This article is part of a series on improving organizational culture through greater inclusion. It focuses specifically on the responsibility that senior management has in advancing this goal. For information on additional job roles discussed in this series, click here: C-Suite | Managers & Supervisors | Supplier Diversity Managers
Inclusive organizational culture is integral to the efficiency and effectiveness of a thriving company. Members of senior management need to prioritize inclusive practices, goals, and ideas, and communicate openly with C-Suite members about diversity goals and how to achieve them. It can be difficult to strike the right balance between running your own department and working towards commonly held organizational goals, but a diverse and inclusive workforce will lead to greater engagement and productivity from your team.
Diversity doesn’t stop at HR. While it’s important to integrate diversity and inclusion strategies into your hiring practices, achieving an equitable workplace requires consistent commitment and adaptation. Here are a few reasons why inclusivity is so important to company culture.
Inclusion Helps to Maintain Future Business Growth
Creating and maintaining opportunities for future growth is a key responsibility of senior management. When you build a skilled and well-rounded project team or department, your team members become more engaged with one another and with their company goals. Be open to different perspectives, and bring together team members with different ideas and backgrounds.
The way you communicate with people in your organization is a good place to start fostering inclusivity. “Psychological safety – an environment in which people believe that they can speak up candidly with ideas, questions, concerns, and even mistakes – is vital to leveraging the benefits of diversity, because it can help make inclusion a reality” (Psychology Today). When everyone on your team feels like their ideas and work are valued, they will be motivated to work harder and won’t be distracted by worries about their background or what other people might think of them.
Inclusion Fosters Healthy Teams
When everyone feels accepted, appreciated, and part of a high-functioning diverse team that treats everyone fairly, company morale goes through the roof. Your team members will feel more confident and equipped to take on new challenges. They will be eager to offer up innovative ideas and dish out extra effort.
Inclusion Fosters Innovation
Some of the best business solutions have come from real-life observations and experiences, so it is in a company’s best interest to bring together people with a wide array of backgrounds and capabilities. This becomes especially important when faced with unexpected obstacles or sudden opportunities. New innovations, insights, and business solutions will result from a diverse group of colleagues working together to achieve a goal or conquer a market.
This is just the beginning when it comes to the benefits of inclusivity in the workplace. For questions on how to get started on the journey to motivation and business growth, feel free to reach out!
