DILT is about more than rules, programs, and employee numbers. It means treating employees properly and valuing their unique needs, opinions, and abilities. This improves employee trust and loyalty, and thus the workplace’s ability to outperform competitors.
What distinguishes diversity from inclusion?
Diversity and inclusion are related concepts, but not synonymous. Diversity represents various groups, whereas inclusion includes them in an equal community.
Equality and Affiliation
In the workplace, equality means fairness for all employees. No matter what function they play, all employees matter. Thus, all employees must have equal access to opportunities such as salary (increases), training and development, and promotion.
Affiliation explains how employees feel included, mentally comfortable, and secure enough to bring their whole selves to work. Employee retention is thus a social and human “contract” that is tougher to break than if the attachment did not exist.
Workplace Inclusion, Equality, and Belonging
Everyone feels included in a varied workplace. No matter who they are or where they are. To maintain equality and belonging, this sense must be present in all layers and projects.
Is diversity a priority in the workplace’s recruitment processes, both for particular departments and for managers? Or are 50% of employees female but there are no female managers? Is there a good representation of employees from non-Danish ethnicities, and if so, how are they distributed? Do they all work in the same department? Is there pay parity? Who usually gets promoted?
These types of questions can reveal a workplace’s diversity, inclusion, and fairness.
The importance of fostering a sense of belonging and diversity in the workplace
- Several research 1 have found several benefits, such
- Faster revenue growth
- More open to new ideas
- Recruiting a powerful talent pool
- 5.4x better retention rate
In fact, workplace inclusion is one of the most important determinants in employee retention. Because if employees do not feel valued and taken seriously at work, they will eventually look elsewhere.
So will they if they don’t feel included by processes and organisations that ensure equality. Because if that insight spreads throughout the organisation, the inclusion will not be sustainable.
No of their colour, gender, sexual orientation, or age, our workplace culture research shows that employees are:
- 9.8 times more likely to enjoy working
- work 6.3 times more likely to be proud
- 5.4 times more likely to desire long-term employment
An open and equal workplace culture not only attracts future talent with different competencies, but also helps retain current personnel.
How Do You Know if the Workplace Is Inclusive?
An inclusive workplace does not merely have a varied workforce. The most important thing is that everyone in the diverse collection of employees feels trusted and included. Symbolic politics if diversity is not accompanied by inclusive measures.
Based on our 30 years of expertise, we created an online platform to assess your workplace culture. The platform is called Emprising, and it shows you how employees’ workplace experiences vary, and thus where you must work to make your workplace more inclusive and fair.
