Creating Inclusive Workplace Culture by Moving Beyond Policy

Diversity, equity and inclusion is no longer a fleeting trend; it aims to create a workplace where employees feel valued and share equal opportunities to succeed. A staggering 86% of candidates worldwide now prioritize DEI when making employment decisions. Organizations that neglect these values risk alienating potential top-tier talent and stifling innovation. When creating an inclusive workplace culture, integrating DEI into company culture requires HR leaders to move beyond company policies. 

This article emphasizes the role of HR leaders and details the measures they can take to encourage an inclusive company culture. 

The Role of Leadership Accountability for DEI

What makes employees feel included in a workplace? Leadership accountability for DEI shapes employees’ perceptions of inclusiveness. Gen Z and millennial employees are inclined to stay for more than five years with employers with a positive impact and commitment to diversity and inclusion. When inclusion and diversity aren’t present, employees may not feel safe or empowered to express themselves or do their best work. 

These leaders also enhance employee engagement and retention. Employees are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and loyalty when they see leadership genuinely working to create an inclusive work environment.  

Here are some HR strategies for diversity and inclusion that leaders can implement:

• Use diversity metrics while hiring:  Employ diversity metrics for hiring, such as demographics and engagement levels.
• Implement training programs: Conduct unconscious bias training for all employees, including leaders. This can help them recognize and address biases in decision-making.
• Encourage open dialogue: Create spaces for employees to share their inclusion and diversity experiences to build trust. Encourage leaders to listen and respond actively.
• Lead by example: Motivate leaders to participate in DEI initiatives. This shows their commitment to employee diversity.

Developing Inclusive Hiring Practices

Below are some practical HR strategies for diversity and inclusion that leaders can implement to enhance their hiring processes.

Diverse Candidate Sourcing

Organizations can broaden recruitment strategies to diversify candidate pools. For instance, they can partner with universities and professional groups to hire underrepresented individuals, utilize diverse job boards and engage with community organizations. Launching internships for underrepresented first- and second-year students can also help foster a diverse talent pipeline.

Structured Interview Techniques

Organizations can develop standardized questions for all candidates to mitigate bias in interviews. They can also conduct mock interviews to refine skills and identify biases. For fair evaluation, it’s a good idea to remove personal identifiers to enable blind screening.

Bias-Free Job Descriptions

Recruiters can evaluate language using tools such as Textio to craft inclusive job descriptions. They should use gender-neutral terms, avoid confusing jargon and clearly define the position to emphasize diversity in their job postings.

Continuous Improvement

It is important to conduct diversity audits to improve hiring practices. Training on unconscious bias can raise awareness and promote fair decision-making in hiring.

Fostering a Sense of Belonging

Building employee belonging at work is essential, not just a nice-to-have. A sense of belonging impacts employee engagement and overall productivity. According to Gallup, inclusive workplaces enjoy much higher levels of engagement, yet only 23% of employees feel truly engaged at their jobs. To turn the tide, HR leaders can adopt these actionable strategies:

• Implement diversity and inclusion training: Conduct regular sessions to educate employees about diversity, covering such topics as unconscious bias, cultural competency and microaggressions. This helps build respect and enrich interactions among teams.
• Encourage open dialogue: Promote open communication through team lunches, support groups and networking events. Such informal gatherings help foster understanding among employees from different backgrounds.
• Expand holiday calendars: Recognize and celebrate various cultural and religious holidays to demonstrate respect for employees.
• Create inclusive facilities: Establish facilities such as unisex restrooms for transgender employees and enable easy accessibility for those with disabilities to emphasize that every detail of employee welfare matters.

Implementing Inclusive Policies and Practices

HR leaders should revise policies through the lens of DEI. Here’s how they can implement inclusive policies and practices:

• Nondiscrimination policies: Requiring HR departments to create thorough nondiscrimination policies can protect all employees and foster a safe, respectful work environment. 
• Mentorship programs: Pairing employees from underrepresented groups with mentors from various backgrounds can encourage knowledge sharing and professional growth.
• Pay equity audits: Conducting regular pay audits can help assess and address any disparities in compensation across different groups and ensure transparency.
• Career reentry initiatives: Implementing programs such as Take 2 can ease the transition for individuals reentering the workforce after a significant hiatus of two or more years and help bring diverse experiences and perspectives back into the workplace.
• Accessibility technology: Investing in adaptive technologies and ergonomic solutions helps all employees, including those with disabilities, perform their best.

Measuring and Evaluating Inclusion Efforts

Measuring the effectiveness of inclusion initiatives can meaningfully change organizations. A thoughtful, data-driven approach can enhance these efforts, making them measurable and more impactful. Here are some ways to evaluate DEI initiatives effectively:

• Balanced scorecard approach: Organizations can set clear objectives through a balanced scorecard approach. 
• Diversity and inclusion maturity model: This model helps assess an organization’s current DEI maturity level, from basic awareness to sustainability.
• Quantitative and qualitative data collection: Quantitative data such as demographics, retention rates and engagement scores, along with qualitative insights from focus groups and interviews, can provide a clear view of the workplace environment. 
• Continuous improvement through Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles: The PDSA cycle is a dynamic way to continually refine DEI processes. This iterative method allows organizations to trial strategies, analyze the outcomes and adapt initiatives based on real feedback.
• Key metrics tracking: Tracking key metrics such as demographics, retention, engagement and promotion rates across diverse groups provides tangible evidence of advancement. These metrics help maintain accountability and motivate ongoing enhancement of DEI initiatives.

Creating Lasting Cultural Change

A truly inclusive culture is essential for organizational success. This connection between inclusivity and organizational success is clear: when all employees feel valued and heard, they’re more engaged, productive and loyal. HR leaders remain largely responsible for the success of DEI efforts. Achieving an inclusive environment goes beyond merely implementing policies. It requires a deep, ongoing commitment from leadership through accountability in leadership practices and ongoing education. 

Act now — transform your approach by stepping up and following the above strategies to build a solid foundation of inclusivity.