Corporate culture and diversity and inclusion are becoming more and more prominent in the workplace. Existing employees are looking to employers for inclusivity initiatives and prospective employees are seeking attractive benefits, including a diverse, inclusive workplace culture.
Lead by Example
Typically, change in the workplace starts at the top management who must lead by example. Invite outside vendors to provide workshops and training on incorporating diversity, encouraging open and honest dialogues with employees, and effective leadership tools and skills to successfully lead the workplace culture.
Establish a Board or Committee
Some companies have a board or committee devoted to corporate culture. These boards and committees should be diverse and inclusive of members of different ethnicities, genders, business functions, and geographic locations, among other things. The board/committee can provide integral insight to the workplace culture. For example, the board or committee may conduct monthly surveys to create channels for feedback on areas the company needs to improve. If culture is an issue, these recurrent surveys can distinguish particular areas of concern and allow the board or committee to begin strategizing solutions. It is a means to collect data on the existing issues, develop solutions and strategies to prevent further issues, and measure the progress of the board’s/committee’s efforts.
Develop Authentic Communications
One way to develop authentic communications is through acknowledgment and appreciation of employee differences. Hosting events, such as potlucks or lunch and learns, increasing the HR presence, and continuing training and education initiatives to encourage cultural competencies among the staff can increase more authentic interpersonal communications.
Incorporating a forum of feedback and taking action to address the issues brought to light through feedback expresses the authenticity of your compassion towards your employees. For example, if an employee provided the feedback that they feel isolated and would like more events to get to know their coworkers better, the first step would be to respond to the employee. The communication should demonstrate that you acknowledge the problem, have or are developing a strategy to resolve the problem, and give thanks for their feedback. It can close out with a friendly reminder of the available resources, such as internal Intranet, which could host upcoming internal events, company announcements (i.e., birthdays, work anniversaries, upcoming cultural and/or national holidays, etc.), and ways to connect with other employees (i.e., a community forum).
Lastly, communicating goals and measuring progress can assist with improved communications and developing a more inclusive workplace. Auditing your current business efficiencies and re-evaluating improvements, utilizing data to analyze and measure company goals and progress, and establishing a clear company mission and goal can provide more cohesive structure to achieving success.
If you’re seeking ways to improve or develop an inclusive workplace, please contact QBS. Our HR experts can provide best practices for workplace diversity and inclusion, as well as resources and customer support to assist you every step of the way. QBS can help you update your employee handbook, learn new and improved ways to become culturally competent, and establish a more inclusive workplace for your business.
Source:
6 Steps for Building an Inclusive Workplace
