The principles of any organization’s management are concentrated on achieving a dominant position in the marketplace. Companies expand their spheres of influence and examine unexplored niches, but realizing these regulations is inconceivable without the team’s support. The use of universal human values in management constitutes the connecting link that contributes to the final result (Barak, 2022). An organization consists, first and foremost, of people. Therefore, only guided by values and ensuring diversity and inclusion, it is feasible to create a harmonious environment within the company. An inclusive culture stipulates the individual is the principal matter of the company. Such a policy increases motivation, satisfaction, and hard work on the result, which leads to fulfilling the company’s management principles.
Moreover, motivated and satisfied employees are more likely to stay with the company for a long time. It means that managing diversity issues can directly impact employee retention rates. It likewise relates to recruitment because a person feels comfortable in an environment where individuality is valued. Therefore, it is evident that candidates will choose the company that offers such an opportunity. The more a person feels belonging, the more energy one invests in work, increasing the organization’s potential (Barak, 2022). Moreover, inclusive leadership is most effective, in eliminating discrimination, prejudice, and favoritism based on gender, disability, color, race, and other characteristics. It allows employees to feel valued for their contributions and achievements and encourages them to follow the head.
Promoting diversity in employment is, first and foremost, an educational process. It is essential to understand that organizations that manage diversity consciously have more predictable outcomes than letting the process run its course and expecting the employee to perform at their best under all conditions by default. Making inclusion a central part of the employee culture and experience will not happen overnight but through deliberate effort and concerned leaders must make all employees feel welcomed, respected, and trusted. While much research has been done to emphasize the business and financial returns that diversity brings, organizations will not achieve these results through representation alone (Gotsis & Grimani, 2017). Organizations that implement new diversity initiatives solely to stifle dissatisfied customers and employees may find that promises are not delivered daily. Over time, this can undermine trust, and efforts to achieve fairness will go unheeded.
To avoid this, first of all, it is worth adhering to the recommendation to take a systematic approach because inclusion is not training. At the same time, training is an excellent starting point for developing maturity in diversity issues in the workplace. For example, teaching employees the skills needed to have difficult conversations while being empathetic and staying within the law is crucial (Gotsis & Grimani, 2017). However, to reinforce behaviors, training, policies, and procedures should be examined to determine if they support or hinder an inclusive environment. Evaluating hiring and onboarding strategies is vital to ensure an inclusive approach. When integrated with organizational systems that move the business forward, inclusion moves from theory to practice, and an accountability method is developed.
Internal conversations are another recommendation that opens the floodgates to various opinions and beliefs. During this period, organizations need to acknowledge early the possibility of mistakes but also commit to learning and improving further (Shore et al., 2018). Transitioning from diversity to inclusion requires action beyond good intentions to continual improvement. Altering people’s mindsets and attitudes about inclusion requires patience, compassion, and time (Shore et al., 2018). Even with the proper messages and procedures, employees will naturally embrace change at various rates and due to different points of contact with concepts. Moreover, one of the strategies for proper training involves the willingness to share stories of committed leaders who have shown vulnerability to include others in their lives, thereby making it safe for others to do the same.
In this way, a supportive work environment enables companies to recruit and retain highly qualified employees. In this unexplored world of work, creating an inclusive environment does not mean asking employees to change their personal beliefs. Nevertheless, it does mean that they are expected to meet new standards of behavior in the workplace. Diversity is always about performance, but it wins only in the case when management values each employee and understands the need to adopt an inclusive approach.
References
Barak, M. E. M. (2022). Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage Publications. Web.
Gotsis, G., & Grimani, K. (2017). The role of spiritual leadership in fostering inclusive workplaces. Personnel Review.
Shore, L. M., Cleveland, J. N., & Sanchez, D. (2018). Inclusive workplaces: A review and model. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2), 176-189.
