8 Steps to Making Your Office More Inclusive

Despite the appearance of great advances in equality, discrimination in the workplace is still a global phenomenon. More than a million employment discrimination complaints have been filed in the US alone since 2010. And in 82% of these cases, the complainant received no form of relief, such as financial compensation or a significant change in work conditions.

An employee could be subject to workplace discrimination due to race, gender, sexuality, pregnancy, disability, age, or many other factors. It can manifest itself directly in the form of abusive comments and inappropriate jokes, but the effects can also be more subtle and harder to prove. Indirect discrimination is where the subject may face inequalities in pay compared to other employees or have a harder time progressing in their career. Many workplaces, with certain industries being the main offenders, are seen as boys clubs, where women struggle to have their voices heard in predominantly male environments. Others may provide working conditions and schedules that unintentionally disadvantage people, such as working parents, pregnant women, or those with disabilities. 

There is still a long way to go to make things right, and employers have an obligation to strive for the wellbeing of all their employees. Companies need to work harder to create more inclusive work environments where all staff are treated equally and have the same opportunities. Some inequalities are systemic and societal, but the more individuals that take action to prevent discrimination, the closer we will get to a solution.

Inclusivity is not only important for ethical reasons. It will also benefit your business in many ways. A diverse workplace will be more efficient and effective, bringing in a range of different perspectives and views. It will allow your company to be more productive and will help you achieve your business goals. An ethos of inclusivity will also help you attract the best talent when it comes to recruitment, and create a positive atmosphere in the office where everyone feels wanted and welcomed.

As an employer, there are several things you can do to create a more inclusive workplace. Here are a few steps you can take to make a difference.

Build awareness

Inclusivity starts by making people aware. In some cases, discrimination doesn't happen maliciously. It can occur because people simply aren't aware of the issues involved or neglect to take other people's needs into account. Employees and workers alike should be empowered to be more inclusive, which will create a more equal workplace culture as a result. Investing in diversity training is an excellent way to get all staff on the same page and make them aware of ways they might be contributing to the problem. The training should focus on things like unconscious bias, in which individuals make judgments about people based on race, gender, or other factors without realizing it. It should also bring to light examples of how to behave in a more inclusive way, such as active listening and encouraging different points of view.
 

Make your office accessible

When you hear the word accessibility, most people probably think of a wheelchair ramp, but there is much more to it than that. Many disabilities are not obvious, and there may be several ways the design of your office is working against the needs of certain employees. Things like the height of desks and plug sockets, the distance between the car park and the office, and even the working hours are things that you probably take for granted but would cause difficulties for certain workers. Even if no one in your company at present has a disability to your knowledge, it is still important to ensure your workplace is accessible for the benefit of any future employees or visitors to the company with special needs. Your office's lack of accessibility might even be putting off some applicants without your knowledge. 

Easy access into the building is a crucial factor. Consider offering a priority parking space close to the building, which can also be used if any of your staff are pregnant or have injured themselves. Allow for ease of entry with an automatic door and a ramp, as well as easy-to-read signs with braille to help visitors find their way around the building. There is so much more you can do to make your office more accessible, and every feature from chairs and desks to toilets and computers should be factored in.

Stock bathrooms with sanitary products

If there's room for free tea and coffee in the office budget, then there is room for the far more essential addition of tampons and pads. This is an incredibly simple step towards inclusivity but one that will have an enormous benefit for several people in your office. After all, menstruation is a natural bodily function that is unavoidable. No employer would expect its workers to bring in their own toilet paper, so feminine hygiene products are the logical next step.

Start a suggestion box

No one is perfect. No matter how hard you try to make your office more inclusive, there will be needs that you don't think to account for. This is why it's essential to get feedback from people in the office to ensure your workplace caters to everyone's specific requirements. People could feel awkward about bringing up certain topics to their employer, so the best way to achieve this goal is to introduce a suggestion box in which people can anonymously offer solutions to make their work environment more inclusive. By implementing at least some of their suggestions, your staff will feel appreciated and valued.

Celebrate different holidays

Most offices go all out for Christmas and maybe stick up the odd pumpkin for Halloween, but that's usually the extent of their holiday celebrations. Show a commitment to inclusivity by making an effort to celebrate a more diverse range of holidays. Perhaps you could allow days off for those employees who observe certain religious holidays and expand your events calendar to include more special days that focus on other cultures and minorities around the world. Pride Month, Black History Month, and International Women's Day are all excellent places to start. Plus, it has the added benefit of more parties!

Modify the workday

The nine to five work week has been standard for decades, but that doesn't mean it should be the way things are. For certain people, this rigid structure provides many challenges in their personal life. Parents of young children or people with medical needs are notable examples. More and more companies are incorporating a higher level of flexibility into their working structure, allowing staff to modify their hours or work from home. Allowing your team to have a better work-life balance will improve their happiness and productivity and will greatly benefit those staff who specifically need more freedom in their schedule.

Use inclusive language

As an employer, you will need to lead by example. Some of the things you say might not seem a big deal to you but could have profound effects on another person. For example, assuming the gender of someone's partner or not using someone's preferred pronoun. Virgin has recently led the way in this area by including an optional pronoun field in its email signatures for employees to communicate whether they prefer to be referred to as "he," "she," "they," or another word. Be careful not to use terms others may find insensitive. People make mistakes all the time, but it's important to show that you are trying to learn and won't repeat the error.

Make social events more inclusive

Company social events are a fantastic way to build a sense of community and show staff they are valued. It allows them to have fun and wind down from stressful deadlines and meetings. But you need to take care in the events you organize. Going out for drinks every Friday night won't cut it. Some employees may not feel comfortable participating in work social activities due to personal commitments or discomfort about the nature of the event itself. They may worry that not being involved could make them feel excluded or even hinder their career advancements. 

You want everyone in your company to feel like they can enjoy a social event, and the best way to do this is to get feedback. Many people don't drink for personal or religious reasons, so a night on the town isn't the most inclusive option. Schedule events at various locations, days, and times to allow those with young children or other obligations to attend. Spontaneous excursions to the pub don't work for everyone, so make sure you schedule after-hours events with plenty of notice.

This is only a small selection of some of the ways employers can make their offices more inclusive. Other methods would be to offer childcare support, transport assistance, and safe spaces within the office. Inclusivity is not something that is ever complete, but it is something you can work towards and strive to be better at. The most important thing is to get feedback from all staff to make sure everyone feels included.