What you need to know…
What is Diversity and Inclusion?
Diversity refers to differences to distinguish between groups and people
Inclusion is the degree to which all individuals are valued, respected and actively involved
Diversity is a fact; Inclusion is a choice!
Key facts about Diversity
- Companies with higher diversity benefit from higher performance
- Communication is key – ask questions over making assumptions
- Inclusive practice is taking action
- Diversity and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility within an organisation
- This diversity wheel shows internal and external dimensions - what all the segments have in common is they can trigger something called unconscious bias
What you need to do…
- Acknowledge differences – in qualifications; different routes to achieving the equivalent skills or experience
- Offer explicit D&I training and Bias training for everyone as a core value in the organisation
- Provide mentors to help guide appropriate behaviours
- Let people ‘Learn by Doing’ to be fair to those who learn by different methods
- Ask Questions
- Value all diversity
- Build senior commitment to inclusion – this is where the business expectations are set and senior managers should be exemplars
- Evaluate your policies and procedures – are there any unintended consequences to anyone because of these?
- When writing new policies and procedures, ensure inclusion is at the forefront of your mind
- Give line managers responsibility – prepare them to become diversity and inclusion champions by developing their capability, working on their unconscious bias and ensuring they work to avoid the default of “people like us”
- Give employees responsibility – involve all employees in inclusion and advocate inclusion for everyone – be respectful and value opinions even when they differ. Encourage employees to speak up when they see something that isn’t inclusive