Once individuals can see beyond the differences of gender, race, language, religion, marital status, physical ability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and mental ability — new outlooks emerge. Diversity and inclusivity embrace all those, highlight the values they offer, and notice those that have been overlooked.
These values provide:
- Sharing experiences.
- Cultural enrichment and openness.
- A fresh look at creativity from many forms and perspectives.
It also allows employees to move up, encouraging them and others to stay with the organization longer. These are important, mainly because inclusivity is also about respect for other people’s values, personal choices, and career growth.
Inclusivity removes barriers that would otherwise dissuade a person with a disability. It looks past what they are not capable of and highlights where they excel, their skills, and their experiences. When we hear of diversity and inclusivity, they carry powerful messages. These five levels of development are crucial in achieving diversity and inclusivity in your organization; let us take a closer look.
Level 1: Developing Awareness
Awareness begins individually before it can benefit others. There must be an embracing of the possibility that the change will bring diversity and inclusivity to reach its desired outcome.
These may include raising awareness and supporting cultural openness, which allows a larger pool of people to strengthen customer relations.
Level 2: Institute Programs
Diversity is a powerful tool and, when properly embraced, can catapult organizations towards great opportunities. Programs that start from the recruiting process can make it or break it for organizations aiming to institute diversity and inclusivity. Without solid and consistent intent, most organizations will fail at minimizing conflicts and bringing people together.
Level 3: Forming Initiatives
Merging activities and programs into an initiative allow organizations to come together. These allow greater engagement and stimulation, which lessens conflicts due to the open interaction that freely expresses themselves. Once the intent has been strategically embedded, a diversity initiative can start to take form.
Level 4: Strategic Work
By integrating the practices into quality, strategic alliances, leadership, mergers, re-engineering, and downsizing, organizations can align their initiatives into a strategic work plan.
Level 5: New Outcomes
With diversity and inclusivity working hand in hand, businesses can benefit from new perspectives. Once the organization’s strategic goals have shifted towards more social responsibility and an enhanced value in the marketplace, the work culture will flourish.
These five levels allow the development of diversity and inclusivity to be achieved in this fast-paced market. If people do not value what others can offer, indifferences can happen. Those walls will remain high unless they understand that we are all the same in so many ways, that our differences are what allow us to provide something new.
Still, it is our uniqueness that enables us to be one step better than our competitors. For us to grow, both personally and competitively, we must embrace all those similarities and differences. Embrace diversity and inclusivity into who we are as an organization.
Do you want to talk more about how to increase diversity and inclusivity in your organization? Email me at greg@inscapeconsulting.com.
