What do we really mean by inclusion in the workplace?

A few years ago, concepts like "inclusion" and "diversity" were not as prevalent in the corporate world as they are today. They sometimes elicited discomfort or even outright contempt.

Over the years, diversity and inclusion have become bastions of corporate cultures and marketing campaigns. Diversity is known to have a significant impact not only on a company's reputation but also on its performance and ability to innovate.

But is there a genuine interest in being truly inclusive in the workplace? Where and from whom should these initiatives come? 

Beyond simply displaying a rainbow logo during Pride month or installing a wheelchair ramp in company facilities, true diversity and inclusion manifest when there is a deep understanding of their necessity and a fundamental transformation in the attitudes and actions of those who shape and facilitate work environments.

Today, we aim to explore how to ignite greater interest and cultivate a heightened sensitivity to create a genuinely inclusive culture.

Diversity and inclusion

First, we should clarify the differences between diversity and inclusion.

A "diverse" team includes individuals of different socio-economic backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, education, etc. Diversity gives new perspectives to an organization.

Inclusion means allowing every team member to play a role, express an opinion, actively participate and have access to the company's resources. In a soccer team, diversity means having different "types" of players; inclusion means passing the ball to each of them so they can play.

A diverse workforce means having different perspectives on the same issue within the company. These perspectives positively impact problem-solving skills within the organization, and enhances initiatives within teams with innovative ideas.

In addition, a diverse and inclusive company is alluring to fresh talent from new generations, who will seek to be part of teams where they feel valued and have a meaningful sense of belonging. In fact, according to a study conducted in 2022 by Indeed and Glassdoor, 62% of U.S. workers between the ages of 18 and 34 say they are willing to turn down a job offer if they feel their future boss does not support diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Beyond these advantages, many organizations can’t find a good reason to become more inclusive and diverse. Why is that?

Empathy and awareness

Lack of empathy and awareness not only impacts our daily lives but also exists in the attempt to create more inclusive and diverse organizational cultures.

Empathy is the active intention to understand other people's points of view, emotions, and interpretations of reality. It causes us to step out of our point of view and consider situations from another perspective, through curiosity and listening. It allows us to be more humble and eliminate assumptions.

When we have little awareness of our privilege, we have difficulties being empathetic, and that is when a company and its culture can present obstacles in its mission to be more inclusive.

When we talk about awareness of our privileges, we are referring to recognizing that we have, to some extent, advantages over other vulnerable groups in society. And therefore, our workplaces, professional industry, and the system, in general, are designed to work to our benefit.

That's why a recruiter might dismiss a single mother's profile before even interviewing her, or why we might overlook that "innocent" homophobic joke our colleague made in the office.

Without empathy and awareness of leaders, founders, and decision-makers, intentions to create inclusive and diverse spaces will remain just that: intentions.

However, this is not an exercise for senior management alone. Empathy and awareness are contagious, and opening conversations in safe spaces allows us to break down ignorance and fear of doing things wrong in the first place.

When there is insufficient empathy and awareness, any diversity and inclusion initiative encounters three main obstacles:

Denial: "This is not a real problem in this company"

Disengagement: "It's not a problem I should try to solve"

Low prioritization: "There are more important things that require attention and resources"

However, just as there are obstacles, there are also ways in which we can become more sensitive to these issues and make diversity and inclusion more relevant.

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Developing greater acceptance

It is crucial to mention that, to address resistance to diversity and inclusion initiatives or organizational changes, communication is essential. Any new activities and spaces to promote diversity and inclusion need the appropriate context. Strive to clarify why it's happening, why it’s essential at the workplace, and what we expect of the people in the organization in this regard.

We must be aware that not all people have the same level of exposure and knowledge about these issues. These spaces should be co-created with experts who are part of historically oppressed communities. An action plan will help to address any future concerns proactively.

These actions shouldn’t involve just one area or the HR leaders. There are also a series of activities that can contribute a lot on a personal level to exercise empathy and expand our knowledge.

1. Ask the right questions:

We’re often afraid of using the wrong term, using the wrong pronouns, or simply mispronouncing a word. This legitimate fear prevents us from approaching these conversations in the first place. It is crucial to overcome the fear and ask questions instead. 

Inappropriate spaces (private spaces, with trust, or in feedback instances) and with the right people, valuable and safe conversations can be generated where we can resolve doubts and deepen the daily challenges that people of diversity encounter in our workspaces. You can ask questions such as: What challenges do you encounter in the office on a daily basis? Do you feel safe taking risks at new projects? What voices are we excluding from our daily communication?

2. Get informed:

Challenge your beliefs and biases by educating yourself about diversity. Reliable information will help you approach these issues with certainty rather than speculation. 

There’s a vast amount of content such as webinars, podcasts, articles, research, and books that can provide different perspectives on race, religious minorities, sexual diversity, neurodivergence, disabilities, etc. Numerous international organizations and NGOs share accurate information. This approach reduces the fear of approaching these issues incorrectly and goes a long way toward breaking down any initial barrier that might exist.

3. Deal with discomfort:

As mentioned above, Psychological Safety involves facing discomfort and stepping out of our comfort zone into a genuinely transparent and safe space. Something similar happens with diversity and inclusion.

This is why we found it necessary to dedicate some of our online courses, workshops, and Fuckup Nights events for companies to the topic of Psychological Safety. Through lessons and inspiring stories of failure, your team will be able to find the necessary tools to create spaces of transparency, trust, and fairness.

Learn more about them here: https://bit.ly/FuN-at-work

It's okay to feel intimidated by these issues. Society is changing, and safe and pluralistic spaces are in high demand. To best address these changes, we must be willing to accept our mistakes in trying to be more inclusive, apologize, and welcome corrections and difficult conversations. That is the only way to combat real problems such as sexism, LGBTphobia, racism, ableism, etc.

As you can see, the road to an organizational culture genuinely interested in diversity and inclusion is complex. Only with safe spaces and the willingness to throw ourselves into action, we overcome the initial barriers of fear and discomfort.

Many of these efforts come from within, on a personal level, linked to a desire to make the workplace a space where opportunities for success are available to everybody.

Do you think there's a genuine interest in being truly inclusive in the workplace? Let us know in the comments: