What happens when you get inclusivity right?

These days, the mention of inclusivity can split a room; with the very strongest views for the concept encouraging pushback from a pragmatic mainstream that want respect and kindness, but not at the expense of common sense.

A balanced approached to inclusivity, however, is shown to reap productivity dividends. And of course it’s an important component of complying with equality law as well as being morally right.

We are looking at the topic because it is Pride month. However, diversity and inclusion goes far beyond sexual orientation, including grounds like age, gender, race and religion.

A comprehensive analytical report on the subject compiled by a global recruiter in 2024 contains a number of statistics showing the benefits of inclusivity. For instance, that 26% more job applications came from women for employers that posted about diversity.

In a separate study looking at companies with DEI initiatives against those without, it was found that customer satisfaction was edged by 51.9% to 47.7%; employee engagement and development by 53.4% to 47.7%; innovation by 53% to 46.9%; and overall organisational effectiveness by 54.1% to 46.4%.

When you think about it, it is easy to understand why an inclusive business may perform better. Your staff are picked from a wider talent pool; the different backgrounds and views avoid the perils of groupthink and encourage innovation; your company is more representative of, and likely more attractive to, wider society –  and therefore a larger market.

Creating an inclusive workplace

First some terminology. Diversity refers to the representation of people with different characteristics: men/women, ethnicity, sexuality etc. Inclusion is the step beyond, a measure of how welcome and empowered every individual feels within an organisation.

The two interact closely with each other, with an atmosphere of inclusivity encouraging diversity; and diversity to an extent being a precondition of inclusivity.

The basics -  A policy

A lot of good HR starts with a policy, and this can help here too. Simply having a diversity and inclusion policy sends a message to staff (and job candidates when you are hiring) that it is something you actively manage and take seriously.

Recruitment

Where you advertise for jobs matters (consider at least two places to widen the pool), as does the wording in your adverts. You could open up your messaging so it invites people to self-assess whether they think they are suitable for a role based on their own experience, as opposed to requiring hard qualifications.

Reflect too on how you review applications. Can you identify any biases (conscious or unconscious) in your decision making?

Company culture

Does everyone have a voice and channels they can use to share thoughts? Annual staff surveys are one approach. Make sure your line management one-to-ones are two-way conversations that reveal staff views rather than just being top down appraisals. The feedback could be enlightening.

Are training, development and promotion opportunities equally accessible to all? Do social events cater to everyone; for example would someone who does not drink for religious reasons feel welcome? If there is a grievance related to discrimination, is it taken seriously?

Pragmatic advice

For hard-pressed SMEs, getting inclusion right can be like walking a tightrope. 

It’s easy to dismiss it all as a distraction at one extreme or go down a rabbit hole at the other. At The HR Dept we are on your side. We’ll help you introduce sensible measures like a policy that works for your business, cost-effective training, and advice that tells you exactly what you can do, not what you can’t. 

When you approach inclusion like this, you will see real benefits. Get in touch today to see what works for your business.