Inclusivity should be a priority in your business. Every organization should offer equal opportunities to everyone. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and many companies are working to improve inclusivity.
There should be equal opportunities across every level of your company – from internships to senior positions. This often means slowing the recruitment process down and considering a much wider pool of applicants. You may need to change your hiring system to cater for more people. For example, your application system should be accessible for all individuals.
Here are a few ways you can make sure your business is more inclusive.
Look at your leaders
The leaders of your company are essential in improving inclusivity. They should be aware of the importance and need for diversity within the business industry. They should be educated on equality in the workplace and the issues within their organization. The senior members of your company must be aware of unconscious bias and how to combat it. Your leaders are the first step towards improving inclusivity and changing your workplace. They must be racially and culturally literate.
Start caring about diversity
You need to educate yourself about diversity. You can’t expect your employees to care about inclusivity if you don’t know what you’re talking about. You could start investing in accessibility features for the workplace, like a wheelchair accessible vehicle for your employees.
Manage unconscious bias
Unconscious bias refers to how a person thinks based on their life experienced and beliefs. It is essential to manage unconscious bias during the hiring process through intervention. You need to monitor hiring data and watch out for the signs of unconscious bias. For example, an interviewer may prefer applicants from a similar background to themselves.
Several interviews with different team members can help to manage unconscious bias in the hiring process. Make sure the interviewers are as diverse as your pool of candidates.
Value all voices
Your company should value every team member, no matter their background, experience or education. Of course, some employees are leaders in the company while others are interns. However, every employee should be given a chance to voice their opinion and share their ideas. Your company should provide equal opportunities for promotions, benefits and much more. You might find that the best ideas come from lower down in the company.
Take a hard look at the diversity in your company, and outline a plan to improve it.
