Inclusiveness in the workplace – follow a path

As a provider of diversity and inclusion training, we are always on the lookout for new material and ideas on the subject.  We felt a couple of the articles we have read recently were worth sharing and provide synopses and links below.

The Path from Exclusive Club to Inclusive Organisation: A Developmental Process

As this enlightening article shows, it really is ‘a path’ and when describing the various stages, the authors liken it to human development, “And just as children inevitably start by falling frequently, the road to inclusiveness is not often traversed without bumps and bruises”.

That said, to use another analogy, acknowledging and following the developmental stages they outline might do the job of Arnica cream in reducing those bumps and bruises.  The case is clearly made for diagnosis, where the organisation is on ‘the path’, and recognising that different strategies are required at different stages.  Readers are also cautioned against self-diagnosis, “… because barriers to inclusion tend to be invisible to those already succeeding in an organisation, the most successful people often believe their organisations to be further along the continuum toward inclusiveness than they really are”.

It’s a fascinating read and highlights just what a journey creating an inclusive organisation is … so much more than writing a recruitment policy or providing awareness training.  You are left in no doubt that due to the fluidity of business, it’s a journey which will never entirely come to an end.

Gender Pay Gap Reporting: What your business needs to know

Now that UK businesses with more than 250 employees must publish their gender pay gap data each year, in this article Sage provide useful links for those required to produce that data.  They also consider why it is important for organisations to analyse their findings and give examples of the positive actions which can come of doing so.

The benefits for organisations of promoting gender equality are outlined together with a quote from their Chief Executive, Stephen Kelly, “We all know that diverse businesses are more commercially successful.  But we also know that the best ideas come from diverse groups – and given that our vision is to keep inventing the future for small & medium businesses, it is not just preferable, but essential that we welcome people of all identities and backgrounds.”

So, even though SME’s may not yet have to publish their data, Sage suggest some positive steps any company can take to ensure an environment which supports fair progression, including unconscious bias and leadership training.

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If you would like to embark on the journey to create an inclusive organisation, in addition to our training courses In Equilibrium can offer a range of consultancy services.

We also regularly update our Equality and Diversity resources page.