How to create an inclusive work environment in 5 steps
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How to create an inclusive work environment in 5 steps
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Helen Jackson
19th July, 2024
6 min read
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![A headshot of Helen Jackson](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/b5fgx0yb/production/9b2a0c41d8774554eb516d9eadb48f0777711ddb-1080x1080.webp?h=150&auto=format)
Helen Jackson
19th July, 2024
6 min read
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What is an inclusive workplace?
5 benefits of an inclusive work environment
Creating an inclusive workplace in five steps
FAQs when creating an inclusive workplace
An organisation shouldn’t be 'one size fits all'. Here’s how to create an inclusive workplace for your employees.
Everyone is unique, and at work, it’s no different. With so many diverse employees in a company, it’s important to consider how you can create an environment that works for everyone.
By saying goodbye to 'one size fits all', you can create a happier, healthier environment for your knowledge workers. So, if you think you could improve your workplace, keep reading!
By saying goodbye to 'one size fits all', you can create a happier, healthier environment for your knowledge workers. So, if you think you could improve your workplace, keep reading!
What is an inclusive workplace?
An inclusive workplace is an environment that works for everyone throughout their time at the organisation. From onboarding right through to their last day. This means giving every employee fair treatment and equal opportunities, ensuring their voice feels heard, and the chance to develop.
5 benefits of an inclusive work environment
1. An inclusive workplace makes everyone feel valued and comfortable, which is something all companies should strive for at the bare minimum.
2. Better employee engagement and productivity. Feeling heard and seen means employees are happier and feel better supported and motivated in their roles. 50% of those working in an inclusive environment feel more productive.
3. Increased innovation and creativity. A diverse and inclusive workforce means new perspectives, which can lead to innovation and creativity.
4. Employee retention and attraction. Being known as an inclusive workplace can attract more employees (and can mean you keep hold of the best talent for longer).
5. Better decision making. Research shows that diverse teams make 87% better decisions. And better decision making means your project won’t be struck down by indecisiveness.
Creating an inclusive workplace in five steps
Creating an inclusive workplace isn’t something that happens overnight, and it shouldn’t simply be a box-ticking exercise. Instead, it needs to be a genuine priority - so here are five steps you can take to make your work environment more inclusive.
1. Talk to your employees about inclusivity
Getting feedback from your employees about what can be improved or what would help them feel more comfortable can help kick-start your inclusive processes. If no one wants to speak up publicly, consider introducing an anonymous survey or suggestion box.
2. Involve employees throughout the process
Transparency is always important in business, so this extends to building an inclusive culture. You want everyone to feel supported and involved in the process.
3. Use inclusive language
Don’t tolerate discriminatory terms and embrace gender-neutral phrases and words like ‘partner’. Ask personal pronouns and get to know your employees on a more personal level.
4. Create safe spaces for everyone to use
From bathrooms to other facilities, make adjustments to ensure every space can be used comfortably and safely by all employees, including accommodating all genders and accessibility levels.
5. Always lead by example
How you speak and your actions set the tone for how others should behave. If you’re dismissive of pronouns, for example, there’s a chance employees will leave, or you foster a hostile working environment for everyone.
FAQs when creating an inclusive workplace
Got some questions about workplace inclusivity? Here are some common ones answered below:
What are the common barriers to introducing inclusivity into the workplace?
Unconscious bias can prevent people from accepting new ideas. Although you can't eradicate these biases immediately, with a leadership team fully on board, managers can reinforce inclusive language and procedures to help the rest of the workforce become more accepting. A lack of training and education can also be a significant barrier for many organisations implementing inclusive policies.
How can you make sure inclusivity isn’t just a box-ticking exercise?
For your organisation to work for everyone, inclusivity has to be woven into every aspect of the workplace. So, just getting someone to carry out inclusivity training once a year won't help you achieve this goal. You have to foster an inclusive culture. Create policies and guidelines for everyone to follow and hold employees accountable when they display discriminatory language or behaviour.
How can I measure the success of diversity and inclusion policies?
The success of your new policies should be measured regularly. You can measure the impact by asking for feedback from all employees, monitoring diversity in your recruitment processes, and spotting patterns in turnover rates across demographic groups. Whatever you plan to implement, always outline a measurement strategy to follow when it’s introduced so you’re set up and ready to start monitoring straight away.
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![A headshot of Helen Jackson](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/b5fgx0yb/production/9b2a0c41d8774554eb516d9eadb48f0777711ddb-1080x1080.webp?h=150&auto=format)
Helen Jackson
Content Writer
Helen is a freelance content writer specialising in Software as a Service (SaaS). She has a BA Hons degree in English, a Chartered Institute of Marketing qualification, and over ten years of experience in content marketing.
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