10 Ways Employees can Support Diversity and Inclusion

Thank
you, Ms. Robin Pedrelli, for your Guest Blog. Unfortunately it does not mention
“disability” or the “disabled” as a component of the
D&I spectrum. And, mention of disability at the web
site as accessed today (October 27, 2014) for your company VisionSpring, Inc.
was limited to its
online calendar for “FEBRUARY 2013 – CULTURAL COMPETENCE,” viz.,
Articles/White Papers on “Including People with Disabilities in D&I
Efforts,” plus Research on “Costs and Benefits of Workers with
Disabilities” and “Effective Strategies to Recruit and Retain Employees
with Disabilities.” To integrate disability, especially mental
disability, into your article, perhaps your approach #10 would be where to
start, such as with communicating with and educating those who initially are
unwilling to work with the disabled or with certain categories of the disabled,
with disability being understood, for example, in terms of U.S. statutory laws
like the ADA of 1990 and the ADAAA of 2008, plus the corresponding provisions in the CFR.

Treat people in a way they wish to be treated rather than the way you wish to be treated. Common social activities and practices that are comfortable for you may not be comfortable for everyone. Do not tell offensive jokes that may alienate those who are different from you — even if they are not present at the time. Most importantly, be respectful always. Diversity exists everywhere — not just in the office. Take these diversity principles into your community and your home.

If we couldn’t measure the impact of our diversity and inclusion efforts and programs, it would be a hard sell among company executives.

Diversity has always been an issue for some people especially in the workplace. It does not seem like people welcome different culture into their lives because it is different from theirs. As someone who loves to learn about new cultures and loves to indulge in new atmospheres, it is easy and exciting to meet new people who are different from myself. I think the ways you have addressed would help so much if that instance came along, however, including diversity in a business' agenda is not always the case.

The difference between inherent diversity and acquired diversity is something I’ve never thought of, but when you consider the differences between different generations, for example, it makes sense. Thanks for sharing this.

When closing out a team call or meeting, if the audience isn’t too large, ask how people plan to celebrate the holiday. Use your company’s intranet to help employees be aware of and keep track of multicultural religious or holiday celebrations. Be respectful of these days when scheduling meetings, and understand that employees may have different needs and require flexibility.

You know what? This is more common than we think, I work in construction in Canberra and we got lot of these happening in a daily basis, take for example a friend, George unsuccessfully applies for a position with a construction company. When he telephones the company’s personnel manager to ask why he did not get the position, George is told: ‘We’ve employed people from your country before. You lot simply don’t share our work ethic’.

Li-Huei unsuccessfully applies for a job as a receptionist with a large hotel. When she calls the human resources manager to ask why she did not get the job, she is told that the manager doesn’t want to employ a receptionist with an accent. Nobody knows George and Li, since they didn't make any report or share their stories, but yes it is there, happening.

Some companies struggle to understand what D&I is or it’s potential value.

Others understand the subject but haven’t yet implemented or updated relevant policies.

Spurred by a growing social consciousness, businesses are slowing making a more concerted effort to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Great article Robin, the workplace should be a great place.

Diversity and inclusion are nightmares for new employees. This article is such a big help, that there exist a community to help.

Glad that there are employers that have concerns with their employees. Adjustment is not easy. It takes time.

One of the best tactics, albeit a pretty expensive one, is to set up a trip and travel abroad to a diverse culture. Travel expands the minds and emersing yourself in a new culture and opens you up to so many experiences.

Research shows that even just the presence of physical diversity results in better performance and for companies that are data-driven, that extra performance boost can be extremely motivating,” Clark says. “It’s also the fact that companies that lack diversity are being called out publicly, and may even be losing business, not to mention falling behind when it comes to recruiting. Even Google is starting to show signs that their lack of diversity is affecting them.

Awesome post!

In our company we have often found that diversity is exactly what creates progress. In a sales driven world we have to understand that not all people think the same way we do. In our own mind our ideas are best when what truly matters is what the customer thinks. Having diversity in the work place is what gives us that perspective and allows us to be the best employer and business we can be.

It is important to strive to treat all individuals with mutual respect. Of course, this can be easier said than done, but through our service visiting customers' homes, we always do our very best to provide high quality care to each person, despite any background differences.

The last thing a business owner wants to deal with is being accused of not having a diverse enough business. Be inclusive of all people and you'll have a successful business

The last thing a business owner wants to deal with is being accused of not having a diverse enough business. Be inclusive of all people and you'll have a successful business and thanks