Guide for individuals
We all want to be happy at work and what makes people happy will differ for individuals. We know that people want to be heard, supported and recognised for the effort they put in. We spend a large part of our lives with our work colleagues and so we all have a role to play in creating a culture of inclusion and belonging.
TOP
TIPS
Be your authentic self
Open your mind
Amplify other people’s ideas
Think about how you communicate
Challenge bad behaviours
Be aware of your biases
Support your colleague’s differences
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Become a mentor / sponsor
Be a visible role model
Be your authentic self
Your authentic self is who you really are deep down. Authenticity happens when your words, actions, and behaviours consistently match your core identity. Historically many people have had a different persona inside of work to that at home, and the great news is this is changing. Being your authentic self is an essential part of building meaningful relationships. By building trust with colleagues through honesty and openness, you can create a safe environment for others to do the same.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Amplify other people's ideas
Inclusion means ensuring everyone’s voice is heard, but we know this does not always happen. We can simply amplify the voices of others by drawing attention to their ideas in meetings and giving credit where its due. By doing this we increase the status of the speaker, and our own, which is particularly true for those from underrepresented groups and therefore creates more equitable outcomes.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Challenge bad behaviours
Too often we have been in situations where someone has said or done something that has made us or others feel uncomfortable. Rather than confront the issue, we have all too often let it pass and regretted it later. By challenging bad behaviour, we can demonstrate the inclusive culture we expect in the workplace and show support to our colleagues. We can challenge the behaviour from a place of kindness, and curiosity to determine the intent behind the comments, whilst also encouraging them to appreciate the impact their behaviour had on you and others.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Support your colleague's differences
Accommodating, celebrating and learning about each other's customs and traditions helps foster a culture of inclusion that makes employees feel recognised and valued. Celebrating our differences, as well as our common interests, helps unite and educate us.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Become a mentor / sponsor
Mentorship and sponsorship can help lift people up who may otherwise go unnoticed and is an action that everyone can do to help make the workplace a more equitable place. There are key differences between mentoring and sponsoring; mentoring provides direct support and guidance to the mentee, whereas sponsoring focuses on others’ impressions of that person, both are needed in the workplace.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Open your mind
We are better able to understand differing viewpoints, ideas and ways of working if we open our minds to learning more. By listening to what everyone has to say, and not being afraid to ask questions to find out about different experiences and challenges, we can all expand our knowledge. Also try connecting with someone new at work, outside your usual circle of friends.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Think about how you communicate
When it comes to communication, it’s important to recognise that people understand and express themselves in different ways. Try and find out which methods work best with those you are communicating with, think about delivery methods (both verbal and non-verbal), messaging and terminology. And remember when learning about others, active listening is more important than speaking.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Be aware of your biases
We all have biases, our view of the world has been influenced by our own experiences, beliefs, values, family and friends. They impact on the way we interact with others, the way we learn, connect and grow. By being aware of our biases and understanding the impact they have on our decision making, we are much more likely to address them and ensure a more inclusive interaction with others.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Help develop new ways of creating a more inclusive environment by getting involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion strategy through your employee networks. Your views can help inform line managers and senior leaders, increasing their understanding of how to support diverse employees and build a more inclusive work environment.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Be a visible role model
Role models are people who recognise, and visibly demonstrate every day, that everyone has an important contribution to make and the right to feel valued and respected. Maintaining a visible profile as a role model is important, as it allows others to see how you work and enables them to learn from your actions. Visibility can come through regularly speaking about inclusion (even if you feel you are a lone voice), but also by visual prompts such as displaying your pronouns or rainbow lanyards.
Be your authentic self
Amplify other people’s ideas
Challenge bad behaviours
Support your colleague’s differences
Become a mentor / sponsor
Open your mind
Think about how you communicate
Be aware of your biases
Get involved in the implementation of your company’s inclusion work
Be a visible role model
Guide for managers
By creating an inclusive workplace, managers instil a sense of belonging that contributes to a happy workforce. Research shows that happy people are more effective and productive, and much more likely to stay at a company. The business benefits of diverse and inclusive organisations are clear, many managers know this, but sometimes struggle to create the inclusive teams they would like, here we provide some tips how managers can be more inclusive.
TOP
TIPS
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Implement agile working
Re-think your meetings
Live the company values
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Inclusive managers embrace the idea that every person counts and should be supported individually. Take time to connect with your team members, find out what they care about, and how you can help them succeed in their careers. Work out what makes each team member special, and utilise those unique skills for maximum output. Use your leadership skills to help them advance, reducing any barriers they are facing stopping them getting to where they want to.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
By increasing the visibility of your team members, you are opening up opportunities for them which they may have not had previously. When you are looking for someone to do a presentation for senior leaders, join a new committee, or take on that next project, look for someone who will benefit from a stretch assignment or having an opportunity to impress. These opportunities increase visibility internally and externally and ultimately help to advance careers.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
We know company affinity networks have business benefits, but there are also many personal benefits that your team can realise with their involvement. Affinity network members have opportunity to grow their internal networks, lead a committee, and contribute to achieving the company’s inclusion objectives. All of which helps to build the confidence of team members involved. As manager’s you should encourage people to get involved, provide time to do so, and give due recognition for the work they do.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Be a visible inclusive leader
Inclusive leadership ensures that all team members feel they are treated respectfully and fairly, are valued, are confident and inspired. By being visible, inclusive leaders demonstrate the cultural expectations for the team. Speaking about inclusion helps team members know you are prioritising it. Be open and honest, sharing your vulnerabilities can bring benefits such as improving trust with others, being able to talk about difficult topics, and fostering more genuine connections with each other. Regularly assess how you are interacting with all your team members making sure it is fair.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Be open-minded
With an open-minded management style, you focus on empowering your team members by listening and responding to their ideas, challenges, ways of thinking and approaches to their work. Your door is always open to team members, and you make decisions based on a careful consideration of your own ideas, as well as those of others.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Make sure everyone is safe
A psychologically safe work environment is one in which team members feel comfortable, secure, and at ease when it comes to both their physical and emotional safety. Key features are prioritising employees' well-being, high levels of trust and support, strong communication, encouragement, and compassion. As a manager you can encourage your team to show appreciation for each other, understand one another’s ways of working, and keep all discussions open and transparent. You should work with the team to set boundaries and expectations, but also ensure team successes are celebrated.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Re-think your meetings
Meetings can be a challenge for inclusivity, ensuring everyone’s ideas are voiced and given due consideration. When leading meetings it’s important to understand that not everybody processes information in the same way, and delivery methods, and time taken to process, should vary to ensure everyone has opportunity to contribute to their fullest. Always look out for the quieter voices, give them a voice, and don’t let the loud extroverts take over. Create a psychologically safe environment for people to raise ideas or concerns, and ask questions without fear of personal repercussion.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Support and celebrate your team members differences
A diverse team brings with it a range of personalities and approaches which should be celebrated for the real positives they bring to work. Managers can provide opportunities for people to learn from each other, to create a mutual understanding and make team members feel recognised and valued.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Live the company values
A company’s values provide the foundation for what they care about and how they operate. This common purpose should be understood by all team members and made a part of every day life. A key part of a manager’s role is to embed the values in your team, a starting point would be ensuring they are talked about in conversations, however for greater impact you should role model those values yourself. You can also share publicly when team members have really demonstrated those values in action.
Ask your team members what they need, and whether there are barriers to their success
Find an opportunity to give each team member visibility
Encourage your team to get involved in the affinity networks
Be a visible inclusive leader
Be open-minded
Make sure everyone is safe
Re-think your meetings
Support and celebrate your team members differences
Live the company values
Implement agile working
Implement agile working
When managers implement agile working, you demonstrate your understanding that team members have lives outside of work that they are trying to balance, and give them freedom to manage their own workloads. You also show you trust your team, and that trust is repaid with higher productivity. Managing a hybrid team does take different skills though. You should check your proximity bias to ensure you are not favouring those that are sat next to you. You need to consider how you build up team spirit and how to ensure your team are working collaboratively.