ERGs are gaining popularity as more and more organisations focus their efforts on building workplace diversity and inclusion.  

When organisations support and encourage employee resource group (ERG) programs, their employees are afforded the opportunity to bring their whole selves to work to connect with others who are like them. 

This in turn fosters a sense belonging and as we know this makes a big impact on how included employees feel and can grow a diverse and positive workplace culture. 

So, although not a new concept within the D&I field, employee resource groups are growing in numbers and are becoming more sustainable given their success. 

But what exactly is an employee resource group (ERG)?  

An ERG is a group formed by people of a common identity. They’re also called ‘affinity groups’ or ‘diversity groups’.  

For example, you might have a group of people who unite on the basis of being of the same colour or race, or religion.  

Typically, ERGs are formed based on:  

• Race, culture or ethnicity  
• People with disabilities  
• Gender: male or female 
• Religion  
• Sexual orientation  
• Age  
• Parenting 
• Other common ground  

Bear in mind that an ERG is self-organised, and not created by force by senior management. It’s usually formed because someone takes the initiative to bring people together based on some common ground, which is their unique difference.  

It is this bottom-up approach that will drive the formation of an ERG, but it’s the support from leaders and management that helps ERGs to grow, champion change, and disrupt the way diversity is included and embraced within the organisation. 

What kind of impact can an ERG have on your workplace culture? 

ERGs are like small communities within your organisation.  

When people get together based on their unique difference, they have more power to create meaningful change, voice their opinion and access senior leadership.  

They give opportunities for minority groups and underrepresented employees to come into the limelight and make an impact.  

More importantly, ERGs create a sense of psychological safety among the employees who are a part of the ERG. In this way, employees might feel a sense of belonging, and share their concerns and long-term plans more openly with their peers.  

With an increased sense of belonging, employees are more: 

• Innovative because they feel that their views will be respected and listened to. 
• Collaborative with their colleagues to achieve success for the organisation as one team. 
• Engaged with the organisation and customers alike, to deliver their best. 
• Productive and focussed on their role rather than on toxic behaviours. 
• Likely to stay in the talent pipeline for longer. 
• Safe and well because they are more likely to speak up about unsafe work environments. 

Furthermore, with the support of inclusion allys from across the organisation, ERGs can work collaboratively to win the support they need from upper management to facilitate change.  

How can your organisation support ERGs? 

Organisations can support ERGs to foster a sense of inclusiveness, diversity and equality by: 

• Formalising an ERG program. 
• Your ERG program should provide each ERG with access to senior leadership in order to propose and then facilitate any change.  
• Give ERGs the authority to decide the scope of the group, to define membership eligibility, and establish what success means to their group. These metrics should not be imposed upon them, but should be self-generated by the ERG.  
• Provide executive sponsors to ERGs that provide mentorship. For example, the CEO could become an executive sponsor to an ERG for LGBTQIA+, to support their initiatives and visibility based on his/her experience. Such sponsors have to make the ERGs success a priority for themselves, and tie its success with their own goals.  
• Provide ERGs with the tools they need for success like a platform for communication, leadership training and access to senior leaders within the organisation.  

The benefits of having ERGs 

Organisations that support ERGs have reported the following benefits:  

• Employees are more likely to stay for longer periods of time because they’re provided a sense of community within the company. 
• Employees feel more confident contributing their difference to the company, if they get the backing and support of an ERG by being a member.  
• Employees get the chance to voice their opinions, openly and clearly, in front of key decision makers who hear them out.  
• Earning the reputation of being highly inclusive, and supportive of diversity, and equality, attracting top talent.  

Keeping the above in mind, we recommend you put a formal ERG program in place. If you’re unsure of how to set up a form ERG program, involve a third-party facilitator or coach to work with your ERGs to bridge the gap between them and other senior leaders within your company. Ideally, your coach would’ve worked with ERGs at other companies on various diversity and inclusion initiatives.  

Disrupting inclusion and diversity delivery 

If your organisation has yet to set up formalised any ERGs then we suggest you take some time to research more about the groups. 

They are gaining popularity for a reason within inclusive organisations. 

If you’re interested in supporting your leaders to be more inclusive, take the first step today: complete our 2minute questionnaire to determine if our Inclusion Habits for Leaders Program suits your specific D&I goals. 

Take the questionnaire here. 

While it is admirable to adopt training solutions for employees at all levels in the hopes of developing a more inclusive workplace; from my many years of experience working in the diversity and inclusion arena, I know that these types of programs do not always provide long-term effects. 

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, there are better approaches to generate tangible results.  

And they are through strategic leadership coaching. 

Believe me when I say that developing committed leaders through coaching is not an impossible goal! 

The reality is that a lack of diversity and inclusion in the workplace is often a consequence of a more pressing leadership problem. One that inclusive leadership coaching can easily remedy. 

What is inclusive leadership coaching and why is it important? 

Inclusive leadership coaching entails the most critical aspects required for any leader to be successful in the diversity and inclusion sector.  

It is an essential component of any leader’s learning and development process. It equips leaders with the insights, tools, and expertise they need to solve D&I problems, generate innovative ideas from different perspectives, and to build inclusive teams.  

Coaching differs from other types of training in that you learn by doing. It is an extremely powerful and effective method that allows those in positions of leadership to arrive at their own solutions rather than being told what steps to take. 

The coaching approach to inclusive leadership is effective. According to research by Deloitte, inclusive leaders have the potential to improve overall employee performance. This is significant and a game changer for many organisations.  

A leadership coaching framework is distinctive in that it approaches the conversation about diversity and inclusion in a unique way than with more traditional training programs. 

The “how” of leadership coaching

Leadership coaching is both empowering and centred on the leader.  

When it comes to identifying their own answers to common DEI and other workplace difficulties, leaders develop their own individual goals and learn to build capability instead of reliance.  

Those at the top of an organisation who receive inclusive leadership coaching frequently report a shift in their mindset. They learn how to create strategies that help underrepresented employees. They learn through doing hands-on experiments in real-life circumstances, all of which is both educational and psychologically rewarding. 

What are the leadership coaching challenges faced by organisations? 

There are many challenges that leaders face whilst completing their training, some of which are easier to overcome than others.  

Let us dive into a few leaderships challenge examples. 

Bias blind spots 

Bias for leaders who are untouched by prejudice can be a difficult learning curve during leadership coaching. It can be a challenge for leaders to uncover unconscious and concealed bias in the workplace. Identifying with employees from backgrounds other than their own is difficult.  

This is when awareness comes in. Understanding personal privilege, which is often invisible to many leaders, is critical to effective leadership coaching.  

An effective strategy for removing blind spots is through sharing stories.

When leaders listen to real-life stories from their team members who have faced bias or discrimination, they empathise and are engaged on an emotional level rather than on an intellectual one.  This is often where leaders begin to feel a shift and report those true a-ha moments.  

Lack of comprehension  

Have you noticed that leaders often fit a specific criterion?

They tend to be unsure of how exactly to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace because they cannot relate.  

Leadership coaching overcomes this lack of understanding through open dialogue and experiments in real life scenarios. 

It is through learning and educating, the transfer of knowledge and skills, that inclusive leadership becomes possible.  

The inference being that there must be a willingness to do the work. To change the micro habits and to challenge the knowledge bank. 

Inadequate accountability 

The unconscious and automatic biases of those in leadership positions that perpetuate workplace inequity require more than well-intentioned policies and programs.

To move the leadership paradigm from the typical “employee-fit” to greater diversity and inclusion requires leaders to take accountability.  

Leadership coaching overcomes this habit. Leaders become more aware and comfortable with holding themselves and others accountable.  

Leadership best practices for diversity and inclusion 

I will say this: when your approach to diversity and inclusion is successful you will see it on the faces of your team members around you. Leadership best practice often looks like an environment where employees feel a sense of belonging.  

When leaders establish a sense of belonging, it changes the status quo.  

When diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of a leader’s thoughts, everyone in the organisation has fair and equal opportunity. 

Inclusive leadership success story 

My leadership coaching is pragmatic. As seen in the below video, leaders who engage in my Inclusive Habits for Leaders program learn through hands-on real-life experiments with employees. 

Diversity and inclusion are essential components of every successful organisation. And although there are numerous aspects that need to work in tandem to implement an impactful D&I strategy, the key to its success is inclusive leadership.  

It is critical for leaders to not only build and master their inclusive abilities through leadership coaching, but also to put them into practise.  

The key message is that inclusive leaders interact with the heterogeneity around them, they create interpersonal trust, consider the perspectives of others, and are adaptive.  

All which lead to business growth and employee retention. 

Are you ready to take your leadership skills to the next level?  

My diversity and inclusion program, Inclusion Habits for Leaders, is an award winner.  

My approach employs two tools that are specifically developed to help organisations establish Inclusive Leadership CHAMPIONS.  

The curriculum develops diversity and inclusion champions who know what to do. My program educates at a critical mass to foster an inclusive culture with proven results. 

The first step is for you to discover whether my diversity and inclusion solutions are right for you by completing this 2-minute questionnaire. 

Creating an inclusive environment is one of the number one priorities of leaders the world over. 

There are a couple of problems though.  

Many leaders think they are inclusive – when they’re not. And while some understand the ‘why’ of inclusion – not all do. And through my thousands of conversations with global leaders, I also know this – not all don’t understand the ‘how’ of inclusion. 

You can skip to other articles to read more on inclusion in the workplace or continue with this piece to find the answer to: why is inclusion important?

I’m also going to answer three other frequently asked questions along the way about inclusion and diversity, including: 

• What are dimensions of diversity? 
• What is a sense of belonging? 
• What does ‘good’ inclusion look like?  

Each of these questions contribute to a greater understanding of the importance of inclusion. 

So, let’s dive in. 

The rise of diversity and inclusion in the workplace 

The wave of solidarity groups supporting inclusion and diversity has exploded over the recent years. Movements such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and Let Her Speak have put a global spotlight on social injustices. 

You don’t have to look very far on social media to see threads of conversation aiming to educate about white privilege, the gender pay gap, and ableist language. More people than ever are getting involved in conversations, spreading awareness, and standing up as allies and supporters. 

What we see on our TV screens and smart devices impacts our lives at home – so it’s not at all surprising that they filter down into our lives at work as well. 

Although, to be honest, it didn’t need much of a push. The workplace has been fraught with DEI issues since the 60’s when the importance of inclusion and diversity first came to light. Traditionally we talked about glass ceilings and segregation – more recently, we’re talking about the use of pronouns, parental leave equality, and creating space for transgender rights in sport. 

It’s not surprising then that organisational leaders might be confused when it comes to ensuring that everyone feels included. 

Where can they start? 

It’s time to simplify inclusion for leaders 

Leaders love simplification! 

When busyness and business priorities take over, we all (naturally) defer to habit. This could be when we’re dealing with an unknown, highly pressurised, sensitive, or stressful situation. 

So, to help leaders thrive during these times, I propose that we simplify things by decoupling inclusion and diversity – just for a moment! 

One of my favourite ways to explain inclusion is using the famous quote from Verna Myers, which goes like this: “Diversity is when you’re invited to the party. Inclusion is when you’re asked to dance.” 

Inclusion doesn’t just happen because diversity exists.  

A conscious human interaction needs to take place for someone to feel included, and conversely, to feel excluded. 

So, to support leaders understand the importance of inclusion, I want to help them understand how their human interactions impact inclusion – and to then make small, consistent improvements to these interactions. 

Once leaders get really good at including everyone in their team, they can then move onto understanding each individual’s dimensions of diversity and then managing that diversity. 

What are dimensions of diversity? 

Here is the first of other frequently asked questions. 

The dimensions of diversity are the different traits, backgrounds, and abilities displayed in a diverse workplace. While there are many components, traditionally the dimensions of diversity at work relate to age, gender, race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, language, etc. 

If you feel different then you are diverse and you likely align yourself with a particular dimension of your difference. And because you are different your experiences, ways of working, problem solving abilities, levels of creativity and innovation are unique and all come together to contribute to the outcomes of the organisation. 

Issues arise for leaders however, when they feel unsure about how to manage someone who is different from them. In some organisations, leaders are expected to have all the answers, never fail, and stick to the status quo. 

So, it is understandable that some leaders shy away from dimensions of diversity that they don’t understand or resonate with. 

The issue however is that when this happens leaders aren’t harnessing the full power of an individual’s talent that comes because of their diversity. All their different experiences, beliefs, understandings, and ways of being are lost because they are expected to just do things ‘the way they’ve always been done’. Or to ‘fit in’ with the way the team has always operated. 

In this way, the diversity exists, but the inclusion element does not.  

I’m not saying focusing on inclusion is easy, it takes time and perseverance and resilience. Leaders aren’t going to be successful all the time and they may get knocked back or stone walled during the process. 

So, why bother: why is inclusion important? 

Inclusion is important because the size of the prize is greater than you think. 

As an employee if I feel included, I feel like I belong, like I’m a part of the greater whole. That could be my immediate team or the organisation. 

The key here is that when inclusion is prioritised the impact is felt on the individual and that creates waves throughout the organisation and directly felt on the bottom line. 

So, when you focus on increasing inclusion and creating a sense of belonging, you also increase: 

• Diversity 
• Innovation 
• Psychological safety 
• Employee engagement 
• Productivity 
• Agility 
• Talent pipeline 
• Workplace safety and wellness 

What is a sense of belonging? 

Here is that second frequently asked question I spoke of earlier in the piece. 

As an employee when I feel like my uniqueness is valued and that I am fully accepted as a member of my team or unit or organisation, then I feel included and that I belong. 

Research from Better Up found that workplace belonging leads to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% reduction in turnover risk, and a 75% decrease in employee sick days.  

It is clear that there is value in belonging at work and it is the key to inclusion. When I feel safe to be my authentic self, I am more productive, engaged, and mentally well. I bring issues to the table without fear of repercussions. I work to support my team and I am focused on getting a result for the wider organisation. 

So, it’s clear that we need to create a sense of belonging, but how do leaders go about doing that? 

Start by embedding new inclusion habits 

I mentioned earlier that we default to habit when the going gets tough – at home and in the workplace. 

One of the ways that we can set our leaders up for success is by teaching them new inclusion habits. These habits are the small – but mighty! – ways they can interact with their team members to go about making them to feel a sense of belonging.

I have developed the habits during the course of almost 20 years’ work in the inclusion and diversity space and through the implementation of my Inclusion Habits for Leaders Program I have helped organisations reap the benefits of focusing on inclusion. 

Because when leaders know what good inclusion looks like then they are in a better position to implement change.  

What does ‘good’ inclusion look like? 

Here is that third question I get asked a lot – and to be honest, it’s a difficult one to answer. 

Why? 

Well, ‘bad’ inclusion (ie exclusion) is easy to explain because we’ve all been there at some point or other in our working lives. 

Exclusion in the workplace looks like the person who’s never invited to coffee, who’s never asked to contribute to the roundtable conversations, who isn’t involved in the team Lotto draw, who’s singled out in emails, whose name is never pronounced correctly, who doesn’t have a designated place of worship, who’s expected to always work late because they don’t have a young family at home. 

So, is ‘good’ inclusion the opposite? 

According to this article on Forbes, “an inclusive workplace is cooperative, collaborative, open, fair, curious, accountable and so much more.” 

Leaders who work hard to build an inclusive workplace support their team members to be honest, vulnerable, communicate as one team, challenge the status quo and are okay with failing and learning. They harness the power of the team and they’re not afraid of getting curious about their team members. Team members are given everything they need to be successful, on their terms – fairness isn’t equality, it’s adapting the rules for the unique benefit of the individual. 

Above everything ‘good’ inclusion makes me feel like I am valued and I belong and because of that I give my all to the greater good of the team. 

It’s human nature. 

It’s time to prioritise inclusion 

This free resource will help your leaders understand the ‘how to’ of inclusion by giving them ideas and provocations of how they can be more inclusive in their everyday interactions. 

If the resource resonates, read about our inclusive leadership program.

Then see if your organisation qualifies by telling us a little bit about your goals for inclusion and diversity and we will be in touch directly to talk next steps. 

There is a growing trend, backed by research and insights, within the diversity and inclusion space to move away from focusing on types of difference in situ or the ‘traditional’ dimensions of diversity.  

Why? 

Because it doesn’t really matter what specific dimension of diversity you identify with, you still have a right to feel respected, valued for your uniqueness, and have a sense of belonging within your workplace. 

If you feel unique then you are different. The diversity and inclusion traditionalist will argue that if we don’t focus on the dimensions of diversity, the issues of inclusion of people in these groups will be watered down.

I don’t propose we throw out the great solid foundation we have built and that these dimensions of diversity lack importance. What I suggest is that we have focused on them to such an extent that we have not created a solid foundation and starting point of inclusion, which MUST relate to all team members.

Having an understanding of why is inclusion important is a good place to start.

So, the foundation needs to be building the skillset for leaders around dealing with and managing difference, any difference. Once this skillset is entrenched as a habit, we can reintroduce the traditional dimensions of diversity, because where they exist, there is a higher degree of difficulty in dealing with difference, because I don’t understand you! 

In this article, I’m going to focus on how inclusive leaders consider the habits of managing difference, regardless of the category or dimension of diversity. So, let’s begin. 

Traditional dimensions of diversity 

Firstly, I want to underscore this: traditional diversity dimensions are very important.  

I’m not saying that by moving away from focusing on each of the dimensions they are somehow less significant.  

This could not be further from the truth. 

However, when there are so many defined dimensions of diversity, focussing on one or many types of difference takes up a fair chunk of our brain space within our working day. It also eats up most of our diversity and inclusion resources.  

What we should be doing instead, is looking at difference through an inclusive lens. 

So, we start by ensuring that we create a sense of belonging for everyone. We work on the assumption that by knowing how to be inclusive of all, we embrace the diversity of all. We don’t focus on which dimension of diversity! 

Once we start from a place of inclusiveness we can also circle back to those traditional dimensions of diversity as prime examples that trigger the fear that may arise when we don’t know what to do because difference exists. 

Filling dimensions of diversity quotas does not work 

Traditionally, difference exists between groups of people based on demographic and other dynamics, such as their gender, religious beliefs, race, marital status, ethnicity, parental status, age, education, physical and mental ability, income, sexual orientation, occupation, language, geographical location and many other components. 

If, as CEOs, managers, HR or diversity and inclusion leaders, all we do is become fixated on these dimensions and start capturing data on the numbers of each within our organisation in order to fill quotas – are we truly understanding their difference, or are we simply applying tokenistic responses to external expectations? 

I propose the latter. I call it the ‘Noah’s Ark’ approach to diversity and inclusion and the truth is that it might look good temporarily, but it does not create a sustainable outcome.  

So, what then should we start to do? 

Two things need to change: 

• Our mindset – what happens if I change my thoughts around how we approach managing difference and being inclusive?  

• And our perspective – where am I coming from when I approach diversity? 

So, now it becomes imperative that we look at prioritising diversity and inclusion strategy and implementation by empowering our leaders to be more inclusive. 

Inclusive leaders intentionally change their mindset 

Many psychologists will tell you that if you suffer from anxiety, one way to help alleviate symptoms is to change your thoughts. If you think differently about the situation that is worrying you, then your behaviour will also change. 

Instead of fixating on the ‘what ifs’ that my occur, you can train your brain to no longer fear the unknown because you have changed the way you think about it. 

Inclusive leaders think differently about the person in their team who is perhaps a bit quirky, quiet, non-committal, overbearing, loud, obnoxious, or opinionated, and therefore their interactions and attitudes towards them change.  

Inclusive leaders find out why they are the way they are so that their difference is no longer a burden. Perhaps their different way of being or doing will become a strength and help the team to smash goals!  

Inclusive leaders approach diversity & inclusion strategy differently 

Inclusive leadership is about leaders who are passionate and proactive about making a difference demonstrate their commitment by acting and learning every day. They aren’t fearful of failing, but instead embrace the philosophy of lifelong learning. 

They experience the impact on their teams when everyone feels a sense of belonging and that their difference is valued.  

Inclusive leaders trust their teams, share knowledge and resources, communicate openly and vulnerably, and brings out the best in those around them. 

Empowering leaders to be more inclusive 

Don’t be daunted by the thought of the massive job it will take to help each and every one of your leaders become more inclusive. 

Access our free resource that has been designed to help you take the first step. It outlines 20 examples of how your leaders can be inclusive every day. These provocations and ideas are game changers! 

Ready for more? 

We are passionate about helping leaders to build and embed habits of inclusion.  

If you are ready for more, then find out if our specific Inclusion Habits for Leaders Program is the right inclusion solution for your organisation.  

Tell us a bit about your current D&I strategy and what you’re looking to achieve by improving your current approach.  

Take our 2-minute questionnaire here. 

You’ve realised that mentoring programs have many benefits for employees. And you’re about to help others to make exciting contributions as professionals. Both mentors and mentees are going to experience the ripple effect.  

It’s exciting stuff! 

There are many coaching & mentoring programs available, so it’s important that you choose the right one.  

We are huge advocates of inclusion and diversity here at Emberin. Which is why we support structured inclusive mentoring programs, which are different from regular mentoring programs. 

How? 

Let’s dive into the details. 

Mentoring programs help to create inclusive workplace cultures 

Creating an inclusive workplace culture means that every employee has a sense of belonging. Their difference is known and heard, encouraged and welcomed. 

Numerous studies, research, and articles demonstrate that when employees feel they belong and included, they are more: 

• Productive 
• Innovative 
• Loyal to the organisation 

And these, in time, filter down to the organisation’s bottom line. 

So, if the facts and figures and research point to the benefits of an inclusion, why do some organisations find it so difficult to foster an inclusive culture? 

It’s a complex question that has many layers. One of the ways leaders can make a difference is through inclusive structured workplace mentoring. 

What are mentoring programs in the workplace? 

Well-designed mentoring programs play specific roles in the workplace. They help: 

• New hires find experienced mentors to act as professional guides 
• To increase employee retention 
• Boost workplace satisfaction 
• Foster professional growth 

However, despite well-meaning intentions, many mentoring programs, particularly informal programs just flop. This could be for a variety of reasons: 

1. Mentors and mentees are unprepared for meetings 

2. Meetings are rushed and unstructured 

3. Mentors don’t know the “how to” of being a mentor 

4. Without a process, mentors don’t know what to talk about 

5. No process means zero accountability 

Of course, there are a myriad of other reasons, as to why some organisational mentoring programs fail. 

It’s time to think differently about how to support both the mentors and mentees through structured inclusive mentoring. 

What are structured inclusive mentoring programs? 

Professional development through shared experiences helps with inclusion and diversity because both the mentor and mentee have an opportunity to benefit from the relationship. 

Fostering strong workplace relationships helps to increase an employee’s sense of belonging and in the mentor/mentee partnership, this can work both ways. 

The secret though is to run structured inclusive mentoring programs because in this way you don’t have to rely on ‘chemistry’ between the mentor and mentee for the relationship to succeed. 

When there is a clear process to follow, and the mentor is taught explicitly ‘how to’ mentor, then the relationship is set up for success from the very start. 

Implementing a structured inclusive mentoring program will: 

• Teach the value of knowledge transfer 
• Outline a structure and process to follow 
• Provide critical learning and personal accountability 
• Return consistent results 
• Deliver overall success and ROI 

Informal mentoring programs have average success. Our advice from being involved in hundreds of mentoring programs and mentoring over 35,000 people is this: structured inclusive mentoring programs works! 

The link between mentor programs and D&I success 

Countless research bodies and thought leaders have dived into the role mentorship programs have within a successful D&I strategy.  

One of the major findings is that when positive professional relationships are formed then this can lead to an increase in a sense of belonging, which is critical to feeling included. 

For external sources check out this article from SOCAP Digital, or this one from Forbes, both of which advocate for the creation of mentoring programs to increase inclusion within organisations.  

This report from BetterUp found that: “workplace belonging leads to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% reduction in turnover risk, and a 75% decrease in employee sick days.” 

It’s clear to see that employees feeling a sense of belonging is absolutely essential to an organisation. 

How to foster a sense of belonging 

By investing in a mentoring program that has the principles of diversity and inclusion built in, you are working to foster a sense of belonging for participants. 

Our My Mentor: Courageous Career Program is an online mentoring program that enables structured career development and 1:1 mentoring or mentoring circle development as part of your corporate mentorship program – for any employee. We have found that this structured approach leads to sponsorship in over 70% of cases. 

Take the chemistry and the awkwardness of difference out of the equation and level the playing field. 

Ready to make a start? 

Is our mentoring program a right fit for your organisation?

Tell us a bit about your current D&I strategy and what you’re looking to achieve by implementing a structured inclusive mentoring program. 

Take our 2-minute questionnaire. 

I committed to having 100 virtual coffees with leaders and diversity and inclusion experts from around the world. I have been having some very interesting conversations. My question is: 

What does the pivot in diversity and inclusion start to look like post Covid-19?  

This is the second article in a series of thoughts from those conversations, my research and my hands on experience in supporting leaders to be more inclusive during lockdown.  Find the first article here – it focuses on advocacy for inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

In times of crisis and after, this conscious commitment to harnessing the potential of diversity and inclusion becomes more important than ever. In times of extreme stress, the standard human reaction is to shut down and close off, not open up. Hence our workplace wellbeing will be affected.

If leaders are to cultivate diversity and inclusion solutions within their organisations, they need to be even more wary than usual of contracted, isolating thinking – in themselves and in their teams. 

One of the strongest messages to emerge from social distancing and isolation is that humans are at their very best when they’re connected and engaged with each other. Diversity and inclusion are the ingredients of deep and meaningful interactions. 

This is not fluffy stuff.

The business outcomes of a diverse and inclusive workplace culture go beyond feeling good about ourselves. What we’re talking about is greater competitiveness, better results, and ultimately delivering key business objectives, time and time again. 

The impact of a crisis impacts workplace wellbeing differently for different groups of people

For example, the 2008 recession was more immediately felt by men in terms of job losses. Yet the prolonged cuts to public spending meant lower wages for the female dominated public sector. A reduction in policies and financial support, such as childcare for working mothers, was also felt.

Past pandemics, such as Ebola and Zika also show different impacts for different demographics. The hardest hit often being women, who tend to care for the sick so are at a greater risk to themselves. Another hardest hit were lower income households who have worse living conditions and reduced access to medical care. 

Recognising that although ‘we are all in this together’, we are not experiencing it in the same way. This is the first step in helping leaders create inclusive workplace cultures which are conscious of the crisis impact on different employee groups. 

Behaviours that marginalise employees can go even more unnoticed when employees are working remotely. Employees can quickly feel that they are not being heard, are isolated from resources, or unable to do the same quality or amount of work while working from home.  

Workplace wellbeing needs to be brought to the table.

Inclusive mental health and workplace wellbeing support has become urgent

Leaders and managers must be more adept at spotting the signs of stress – their own and others – especially at this time of unrest. 

Everyone has mental health issues! Despite our best efforts to talk more openly about our mental health, there is still a level of stigma attached to it.

Some fear it will be perceived as a weakness, others feel it might hold them back professionally, and many believe that they will be unfairly judged as a result of disclosing information about their mental health.

If the current situation has taught us anything, it’s that none of us are completely safe from the stress and anxiety that a global pandemic brings. Whether you’re concerned about loved ones, worried about navigating an ever-changing situation, or trying to stay safe as a vulnerable person. 

Many are finding themselves in unimaginable circumstances, experiencing loneliness as a result of social distancing, being impacted by redundancies, or facing significant income challenges for those who are self-employed.

Fortunately, there are many helpful wellbeing resources and tips available during these difficult times and practising self-care is now more important than ever.  

Taking the lessons of Covid forward to our ‘new normal’

Due to global lockdowns, organisations have had no choice but to rapidly adapt their business model, investing in technology to support remote working, connectivity with their customers and employees.

With broad recognition that jobs can be performed just as efficiently outside a nine hour regular office timetable, we have an opportunity to transform our global working culture, utilising the flexible and remote working structures many of us now have in place. By doing this, not only can we step up progress in diversity and inclusion solutions, building a more creative workforce that can weather the storm, we can also create a better life-work balance. 

Because of our inability to truly embrace flexibility, organisations have missed out on employee productivity and attracting top talent by shutting out large groups of people. Particularly women who are more likely to work part-time because they still shoulder most of the domestic and caring duties in the family.

Similarly, people with disabilities and those suffering from or recovering from physical and mental illness represent a largely untapped talent pool that could greatly benefit from flexible and remote working opportunities. 

Flexible work and working from home have long been seen as either necessary or desired by women who often shoulder the disproportionate burden of family care.

Working from home, once a luxury for some, is now a necessity

Historically, the women (and men) who did flexible work or working from home were often perceived as less committed to their careers. Will this gender-biased assumption now be put to rest when everyone, from the CEO to the administrative assistant, is working from home? 

What will responsibility look like at home as some people are laid off and others working from home long past the eight-hour workday?

Most people don’t have a home office elegantly framing themselves for a video call, with books and fine art as a halo around them. But we can glimpse into their lives and see that men have generally always played a smaller role in childcare and family obligations.

Do stay-at-home dads or male partners learn what their significant other juggles daily? Can there be a long-lasting shift that delegates obligations in a more equitable way? 

Communities are actively coming together to help the most vulnerable; we have seen the advantages of working remotely and virtually – and the reductions in pollution. We can use this global shockwave to drive positive change profoundly by maintaining positive behaviours, the best agile work patterns, and new perspectives on what is possible. 

Let’s make the best of them our new habits. Our new normal!

Are you ready to elevate a new normal within your organisation?

Disrupting how diversity strategy and inclusion programs are delivered may deliver the outcomes you’re looking for. Find out if our programs are a good fit for your needs. Take our 2-minute questionnaire and we will get in touch with your next steps.

Just because YOU or someone else in the team feel included – doesn’t mean that this is how EVERYONE feels. And you may not know or even understand why someone doesn’t feel like they belong! 

Creating a sense of belonging is complicated and takes effort

But remember – the size of the prize is BIG! If you want an outstanding and exceptional high performing – you need to climb that mountain! 

According to Abraham Maslow, satisfying the need to belong is a prerequisite to developing self-esteem and confidence, which in turn is a prerequisite for self-actualization – the motive to realise one’s fullest potential.  

These higher order needs require a social context, which is why belonging supports self-esteem in Maslow’s pyramid.  

The need to belong is driven by evolutionary factors. It is a powerful, fundamental, and extremely pervasive motivation. 

Why is a sense of belonging Important?  

Throughout history the idea of belonging to a ‘tribe’ or a ‘people’ has helped us to protect and define ourselves. Beyond Blue tells us that belonging helps us feel:  

• valued, needed, and accepted by others  
• safer  
• that our beliefs are valid  
• that our efforts are worthwhile  
• comforted by being with others who share our interests and values. 

A lot of research backs up our need to belong 

BetterUp recently found: 

• Employees with a high sense of belonging take 75% fewer sick days than employees who feel excluded. These sick days equate to almost $2.5 million worth of lost productivity each year, per 10,000 workers. 

• Excluded employees have a 50% higher rate of turnover than employees who feel they belong, costing organizations about $10 million annually per 10,000 employees. 
• Employees see a 56% in job performance when they feel like they belong, resulting in a gain of $52 million per year for every 10,000 employees. 

In addition, workers’ careers benefit from belonging. Individuals who felt highly connected at work received twice as many raises and were 18 times more likely to be promoted in a six-month period than people who felt excluded. 

Finally, BetterUp conducted online simulations of exclusion in team settings and found that excluded people were 25% less productive in working toward their team’s goals. 

Additionally, in this article from HBR, they found that more than 40% of people feel emotionally and physically isolated at work, a finding that transcends gender, age and ethnicity.   

Create allies at work to increase a sense of belonging

A powerful preventative solution BetterUp found through their simulations was the addition of an ally to the team, defined as “someone who acknowledges and includes you.”  

With an ally in place, active exclusion by others had no impact on the person being left out, counteracting the 25% productivity loss seen in excluded people who had no ally. 

Our program my mentor: Courageous Career is designed to create just that. It enables you to create structured inclusive mentoring.  

This program is designed to take the chemistry and the awkwardness of difference out of the equation and level the playing field. For organisations who want team members to retain their differences and bring that voice to the table THEIR way.  

Interested in elevating diversity and inclusion within your organisation?

Our inclusion solutions have won awards. Are they a best fit for the unique needs of your organisation? Take our questionnaire to find out.