Even with the best of intentions, creating an inclusive workplace doesn’t happen by accident. In striving for inclusion, leaders may find it useful to ask themselves, and their employees, whether everyone understands their role in building an inclusive environment. They may also want to find out whether staff feel they can call out and challenge exclusionary behavior.
While the answers given may highlight some uncomfortable truths, it’s important to know if people are supported to be themselves, and whether opportunities to contribute and develop are truly open to all.
What Is “Inclusive Inclusivity?”
Being inclusive allows everyone to feel valued and accepted without having to conform to a particular organizational norm. Inclusive organizations support their staff to do their best work, regardless of background, circumstance or culture.
And importantly, inclusion is about valuing difference, rather than merely tolerating it. It’s about creating a positive environment where everyone can contribute.
In preparing for the upcoming #MTtalk Twitter chat, Community Manager Yolande Conradie coined the phrase “inclusive inclusivity” to capture the idea that, to be truly inclusive, we must make sure that we’re inclusive of absolutely everyone, regardless of culture, circumstance or background.
The term comes from the observation that, sometimes, well-intentioned efforts to include particular groups or individuals can inadvertently exclude others.
Adopting an Inclusive Mindset
In order to achieve true inclusivity, we first have to adopt an inclusive mindset. When we detect an imbalance in the workforce, it may be tempting to adopt strategies that will tip the scales back.
However, not only could this approach unintentionally alienate other team members, but even the very groups we’re aiming to support may feel patronized.
Instead of surface-level fixes, we need to get to the root of the issue and embed inclusivity into organizational values and behaviors.
You’re Invited to Our Twitter Chat!
What: #MTtalk
Where: Twitter
When: October 7, 2022 at 1 p.m. EDT; 6 p.m. BST; 10:30 p.m. IST
Topic: Inclusive Inclusivity
Host: @Mind_Tools
Inclusivity In Action
How Inclusive Are Your Events?
U.S.-based Mind Tools Coach, Sonia Harris, is an event manager, and has been reflecting on what inclusive inclusivity looks like for those with disabilities. Following an event, Sonia suggests getting feedback from attendees who use wheelchairs or who are visually or hearing impaired. This will ensure that efforts to be inclusive translate into reality.
Sonia believes that planning is essential for achieving genuine inclusion at events. For example, when conducting a site inspection for a future meeting and event space, Sonia offers the following planning considerations:
- Can wheelchair users and those who have audio or visual impairments easily get to and from the venue?
- Once they’ve arrived, can they smoothly transition between the indoor and outdoor event spaces?
- How far is the main event space from elevators and wheelchair-accessible restrooms?
- Are entranceways and restroom stalls wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair?
- Will sign language interpretation and closed captioning be available during sessions of your in-person or online event?
- Do the main session and breakout rooms have enough unobstructed, comfortable space at the front for wheelchair users or those who are visually or hearing impaired?
U.K.-based Mind Tools Coach, Sarah Harvey, shares an example of inclusive inclusivity in action. As a previous non-executive board member for a mental health and wellbeing charity based in London, Sarah reflects on her experience of working in a diverse and inclusive organization.
Their clients have a broad spectrum of complex mental and physical health needs, combined with different personal circumstances, educational backgrounds, and cultural diversity. And this broad range of diversity was reflected in the staff and volunteers.
Such contrasts could have been a recipe for clashes, conflict and chaos. Yet the inclusive inclusivity was clear to see in every conversation, every decision-making process, and every meeting, Sarah says.
Despite their differences, everyone was expected to show up and share all that made them their unique selves, while recognizing the importance of celebrating how other people showed up, too.
Inclusion in the Workplace
Inclusion is more than a set of policies or procedures. It’s about our individual and collective experience of our work. It’s about creating positive workplaces or environments where we can all influence, share our ideas and expertise, and have our unique perspectives valued.
Yolande sums up how we can all achieve inclusive inclusivity by asking the following question:
“It’s important to me to respect your culture as well as my own. How can we accomplish that?“
To achieve inclusive inclusivity, it needs to sit at the heart of what we do, drive our thinking, and guide our behavior at all times.
In our Twitter poll this week, we asked our followers how they define inclusivity. So far, the overwhelming majority has voted that inclusivity is “When everybody belongs.” To see all the options and cast your vote, click here.
We’d love you to participate in our #MTtalk Twitter chat on Friday, and the following questions may spark some thoughts in preparation for it:
- How can we include one person’s values/culture without ignoring or excluding someone else’s/our own?
- When have you felt most included at work, and what made the difference?
- What are possible barriers to creating a more inclusive workplace?
- What small things can anyone do to include others?
- What does it mean to have an “inclusive mindset?”
- What action will you take to nurture an inclusive environment?
“Inclusive Inclusivity” Resources
To help you prepare for the chat, we’ve compiled a list of resources for you to browse. (Note that you’ll need to be a Mind Tools Club or Corporate member to see all of the resources in full.)
Communicating With Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Colleagues
Avoiding Unconscious Bias at Work
Building Good Work Relationships
How to Join the Chat
Follow us on Twitter to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action this Friday! We’ll be tweeting out 10 questions during our hour-long chat. To participate in the chat, type #MTtalk in the Twitter search function. Then click on “Latest” and you’ll be able to follow the live chat feed. You can join the chat by using the hashtag #MTtalk in your responses.
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