When you work with people from diverse backgrounds, their experiences and points of view make for a stronger workforce. However, ensuring you hire from different backgrounds isn’t enough. If you’re not crafting a healthy work culture that includes intersectionality, it will be harder for workers to feel genuinely included. Here are a few tips on how to create and support diversity in the workplace.
Diversity vs. Inclusivity
First and foremost, you’re going to want to make sure that your company has an Affirmative Action Plan that your employees can view. This will show them your company’s outline to meet equal opportunity employment goals.
You want to show employees that you are actively working toward a better workplace environment, which is exactly the difference between diversity and inclusivity. While diversity is great, inclusivity means that you’re actively valuing the different groups of people who work with you.
Modeling Inclusivity
How does a company practice inclusivity? The first step is to teach your team what it means and why it’s important. When everyone is on the same page, it’s easier to make strides and communicate.
Make sure you have team leads or a council that help enforce diversity in the workplace policies. These team members will ensure that everyone feels heard and can influence change when necessary. They can also hold meetings that foster open dialogue.
Zero-tolerance policies for physical or verbal harassment need to be applied to show that you and your company mean business. Otherwise, all other efforts become meaningless.
Improving Accessibility
Accessibility often goes unspoken of in the conversation of diversity and inclusivity. However, regardless of whether anyone in the workplace has a disability, creating a space with disabled people in mind makes current and future employees feel safe, more open, and more understanding.
To improve accessibility, make use of assistive technology and remove any physical barriers. In addition, provide workspaces that are less stressful and have lower stimulations levels. For example, quiet spaces with less clutter, soft lighting and low noise levels can be great for anyone.
Ultimately, the best tip on how to make your company a safe space for diversity is to be mindful of your language and actions. If leaders are modeling and enforcing the correct behavior, employees will feel empowered and encouraged to follow suit.
