Creating Inclusion in the Workplace: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating an inclusive workplace takes effort over time, and requires more than just a mindset. Inclusion is a path that calls for specific steps. This can happen under the leadership of an in-house DEI expert, or DEI consultants who can help with things such as data gathering and benchmarking, inclusive policy-making, inclusion trainings, and follow-up assessments. 

This step-by-step guide to building an inclusive workplace culture outlines 9 steps. We recommend focusing on one at a time, making sure to be deliberate in your efforts at every milestone along the way to inclusion. 

1. Initial Assessment

   Start by assessing your current workplace culture. Use data gathered from well-respected assessment creators who provide anonymous employee surveys and confidential focus groups to create clear benchmarks that indicate where your organization currently stands. Identify goals and gaps. Then, outline a detailed plan that includes elements like DEI-focused policies and practices, and inclusion trainings for leaders and team members.

2. Inclusive Leadership

   Inclusive leadership is a foundational step to creating the right work culture. It’s important to learn how to manage and build connections among diverse team members. The more diverse your team, the more you’ll need to focus on making sure everyone feels valued—regardless of background, identity, and learning or working styles. There are inclusion trainings that specifically explore this vital skill set for leaders. For some tips and best practices, you can also read our blogs, Inclusive Leadership in Action and Empathic Leadership: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace. 

3. Inclusion Trainings

   Leaders aren’t the only ones responsible for creating inclusion at work—everyone on the team plays a role! To foster true inclusion, it’s important to encourage a mindset among all team members that values differences. You can do this through practices such as group agreements, teachings on allyship, and tools for overcoming unconscious bias. Inclusion training for employees can help navigate the complexities of these topics and foster a team-wide inclusive mindset.

4. Inclusive Job Posts

   When you need to hire new talent, start with writing inclusive job posts. Practices such as using gender-neutral language and adjectives that apply to different personality types, and listing only the most relevant qualifications for a position. If you don’t have an in-house DEI lead, targeted inclusion trainings can often help your HR team and other staff members learn how to write job descriptions to draw the most diverse and qualified candidates.  

5. Inclusive Hiring

   The next step is to implement inclusive hiring policies. DEI-informed hiring includes practices such as blind resume reviews and a diverse hiring panel, among others. It’s important to understand all elements of inclusive hiring, either through research or inclusion trainings specifically focused on this topic. To learn more, you can take a look at our blog, 10 Best Practices for More Inclusive Hiring.

6. Focused Onboarding

   With new hires, you can foster a sense of belonging from the start. Be intentional with your onboarding practices, making sure that all team members feel appreciated and connected. For example, you can pair new employees with mentors, and offer regular 1:1 check-ins with new employees for the first weeks or months, so that they truly feel like part of the team.

7. Inclusive Leadership

   Remember the data you gathered in Step 1? It’s time to circle back! Now that you’ve taken strides towards greater inclusion, reassess where you are by conducting more employee surveys, and note any differences that have taken place. If your organization has confidential listening circles, you can consider using those as well. It’s best to have a DEI expert lead focus groups to ensure the right environment and to effectively analyze new data for meaning and next steps.  

8. KPIs and Goals

   With this new data, you can now identify updated needs and goals, and establish clear KPIs. If you find that you’re unable to fill all the gaps on your own, you can turn to outside resources such as DEI consultants and company-wide inclusion trainings for extra support. After outlining your new DEI strategy, it’s best to incorporate it into company documents and distribute it to your team for transparency. This can help elevate the culture of inclusion and boost team morale.

9. Follow-up

   Maintaining inclusion in the workplace requires regular reassessment. Is your team diverse in background, identity, gender, abilities, and learning/working styles? Do you have inclusive policies in place at every level, from hiring to retention? Does everyone in the company feel a sense of belonging and value? Continue check-ins to gather new data and continue to assess benchmarks to make sure you’re moving in the right direction.

   Fostering an inclusive workplace is an ongoing process. Taking steps towards this goal will improve your team’s morale and elevate your organization’s level of success. 

For more personalized support, and to learn more about our inclusion training for both business leaders and employees, request a demo.