What is Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace?

The conversation about making every employee feel safe and supported at work is always ongoing. In recent years, many businesses have recognized that making diversity and inclusion a central part of their operations is not just a trend but a fundamental aspect of success. We often see large global corporations leading the way with comprehensive policies. These policies help them build a happy and healthy workforce, operate effectively on an international scale, and attract top talent from every background imaginable.

However, small and medium-sized companies have a significant part to play in championing fairness and equality in the office. Putting people first is simply the right thing to do. Beyond that, a strong diversity and inclusion policy can help your company become more creative, adaptable, and competitive in a crowded market. This article will explore what diversity and inclusion mean, their benefits, and how you can foster a more inclusive environment for your team.

What does diversity and inclusion in the workplace really mean?

The phrase “diversity and inclusion” refers to two connected ideas. First, it describes the composition of your workforce. Second, it refers to the policies and actions you use to remove barriers and make sure every employee has the same access to opportunities and support within your company.

The main objective is to establish fairness and equity for everyone, no matter their gender, ethnicity, nationality, age, sexual orientation, disability, or other personal characteristics. It is important to see diversity and inclusion as a continuous process rather than a final destination. With a well-thought-out policy, a company can make better hiring decisions. It can also cultivate a healthier workplace where employees feel their contributions are valued and their voices are heard. A truly inclusive workplace is one where people feel they can be their authentic selves without fear of judgment or discrimination.

Diversity and inclusion are not the same thing

Although the terms are often used together, it is helpful to understand the difference between diversity and inclusion.

Diversity describes all the ways we are different from one another. A diverse workplace is made up of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. This variety should exist at every level of the business, from interns and entry-level staff all the way up to the leadership team and the boardroom. It is about the mix of people you have. It considers factors like culture, religion, sex, gender, education, family status, and socioeconomic background.

However, having a diverse team does not automatically mean your workplace is inclusive. Inclusion is about how people feel at work. It describes the power employees have to influence decisions and contribute meaningfully. An inclusive company works to ensure that every single employee can participate fully in the organization. In simple terms, workers should feel that their opinions matter and that they have the same chance to succeed as their colleagues. You can think of it this way, diversity is being invited to the party, while inclusion is being asked to dance.

We also need to talk about equity

To complete the picture, we must also introduce the concept of equity. Equity is the principle of considering people’s unique circumstances and ensuring they have access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve fair outcomes. It is about removing the specific barriers that different groups face.

This is different from equality, which is the principle of treating everyone in the same way. Equality provides everyone with the same resources, but this approach does not always lead to fairness because it ignores that people start from different places. For example, giving everyone the same bicycle is equality. But giving a very tall person a larger bicycle and a shorter person a smaller bicycle so they can both ride comfortably is equity. Equity aims to level the playing field by addressing historical and current injustices.

We should also consider intersectionality. This idea recognizes that we all have multiple overlapping identities, such as race, gender, and class. These identities intersect and can create unique experiences of discrimination or privilege. A good diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative acknowledges these complexities.

A diverse workplace brings many advantages to a business

Building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace goes beyond social responsibility. It brings tangible benefits that can strengthen your business from the inside out. When you commit to these principles, you unlock potential that homogeneous teams often miss.

You will gain fresh points of view

A team composed of people from many different backgrounds naturally has a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and ideas. This variety is a powerful asset for problem-solving. When faced with a challenge, a diverse team can approach it from multiple angles, leading to more creative and effective solutions across every department, from marketing to product development. This cognitive diversity prevents groupthink and pushes the boundaries of innovation.

You can understand your customers better

When your workforce mirrors the diversity of your customer base, your company gains a deeper understanding of their needs and desires. Employees can draw on their own life experiences and cultural backgrounds to provide insights that might otherwise be overlooked. By hiring thoughtfully from a broad talent pool and retaining a diverse team, your business can connect with and serve a much wider audience, ultimately expanding your market reach.

Your team will make better decisions

With a greater variety of perspectives and an environment that encourages open communication, companies experience improved decision-making. Research from various business studies has shown that diverse teams consistently outperform individual decision-makers and homogeneous teams. Inclusive decision-making processes that consider multiple viewpoints help to reduce biases and identify potential blind spots, leading to more thorough analysis and better outcomes for everything from daily operations to long-term strategic planning.

You will attract more qualified people

A well-structured diversity and inclusion policy does more than just open the recruitment process to all potential employees. It actively seeks out and encourages applicants from underrepresented groups who might be less visible in their industry. This widens your applicant pool, giving you access to more qualified hires. Furthermore, when your company builds a reputation for hiring diversely and fostering an inclusive culture, it becomes a magnet for top talent. The best and most qualified candidates will want to work for you.

You can increase employee engagement and retention

When employees feel valued, respected, and included, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work. An inclusive environment fosters a sense of belonging, which is a strong driver of job satisfaction and loyalty. High engagement leads to higher productivity and lower turnover rates, saving the company significant costs associated with recruitment and training new staff.

Here are ways you can promote diversity and inclusion

Creating a genuinely diverse and inclusive workplace requires a deliberate and ongoing effort. It should be woven into the fabric of your organization’s culture, policies, and daily practices. Here are several actionable steps your company can take.

Choose leaders who champion these values

Leadership sets the tone for the entire organization. When hiring for management roles or promoting from within, consider a candidate’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. By elevating employees who actively promote these values, you can improve equity among staff and create a self-sustaining cycle of fairness. Inclusive leaders model the right behaviors and encourage a psychologically safe work environment for everyone.

Communicate with inclusive language

The language we use in our internal and external communications matters. Small changes, such as avoiding gendered language in emails and job descriptions, can have a big impact on making people feel included. Diversity training can help improve communication at all levels, from team interactions to customer conversations.

Support employees who have specific needs

Equity involves more than just ensuring equal treatment. It also means actively supporting employees who have particular needs. While laws require reasonable adjustments for workers with disabilities, this should be seen as a starting point, not the final goal. Have open conversations with employees about their individual needs and make changes to meet or even exceed them. This could involve offering flexible work arrangements, providing specific assistive technologies, or considering different body types when designing a personal protective equipment program.

Create a clear and fair recruiting plan

Recruitment is the primary driver of diversity in your workplace. To reach the most varied pool of potential applicants, your plan should consider every part of the process. Think about where you advertise your job vacancies to reach different communities. Consider how accessible your application and interview process is for people with disabilities. Practices like blind recruitment, where identifying details like names and gender are removed from resumes during initial screening, can help reduce unconscious bias.

Ensure everyone has equal access to opportunities

Be mindful of unconscious bias when evaluating employees for promotions, special projects, and training opportunities. Even managers with the best intentions can be influenced by hidden biases. Formal bias training can help leaders recognize and challenge their assumptions. Implementing transparent and structured processes for career advancement helps ensure that decisions are based on merit and not on subjective or discriminatory factors.

Educate your entire team about diversity

Education is a foundational part of fostering a sense of inclusion and fairness. Your company should be transparent about its diversity goals and regularly update employees on the progress being made. Help everyone understand why a diverse workplace is valuable. This might involve starting conversations about topics like the gender pay gap or offering training courses to bridge skill gaps and create more opportunities for underrepresented employees.

Conduct a needs assessment to find gaps

To know where you are going, you first need to understand where you are. Conduct a needs assessment to analyze your company’s current state. Look at data related to roles, gender representation, responsibilities, salaries, and participation levels across different departments and seniority levels. This will help you identify existing gaps and set meaningful objectives.

A lack of inclusion can become a safety issue

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just human resources topics. They are directly connected to workplace safety. An organization’s culture affects its workers as much as the physical tasks they perform. When a workplace lacks inclusion, it can create an environment where workers do not feel safe to be themselves or to speak up.

A culture that values diversity, ensures equity, and fosters inclusion contributes to a psychologically safe environment. In such a place, workers feel respected, valued, and secure without fearing negative consequences to their career, status, or self-image. This feeling of safety is a powerful thing. A psychologically safe and healthy workplace sees fewer incidents of harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

When workers feel safe to contribute, ask questions, and seek clarification without fear of being embarrassed or punished, they are more likely to participate fully in creating a safer workplace for everyone. They will feel more comfortable identifying and reporting workplace hazards and risks, which allows the company to address issues before they lead to accidents or injuries.

These companies show how diversity and inclusion works in practice

Many companies around the world are making significant strides in promoting diversity and inclusion. Their initiatives offer great examples of what is possible.

Mastercard

The global financial services company is frequently recognized for its diversity and inclusion programs. Beyond sponsoring mentorship programs in science and technology for girls, the company provides a wide range of employee benefits. These include coverage for gender-affirming surgery, fertility treatments, and adoption assistance, showing a commitment to supporting employees through different life stages and personal journeys.

L’Oréal

The cosmetics giant consistently performs well in corporate equality assessments. This is thanks to a diversity and inclusion strategy that spans the 130 countries where it operates. Women make up 69 percent of its global workforce. The company also offers multicultural mentorship courses and on-the-ground job training for young people in some of the world’s most economically challenged nations.

Invitae

This San Francisco-based biotech research organization is dedicated to making genetic information more affordable. In 2020, the company launched a series of diversity and inclusion initiatives built around seven employee resource groups. These groups include Women in Tech, Pride, and Black Genetics. They host regular community discussions where employees can talk openly and informally about issues that affect them.

Build your inclusive team at The Sentry

Creating a workplace that truly values diversity, equity, and inclusion is a journey. It requires commitment, education, and the right environment to thrive. As we have seen, the benefits are immense, leading to more innovation, better decisions, and a stronger, more engaged team. The physical space where your team works plays a large part in shaping this culture.

At The Sentry, we provide more than just a place to work. We offer a vibrant and professional community in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City where diverse professionals, freelancers, and companies from countless industries connect, collaborate, and grow alongside one another. Our flexible coworking spaces are designed to accommodate the unique needs of modern teams, fostering an atmosphere of openness and innovation.

By choosing The Sentry, you place your team in an environment that naturally encourages the exchange of different ideas and perspectives. You give them a professional, beautifully designed space where they can feel proud to work and be their authentic selves. Join a community that values every individual and supports the growth of dynamic, forward-thinking businesses.

See how The Sentry can be the perfect home for your diverse and inclusive team. Book a tour with us today.