How Can I Make My Workplace More Inclusive?

How can I make my workplace more inclusive? 

While culture starts at the top, you can help take steps to make your organization fair, equitable and committed to conscious inclusion. 

A diverse workplace is a healthy workplace. It’s everyone’s responsibility – and to everyone’s benefit – to help develop a workplace that is welcoming and inclusive. Here are ways everyone can help move your company forward.  

Understand conscious inclusion  

Conscious inclusion is the desire, insight and capacity of people to make decisions, do business and to think and act with the conscious intent of practicing inclusion. While leaders are responsible for implementing ways to support inclusive leadership, everyone in the organization can educate themselves with the principles, discussions and benefits of conscious inclusion.  

Be a coach and a mentor  

If you’re making your way up the ladder, it’s important to look around to see who else you can assist. One way of supporting others is to provide coaching and mentoring. Where can you give back? It is important to identify which topics require mentoring support and which require coaching. Mentors typically have specific expertise in the area in which the mentee requires support. If you have an area where you can help others, you can help the organization thrive and become more inclusive.  

Plan for the future  

Over time, all organizations will become more diverse. By 2050, there will be no racial or ethnic majority in the United States—diversity will be the norm. Talent—in all its diversity—is the most potent competitive differentiator. If you want your organization to be competitive 20 years from now, start thinking about how you can contribute to its inclusive culture through mentorship programs, hiring beyond traditional talent pools and widening your network.  

If you are thinking about how you can contribute to an inclusive workplace, you have already taken an important first step. From there, taking action and working with others can make the goal a reality. And when an organization can innovate with multiple perspective, everyone wins.