recent times have become more associated with workplaces, hiring/recruitment practices. This is known as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy. Under the Equality Act 2010, organisations are responsible for eliminating discrimination, promoting equal opportunities and building a culture of respecting the diversity of all individuals, from employees to stakeholders.

Why is inclusion important?

Within a working environment, organisations must recognise the value of diversity and inclusion. When people feel part of a collective, they are more committed to each other and to success. Exclusionary practices or processes, whether intentional or not, leads to feelings of disconnection and discontent amongst people in the workplace.

Discrimination and a lack of inclusion can be extremely detrimental to the mental health and wellbeing of individuals in and out of the workplace. Although progress has been made over several decades in terms of progressive attitudes, correcting discriminatory beliefs and greater strides towards inclusion, no one would deny that there is still progress to be made.

Recent surveys have found that 45% of UK adults have experienced discrimination in the workplace. This is both during the hiring process and whilst in their role. The impact this has on individuals is incredibly significant. It can lead to social isolation due to stigma and fear of further of discrimination, delays people in seeking support and worsening mental health, resulting in anxiety and depression. In some cases, this can lead to a person leaving their role and encountering further problems such as financial difficulties, resulting in worsening mental wellbeing.

On the side of the organisation itself however, a lack of diversity, inclusion and a culture that may be considered discriminatory won’t only impact the productivity levels of the workforce, but can have reputational and financial repercussions. Individuals who hold one of the following protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 can raise a complaint and even take legal action if they feel they have been excluded and discriminated against by an organisation:

• Age

• Sex

• Sexual orientation

• Gender reassignment

• Race

• Religion or belief

• Disability

• Marriage / civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

If an organisation is found to have acted discriminatorily towards a person who falls under one of these protected characteristics by a court or tribunal, they may face a variety of penalties, both monetary and non-monetary. Beyond this, the organisation will also then have to face the reputational damage of being associated with discriminatory practices. This could lead to stakeholders losing faith in the organisation and even deter talent from joining the organisation in the future.

What are the benefits of an inclusive workplace?

After discussing the importance of inclusion and the negative impacts of exclusion and a lack of diversity, it is good to review the benefits and plus points of an inclusive workplace. Here are just some of the top benefits of inclusion in the workplace:

Innovation

When you have a varied group of individuals from different backgrounds and characteristics all supporting each other and working towards a shared goal, you get new, fresh concepts and ideas to drive growth. In a workplace that lacks diversity and fails to focus on inclusion, individuals are less likely to put ideas forth which can lead to feelings of isolation and poor confidence. Through collaboration and varied perspectives, true innovation and togetherness can be achieved.

Greater productivity

Inclusion develops camaraderie, comfortability and commitment to those that around you. Togetherness and support ensures greater levels of mental health and wellbeing, and in turn, you can see increased. P productivity can naturally be tied to wellbeing with it being found that individuals operating in a working environment that places a higher value on the wellbeing of its people can see a 20% increase in productivity.

Lower turnover rate

The more supported individuals are in the workplace, the more satisfied they are. This can only mean positive things for an organisation, especially in terms of recruitment costs and loss of talent due to increased turnover. It is reported that approximately 59% of people in the UK would consider leaving their organisation if an EDI policy was repealed. This shows how strongly people feel about inclusion in the workplace, and value it adds to the culture of an organisation.

What does inclusion at work look like?

Whilst it is easy to say how essential inclusion in the workplace is, the question remains; “how can leadership teams implement an effective strategy?” It can be intimidating to consider the culture of an organisation and come to terms with the fact that more could be done to further inclusivity. There are however simple steps that can be taken to feed into an effective diversity and inclusion strategy that will then naturally foster a continuing culture of support. Here are some key examples of what an inclusive workplace might look like that open the way for effective implementation of strategy:

1. Open communication

Support and inclusion are entirely dependent on people feeling comfortable and supported enough to come forward and communicate, whether that be to seek support or to air any concerns. Providing people within an organisation the sense of security to come forward and communicate allows for them to feel heard and respected. From here confidence will grow and others will further value their opinions and ideas.

2. Diverse leadership and workforce

Leadership teams set the tone and culture within an organisation. If senior leadership is lacking in diversity, it can create a perception that an organisation does not value inclusivity. Having equal representation throughout varying levels of an organisation allows for more voices and more chances to seek support whilst connecting with others.

3. Mental health and wellbeing support

Whilst at first glance, it may seem as though inclusion and mental health support are unconnected, it can be the ultimate tool in developing workplace inclusivity. Mental health stigma can hinder effective communication, a pillar of inclusivity. This is why having the relevant support in place is key, such as qualified Mental Health First Aiders, access to counselling services and clearly signposted resources.

How to create an inclusive work environment

Knowing the importance of an inclusive work environment and what it should look like is one thing, cultivating and shaping this type of working environment is another. Here are some steps to help create this environment that fosters and naturally breeds inclusivity and support:

1. Use inclusive language

One of the most powerful tools humans have is how they communicate. That might be through speech, hand gestures, body language, and so forth. The flip side of this is that the power of language can actually end up being harmful to people. It may not be malicious in intent, it might be completely accidental, due to a lack of information or teaching.

The solution? Intentionally using neutral, inclusive phrases and terms can ensure that individuals in the workplace aren’t excluded. This might be using non-gendered terms such as ‘they/them’ or ‘spouse/partner’ instead of a term like wife or boyfriend. It may seem simple, but this can go a long way to ensuring people are included in the workplace.

2. Celebrate employee contributions

Feeling underappreciated and undervalued can lead to feeling disrespected. This is entirely unconducive to an inclusive workplace environment. When people feel they aren’t valued, they will likely become disengaged, leading to presenteeism, lower productivity and increased turnover. Simply acknowledging and highlighting the efforts and success of individuals in the workplace can ensure they are more confident, feel more widely accepted and encouraged to integrate into their environment.

3. Actively listen to concerns

Far too regularly, concerns around inclusion are undervalued and underappreciated. This could be due to the fact that the majority of people feel they are valued and feel included in a workplace environment. This can lead to complacency and undervaluing the feelings of those who do have concerns. Actively listening to concerns, taking on feedback and conducting regular assessments to find issues and address them is key to constantly addressing concerns of exclusivity and a lack of support.

4. Provide regular training

The culture of an organisation and the nature of inclusivity has to be continuously developed, maintained and promoted. It cannot simply be accepted that because an organisation was once inclusive, that culture will naturally persist. It is for this very reason that it is important to provide leadership teams with regular EDI training that they can then use to effectively signpost support and build a culture of inclusivity, support and openness.

5. Regular one-to-ones

Checking in on individuals to understand their feelings and state of mind is pivotal to a culture of support. Ensuring individuals feel included by letting them air their feelings in a confidential manner with their line manager enables a culture of change and concern. Scheduling regular one-to-ones enables continual development.

How can an Employee Assistance Programme can help with inclusion

Inclusion and wellbeing are inherently tied to one another. When people feel their mental health and wellbeing is being considered, protected and managed by an organisation, they will feel more comfortable and included alongside their peers.

Using HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme, you can protect your people’s mental wellbeing using expert support. Individuals can access 24/7 professional support from expert counsellors, 365-days a year. They can seek support when they are struggling with feelings of exclusion or when they are struggling with anxiety or depression, which may be impacting their state of mind and further feelings of exclusion.

Organisations are also supported with life and leadership coaching, HR and management support as well as a host of training courses and workshops to support leadership teams and ensure healthy workplace cultures are maintained.

Conclusion

Workplace environments thrive off support and inclusion. It is the only way to ensure every person within an organisation are committed to achieving a shared goal. It is for this very reason that leadership teams must foster this culture of inclusion through policies and initiatives, naturally cultivating support amongst your people.