Diversity and inclusion in the workspace represent a sensitive topic that every employer must know of and apply. And not only must the employer apply to these facts but also the employees as well. Some companies have strict policies referring to diversity and inclusion – and others even support causes linked to various social classes, including LGBT people.
Before explaining the initiatives, we first must know the difference between diversity and inclusion – because most people think they are synonymous. Technically speaking, the diversity is the first step, and it focuses on differences between people. Inclusion, on the other hand, is the welcoming step which is adjusting the working environment for various classes of people.
Training Your Employees on Diversity
Some companies and employers have some regulations regarding these matters. As a future employee, once you sign the employment contract, some paragraphs in the contract explain clearly the rules.
However, some of them can be broken even by mistake by some innocent jokes – which are mean at the same time. Every company must have a D&I Leadership Council. Some of them have even a hotline specially designed for harassment on every stage for employees.
Diverse Thinking Styles
A common mistake some employers make, especially in the IT and tech areas, is that they won’t hire women simply because their sense of technical knowledge is scarce. This is, however, a big mistake; we, as people, have different views about everything and diverse views over a problem – and that means we should solve the problem with outside the box thinking.
Inclusive Leadership
Every leader and manager must see diversity and inclusion as a core value of being a leader – and not a responsibility. This way, the results of his leadership will flourish and not only. Building work-related relationships and embracing the unexpected is a thing that adds to the leader’s experience.
So, with these things being said, a global leadership is an inclusive leadership which involves working solely with all kinds of people from around the world.
Cross-Departmental Meetings
Taking for example call centers in big BPO companies, some employers and human resources managers tend to segregate people – however, without any bad intentions. Companies must avoid the terms “special programs for special people” because these may be used against them.
So, in the end, what does this have to do with meetings? Well, almost all departments and headquarters from all around the globe must join forces for better productivity – and also for the greater good of the company. Meetings between certain departments will further enhance the people’s skills of communicating with each other – and in the future, it will bring better results. In the end, unity is the key word here for better results within the company.
To conclude all the above statements, an employer must always embrace diversity. Diversity in the workspace means better productivity and a good view over the workflow. New ideas and skills are always welcomed in the company and if you don’t believe that, try applying online for a job. You will see that the words that appear the most are “imagination” and “embrace new ideas”.