Building an Inclusive Workspace and Increasing Employee Engagement in 2021
India is a country of diverse people. Our country boasts of living together in peace for ages despite the differences of religion, ethnicities and states. The motto of ‘ Unity in Diversity ’ is what the common people of India live by. It is obvious that this diversity is seen in our workplaces too. But a diverse workplace does not necessarily mean an inclusive workspace. To make an inclusive workplace, one needs to take certain actions in an organization for employee engagement. If you’re looking for ways to make your workplace inclusive and increase employee engagement, you’re at the right place! Read on to find out how to go about it.
Inclusive Diversity: A Stronger Workforce
A study by Deloitte suggests “that inclusive workspaces are 6X as likely to be innovative, and have 2.3X the cash flow per employee over non-inclusive workspaces in a 3 year period”. Keeping this in mind, employee engagement and inclusive work culture are not only necessary for a positive workplace but also for a profitable business. But while many organizations on paper may call themselves that they are inclusive, it may not be true. If you want to analyse whether your organization is truly inclusive or not, look if you and your organization follow the things given below:
Inclusive Language:
Language has enormous power to influence people’s minds. The words you use and the tone the leadership of an organization adopts says a lot about their internal work culture. Many of the terms we have used have been modelled on day-to-day patriarchal norms we encounter and so it is obvious that there is some bias in our language as well. So, the next time, when you plan to make a light conversation about the personal well-being of a colleague, or create a form asking employees for their personal details, use the term spouse/partner instead of husband or wife. The same goes for introductions in virtual meets! Use gender-neutral terms such as a ‘Chairperson’ instead of ‘Chairman’ or ‘Chairwoman’. We may not realise but the language has the power to make a workplace more inclusive than any other thing.
One-on-One Meetings:
Building trust among employees is essential for an inclusive workplace. And that trust-building starts with employee engagement directly with the management. One-on-one sessions between the leader and his subordinates are the key to this trust-building process. Keep the dialogue two-way and listen emphatically to your subordinate. In a large meeting, sometimes we tend to miss some of the best ideas. The one-on-one sessions are a great way to bridge that gap. It fosters a good working relationship.
Praise your Employees:
A diverse group of people also means interacting with people of different natures and backgrounds. You’ll always have a group of introvert, extrovert and ambivert people. As a leader of this group, you must acknowledge everyone irrespective of their differences. For instance, people are more encouraged when their work is appreciated. Make sure you include the introverts and give them a forum to shine. Appreciating their work and the wins they bring with their skills will boost their morale as well as that of the company. This will also help them mingle more easily with the other employees.
Be Open-Minded to Feedback:
Sometimes, we are so used to the way we work that we often feel that it is the best way to go about things. Feedback from both ends is an important way to understand and make your work culture better. Employee engagement is incomplete without a feedback system. It is always a two-way street. A leader should be given constant feedback about his leadership skills from his subordinates. Subordinates too should be given feedback as to how they can reach their potential. Constructive feedback always helps foster better communication and work ethic among employees of an organization.
Communicate your Core Values:
Include the idea of an inclusive workplace in the vision of your organisation. Remind your employees about it. Communicate the core values of inclusivity in all your interactions and make sure they’re maintained in the workplace. Constant communication about the core values whenever possible gives the employees to inculcate it as a habit in their day-to-day interactions with their fellow employees.
Organise Workshops:
All of us inherit certain biases from our upbringing. And although we may be trying to get rid of them, certain actions may bring these biases in our subconscious to the fore. There is nothing wrong with admitting that we all have inherent biases. It could be against a caste, religion, gender or community.
Workshops, in this case, play a major role in accepting and removing those biases. Sensitisation workshops by trained professionals help in getting rid of biases from their very root. Workshops can help communication and employee engagement better. Such workshops can also help in removing the sense of mistrust and engaging employees more healthily.
Finally…
While building an inclusive workspace can be a confusing process, we cannot deny the importance of it. Interestingly, employees in an inclusive workplace have shown more commitment to their respective teams. They are more likely to chase the company’s both long-term and short-term goals. An inclusive workplace also motivates employees towards their own self-development making them a valuable asset to the organization.
Do you have anything to add to the list? Tell us in the comments section. Don’t forget to press the follow button for more insightful articles like this.
