The work culture around the world mirrors the cultural trends and traditions in a country. But just because discrimination was once appropriate and widely accepted, it doesn’t mean that it’s the way to go anymore. And even though some people are resilient to change, it has been proven that, in the long run, they will get outpaced by competitors who accept a diverse pool of perspectives and member potential. Not to mention that by adopting a more inclusive and diverse view for our employee pool can help us get a higher lever of commitment and trust from our employees. Therefore, we have to establish expectations and clear objectives. An example can be increasing the ratio of women or other people from underrepresented groups in one’s workforce.
Another social change example is at Google, with Google’s diversity and inclusion program. They establish specific goals. One such goal is the increasing number of female leaders. Starbucks also does this - as their “Race Together” project aims to encourage staff and customers to talk about race without prejudice. Having a conversation about these sensitive subjects matter a lot - for a company and the people involved as well!
The next step is to create a workplace culture that values and respects everyone’s thoughts and ideas. Promote open communication and active listening! And make sure that everyone on the team feels comfortable sharing their opinions. At LinkedIn, every employee is obliged to take unconscious bias training to raise awareness about potential biases that may influence decision-making - being a social change example for many.
And that’s not all! Microsoft is a social change example as it has created a “Listening and Learning” initiative that invites employees to share their experiences and ideas to make the firm more inclusive and inviting to both outsiders and workers alike. We agree - creating an inclusive workplace might be a hassle if you do not know where to start - but examples like the one above might guide you in the right direction.
Therefore, companies must extend their hiring methods to attract applicants from different backgrounds. Maybe give it a shot and collaborate with organizations that assist minority populations. Job fairs are also a great idea, as is posting job openings in locations where people from different backgrounds are more likely to notice them.
Blendoor, a start-up that focuses on diversity analytics and hiring, uses a blind recruiting tool that conceals candidate names and images to avoid unconscious prejudice throughout the screening process.
Salesforce is a great example as well - as they’ve teamed up with the non-profit Year Up to recruit and train young adults from underrepresented areas through their internships in the tech industry.
Furthermore, training and education inside a company are crucial as they can raise awareness and comprehension of the value of diversity. Take your time and resources and provide your team members with inclusion training. Also, provide them the opportunity to share their experiences and viewpoints! Nothing is as nice as feeling that your opinion matters. Look at Adobe! They provide a series of diversity seminars and training sessions to help employees understand how to establish a more inclusive workplace culture. And it works! They lead by example.
Then you have the IT firm Accenture, which provides a training program called “Inclusion Begins with I” that teaches employees how to detect and overcome unconscious prejudices. Examples like this are really paving the way for a better workplace experience in the future.
As a means of fostering a sense of belonging, employee resource groups (ERGs) are also effective. People who form ERGs have a shared identity or interest, such as a women's group or an LGBTQ+ group.
Airbnb, for instance, has a “Black@ Airbnb” community that offers black employees allies assistance and networking opportunities. Also, Intel has approximately 40 employee resource groups, such as the “Intel Muslim Employee Group” or the “Intel Native American Network”.
These companies recognize that creating an inclusive environment is essential for creating a successful business. They understand that if their employees feel valued and included, they will be more likely to perform better and be more productive. In addition, a more diverse workplace can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving opportunity, and other benefits come in waves!
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