With so many organizations claiming to priorities diversity but failing to do so, diversity and inclusion programs can only be effective if everyone in the workplace feels a sense of belonging.
It’s not only a kind gesture; it’s also profitable. Diversity leads to more creative teams and boosts a company’s bottom line, according to research after study. According to research, firms in the top quartile of executive-board diversity were 35 percent more likely to beat industry medians in terms of financial performance. According to other studies, inclusive teams make better business judgments 87% of the time.
Inclusion is cultural, diversity is an activity, and belonging is an emotion. Change does not begin with top-down leadership; it occurs at all levels. If we choose to be, we can all be leaders, and we all have a responsibility to make those we know feel at ease. Your work ethic improves when you feel like you belong someplace since you feel like it’s also your company. As a middle manager, you may help to communicate why it’s important to foster a feeling of belonging at work.
It’s not only about gender or colour when it comes to diversity; it’s also about background and mentality. “We tend to encourage individuals that we feel comfortable with, and frequently that is people who are similar to us,” says Gina Grillo, President and CEO of the Advertising Club of New York.
The research reveals that individuals in positions of power are still racially and genderly similar: White male CEOs account for 72 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs, whereas African American female CEOs account for less than 1%.
Incorporate diversity into meetings and work opportunities on a regular basis. If we desire diversity, we should all bring individuals who aren’t like us to work with us.
The objective of inclusiveness is to make everyone feel included in whatever you do, and to make everyone feel like they belong, regardless of gender, colour, or sexuality. It’s not only excellent for morale, but it’s also good for productivity: According to research, concealing our actual identity has a significant negative impact on our professional success. We must be open to diverse points of view and allow people to show their individuality in order for diversity efforts to succeed.
Trainings related sexual harassment and diversity and inclusion should always be implemented in the office. With such, employees can be able to identify behaviors of harassment and prevent instances of such. Trainings on diversity and inclusion will also help employees understand their co-employee, not always giving negative meaning to their actions and will promote harmony in the workplace.
Recognize that establishing diversity is a difficult task. In the Girls’ Lounge at Advertising Week, Antonio Lucio, CMO of HP, Inc., who is helping to make diversity a key focus for HP, Inc. and its partners, said, “Somehow there is this idea that managing different groups is fun, it’s simple, everything is going to be kumbaya.” “It’s really difficult.”
It’s crucial to pay attention to employees’ sentiments in order to foster a sense of belonging and ensure the success of diverse teams. Making employees of various backgrounds feel heard will help them stay longer because how individuals feel at work is a mirror of how long they’ll remain. According to research, more than 40% of job turnover occurs within the first month of employment. This might be avoided if new recruits felt like they belonged right away, with executives who checked in on how things were going and mentors to turn to for advice.
