Gas heaters quotation

https://www.humanrightscareers.com/skills/inclusive-work-environment/

Links to visit: https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0418/pages/6-steps-

for-building-an-inclusive-workplace.aspx

Diversity is an important issue for any modern business. But it’s not enough to hire people of
different nationalities, races, genders and sexual orientations – everyone needs to feel like
they are truly welcome, safe and free to be themselves in the workplace. 

How to develop an inclusive work culture

Although many businesses are moving towards more inclusive and diverse workforces, there
is still much progress to be made. Here are some simple steps you can take as a leader to
promote an inclusive company culture. [Communication and involvement matter
when promoting diversity.]

1. Start from the top.

As with any facet of company culture, creating and encouraging a sense of belonging in your
workplace begins at the leadership level. The company’s founders and executive team need to
have a desire to build a diverse culture and hire people who are open to working with people
of all different nationalities, skin colors, genders and sexual orientations, said Eloise Bune,
co-founder of Tentrr and former CEO of ScribbleChat.

“If diversity is not a company goal … it just won’t happen,” she said. “People tend to hire
people like them so they are comfortable and rarely challenged. It is human nature.”

Jason Beckerman, CEO of Unified, said a healthy business starts by having a healthy
company culture.

“We strive to provide all of our employees with the tools and skills necessary to shine, and
that starts with letting your employees know that yes, you can be exactly who you are here,”
Beckerman said.

2. Focus on inclusive recruitment strategies.

Once your company’s leadership sets the tone, it’s easy to extend that attitude throughout the
organization.

“What is great about creating a culture of belonging is that it can be fostered peer-to-peer,
bottom-up and top-down,” said Ullmann.
Ullmann also recommends taking a close look at your company’s recruiting tactics to make
sure you’re approaching hiring with the goal of fostering diversity and inclusion.

“Make inclusive recruitment an integral part of your company’s DNA to amplify your
company’s future, cultivate your workforce and invest in the community as a whole,” he said.

3. Provide safe spaces for employees.

Inclusive workplaces go the extra mile to consider the safety and comfortability of all
employees, especially those from marginalized groups. For example, gendered bathrooms
have the potential to make transgender and gender non-conforming employees
uncomfortable, especially in light of controversial bathroom bills in multiple states that could
or already do impact transgender rights. One easy way to signal a progressive, inclusive
workplace is to offer unisex bathrooms in your office, said Bune.

On a broader level, inclusive spaces can be created simply by spending time with one
another. Consider hosting team lunches and other informal events where employees can
casually connect with each other. If your company is bigger, creating an in-office support
group or network for diverse employees can help them connect with others who share their
experiences.

“Employee networks can provide a safe, open environment to spark conversations and
discuss the topics that are important to the community,” said Castro.

4. Connect with employees (but be sensitive).

One of the best ways to signal to your employees that it’s OK to be themselves is to connect
with them on a personal level. Be transparent with them about your own life: “If you are real
with them chances are you will get the same in return,” said Bune.

Simple gestures like asking about “spouses” or “partners” (rather than assuming someone’s
sexual orientation and using gendered terms) can encourage LGBT employees to open up
about their personal lives and feel included in non-work discussions. However, it’s important
not to be insensitive about their identity.

“Be sure to treat LGBTQ employees like everyone else in the office and do not ask
inappropriate questions like, ‘How did you come out?’ unless you have a close relationship
with the person,” she said. “This is a very personal question.”

5. Give employees multiple ways to provide feedback.

Ullmann advised giving employees an outlet for connecting with others and sharing their
stories.

“Whether it’s an employee survey, company all-hands discussions or campaigns, giving your
employees multiple ways to share their feedback, their perspective and their stories will
create an open dialogue that can lead to more positive outcomes,” he said.

Key takeaway: To create an inclusive workplace, lead by example, use inclusive

recruitment strategies and ask for employee feedback.
Importance of cultural inclusion at work
Cultural inclusion has moved to the forefront of many employers’ HR agendas, and for good
reason. Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is not only the “right” thing to do, but it
can also benefit businesses in many ways.

It fosters a healthy work environment.

“[A sense of] belonging … and inclusion should be a big focus for employers because it
ensures that all employees, regardless of their background and experiences, can be connected
with equal opportunity and create a healthier, more successful future together with their
employers,” Alexandre Ullmann, head of human resources at LinkedIn, LATAM, told
Business News Daily.

It increases employee engagement and productivity.

“When people are comfortable and can express themselves in an authentic way, they are
more likely to perform better, which increases engagement and contributes to the
organization as a whole,” said Miguel Castro, senior director and lead for the Diverse
Ecosystem, Global Diversity & Inclusion Office at SAP.

This is especially true of workplaces with an LGBT-inclusive environment. Castro noted that

inclusivity has a significant impact on an organization’s bottom line. Similarly, a study by
The Economist found that the majority of its survey respondents believe diversity and
inclusion promote better talent management, employee satisfaction, collaboration and
corporate reputation.

It leads to more creativity and innovation.

Having a diverse and inclusive workforce can help your company in terms of creativity and
innovation. When each team member’s distinctive background and experience is celebrated
and encouraged, employees are more likely to voice their unique perspectives. This can lead
to new business ideas, improved operations, and innovative solutions.

Key takeaway: Workplace cultural inclusion can increase employee engagement,

productivity, creativity and innovation.

Real-life examples of successful diversity programs

Our sources shared a few of the efforts their companies are making to make diverse groups of
employees feel safe, supported and celebrated in the workplace:

LinkedIn: LinkedIn has a global employee resource group called “out@in,” which offers
executive sponsors and a strong ally community for LGBT employees, said Ullmann. The
company’s #ProudAtWork campaign encouraged employees, executives and LinkedIn
Influencers to share their stories about belonging in the workplace. 
SAP: Inclusion is a top priority at SAP, which offers a companywide virtual training program
called Focus on Insight, which educates employees about diversity and inclusion. According
to Castro, the company also encourages participation in employee-driven events like SAP’s
“We Are One” initiatives (focused on sharing diverse life experiences), and it
sponsors/participates in annual Pride parades across the globe. 

How to create an inclusive work environment

Unified: Unified aims to foster “great people from all walks of life with impactful, inclusive
cultural programs including mentorship, executive town halls and peer awards,” said
Beckerman. For Pride Month, the company put together a few celebratory initiatives,
including an employee viewing of HBO’s documentary “The Trans List,” an informational
session hosted by the Ali Forney Center (a community center supporting LGBT homeless
youth), and treats from NYC’s famous Big Gay Ice Cream Truck. Unified also offers its
Leadership Empowerment And Development (LEAD) Program, an initiative to support and
educate strong female leaders in the workplace. 

An inclusive culture is a work in progress, said Ullmann, and you should constantly be
revisiting your policies and programs to create a more tolerant, diverse environment.

“There is always something that can be improved upon,” he said. “Make it your company’s
priority to take action to close any gaps so that all employees feel like they belong and are
supported to thrive.”

Key takeaway: Learn about other organizations’ diversity and inclusion initiatives to

spark some of your own D&I ideas.

Some sources were interviewed for a previous version of this article. Additional reporting by
Skye Schooley.

Image Credit:

It’s a no-brainer that diversity makes for a stronger workforce. When companies

embrace and value employees of different backgrounds into an inclusive workplace,
they reap the rewards in creativity and innovation, a strong company culture,
improved employee performance, and more.

But diversity isn’t the same as inclusivity. Think of inclusivity as the next step to
successfully supporting a diverse workforce: It’s all about creating an inclusive
environment that welcomes and includes each employee.

While inclusivity makes us feel good, inclusive workplace cultures offer far greater
benefits than a warm and fuzzy feeling. So they’re plain good business
sense. Deloitte reports that inclusive workplaces are 6X as likely to be innovative,
and have 2.3X the cash flow per employee over non-inclusive workplaces in a 3-year
period.
So, if you’re ready to launch your inclusivity initiatives, we’ve put together 15 tips to
help your employees flourish, regardless of sex, race, gender, age, religious
background, physical ability, or sexual orientation.

1. Get buy-in from the top

When it comes to creating and promoting an inclusive workplace, your biggest
allies will be your leadership team. Prioritizing inclusivity at your organization will
be a challenge if the C-suite doesn’t prioritize it, as well.

Educate your company’s leaders about the importance of inclusivity. This includes
offering diversity and inclusivity (D&I) training at the C-suite level. It also means
creating a safe space for your leaders to ask awkward or embarrassing questions
“behind the curtain” before leading inclusivity initiatives company-wide. Once
leadership is comfortable and on board, they’ll be fantastic resources for setting an
authentic, inclusive tone for all.

2. Integrate inclusivity into your core values

You should already make it a habit to revisit your company’s core values periodically,
especially during moments of major change. If your core values don’t already
include a statement on inclusive culture, get the buy-in from leadership to draft an
update and implement it.

To get the most bang for your buck, ask for suggestions and feedback from
employees company-wide, especially if your leadership and HR teams
collectively aren’t very diverse. The additional perspectives may help fill in a blank
you’ve missed, and help you earn crucial top-to-bottom buy-in.

3. Model inclusive language

As an HR professional, you can be a powerful agent of change by walking the walk
— and, well, talking the talk. In all professional communications, model inclusive
language. Learn and use the preferred pronouns for employees in your
company, and use “spouse” or “partner” rather than the gendered “husband” or
“wife” to refer to someone’s spouse (especially if you don’t know their gender).
Partner also works for non-married couples, too.

As always, be very careful to avoid using harmful language. If you do, apologize

correctly and do the work to ensure you won’t repeat the mistake.

4. Encourage a culture of frequent check-ins

1-on-1s aren’t just for providing in-the-moment feedback. They’re also opportunities
to build trust. And trust is key for the open dialogue that allows employees to
honestly express their needs — or discuss challenges they may experience in your
workplace (particularly those of a sensitive nature).

If your organization doesn’t already have a continuous feedback culture, read up!
It can work wonders for the employee experience.

5. Create safe spaces

Many companies have already done a wonderful job promoting non-binary and
genderqueer inclusion by providing gender-neutral restrooms.

If your organization hasn’t already created such a space, consider it. Think, too,
about other needs for privacy and safe spaces at work, such as lactation rooms for
new mothers, prayer or meditation spaces, and quiet workspaces for workers who
may be distracted or overstimulated by open floor plans.

Full remote? This extends to the remote space as well. Create digital safe
“spaces” by encouraging employees to add pronouns to their email signatures and
user names. Invite employees to reserve time for prayer and other personal needs
by blocking it out on the calendar. Honor introverts by making digital culture events
optional.

To fully understand the needs of everyone at your company, partner with

managers to learn more about their teams. Employees may feel awkward
advocating for themselves, and managers, who have a close eye on their reports’
skills and needs, can communicate these to you

6. Create an inclusive workplace task force

Now that you’ve got the C-suite’s buy-in, think about the stakeholders and key
players whose input could help bring your organization’s inclusivity culture to life.
These should be people who are passionate about inclusivity and will put in the extra
time and effort to realize the vision.

They’ll also be responsible for bringing new initiatives back to leadership and
working with you and other units within the company to implement and communicate
change. Be sure the task force itself is diverse, representing not only varying
social demographics, but also office location (if you’re multi-office), and job function.
But be respectful in how you solicit members. Never make anyone feel tokenized.

7. Expand your company holiday calendar

Little things mean a lot — and for minority groups, even small instances of
representation can make a world of difference. (That’s why Kazoo joined companies
across the nation in making Juneteenth a company holiday, by the way.)

Take a look at your company’s holiday calendar. In addition to Christian and secular
holidays like Christmas and New Year’s, be sure to include holidays that
represent the religious beliefs of your company at large.

For Jewish employees, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are considered the major
high holy days. Chanukah is nice, but on the Jewish calendar, it’s — pardon the
latkes joke — small potatoes. For Muslims, include Eid-al-Fitr, Eid-al-
Adha, Ramadan, and Muharram. For Hindus, add Diwali, and Navrati.

If it’s not possible to make these company-wide holidays, at least acknowledge them
on the calendar to raise awareness and increase the sense of recognition and
belonging for practitioners.

8. Recognize and reward everyone’s performance

At Kazoo, we can’t say enough about the power of rewards and recognition. Not only
does recognition drive employee engagement and boost morale, but singling out
and rewarding specific behavior also signals your company’s values. Before the start
of the next quarter, thoughtfully review the employees who have received public
recognition in the past, and for what.

If you’re rewarding the same behaviors consistently (i.e., top sales), consider the
signal this sends to your employees about the specific skills and talents your
company values. Think about other, less visible contributions, and how they help
your company, workers, and culture flourish, and queue them up for recognition in
the next quarter.

Learn how to give employees public recognition with Kazoo →

9. Create events and initiatives focused on

inclusivity
When it comes to planning work events and initiatives that celebrate inclusion, the
sky’s the limit. So host Pride Month mixers, screen documentaries during lunch, or
invite guest speakers who cover a diverse range of topics.

On top of that, make sure your organization’s activities promote and support diversity
as well. Who are you inviting to public-facing events? Which charitable causes does
your company support during volunteer days and fundraisers? All of these are great
opportunities to foster team-building and morale as you actively celebrate your
inclusive workplace culture.

Are your diverse employees quitting? Read:

10 Strategies to Retain Diverse Talent

Read now

10. Make sure your office is wheelchair-accessible

To welcome all employees as well as visitors, make sure your office is wheelchair-
accessible, especially common areas like the kitchen and restrooms. Older offices
can include small steps or uneven floors that present major mobility obstacles; even
if your building is ADA-compliant, it can be easy to crowd corridors and corners.
Do a walkthrough of all common areas, and better yet, if it’s available to you, rent or
borrow a wheelchair and use it to navigate your office building. This will help you
identify accessibility pain points, and make your workspace more accessible to all.

Not in the office? Support remote workers by encouraging them to do an

accessibility and ergonomics check on their home office. Create a budget to supply
them with the tools they need to succeed.

11. Emphasize inclusivity in diversity training

You know that diversity and inclusivity aren’t the same thing — but do your
employees? It’s possible to have a diverse workplace that isn’t inclusive. Minority
employees, though present, may feel excluded or like they aren’t represented in the
workplace culture. Raise awareness of that nuance explicitly in training so that
employees can fully embrace the diversity around them, and develop the soft
skills to thrive in a diverse environment.

Learn how Kazoo supports inclusive workplaces.

Kazoo for Equity and Inclusion

12. Create opportunities for conversation

Let’s face it: No matter how woke we think we are, we never stop learning new
things about the people around us. Your employees likely have strong relationships
with their immediate teammates, but how well do they know their other
colleagues?

Encourage a workplace culture of inclusivity by making opportunities for employees

to mix and chat. This could take a formal structure, like town hall meetings. But don’t
underestimate the authenticity of a casual setting like company-wide lunches, happy
hours, volunteer days, or cross-team activities.

13. Put pronouns in your email signature

One way to model inclusive behavior is to include your preferred pronouns in email
signatures, org charts, and slack names, such as “Candice Mitchell, she/her,” or
“Jameson Alex, he/they/them.”
Example of gender pronouns from Asana
This signals your awareness of and respect for preferred pronouns and is
welcoming to genderqueer and nonbinary employees. So encourage your
organization to include gender pronouns in company email signature templates for
widespread adoption.

14. Provide a forum for introverts to shine

It’s no secret that traditional corporate culture rewards extroversion. Those who
speak up in meetings, take charge of projects, and advocate for themselves climb
the ladder in leaps and bounds over their skilled (but quieter) coworkers.

As part of your inclusivity initiatives, train managers to make space in meetings to

hear employees who may be more inclined to hang back, or might feel anxious
arguing a salient point. Offer to fund noise-canceling headphones and opportunities
to give non-verbal feedback, such as suggestion boxes.

Finally, designate solitary spaces to work and eat so that these thoughtful, talented
workers can recharge and keep giving you their best.

15. Include multilingual signage

No matter what language you speak, installing multilingual signage can instantly
signal “all are welcome here” to employees and office visitors. It can also serve as a
gentle reminder to employees that they’re part of a greater, more diverse world,
regardless of the language spoken in the office.