Want to advocate inclusivity in the workplace? Here are 8 strategies to get you started

Now more than ever, inclusion in the workplace is a top priority for not only employers but also prospective candidates—about 80% cite inclusion as an important factor in choosing an employer. Creating a more inclusive work culture fosters a sense of belonging, enhances productivity and boosts innovation by offering different perspectives coming from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

“As we prepare for the next wave in the workforce, which will still be representative of a multi-generational talent pool, people are looking for ways they can demonstrate their talents beyond their job descriptions, not just show employers how well they can work. Fostering a sense of belonging where associates feel connected to the business creates an inclusive culture of high performers,” said Ashley Goodwin, Ph.D., Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) expert and lead advisor of DEI at Ingram Micro.

Here are eight strategies to get you started:

Be introspective and evaluate: Start by evaluating your organization’s current diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Dr. Goodwin recommends using a metaphorical measuring cup approach—separate and analyze diversity (D), equity (E) and inclusion (I) aspects and identify the areas where your cup is close to full and areas that need improvement. This strategy will help you determine your company’s needs, and high-performance areas, and inform the types of resources and engagement that can be strengthened.

Establish employee resource groups (ERGs): ERGs can help communities of different social worlds come together within your organization and provide a platform for employees to demonstrate advocacy and allyship, share lived experiences, create awareness, offer support and help shape a more inclusive workplace. It is important to align ERGs with employee expectations and needs, in addition to corporate expectations to create spaces where you can learn and grow both personally and professionally.

Forge collaboration: Get involved with external organizations and community groups to enhance exposure to your local community. Corporate volunteer events, team building and donation events provide a great opportunity for your workplace to branch out to its local community and attract talent and partnerships.

Implement education and training programs: From basic diversity exercises to more specialized and specific training, these provide an open and honest space for more awareness and support for coworkers, which strengthens company work culture. Incorporate industry books and DEI research to help support and build out innovative training to keep associates engaged and invested in your initiatives.

Use a goal-oriented approach: Dr. Goodwin offers three metaphorical ingredients for an ideal DEI workspace—humanity, authenticity and awareness—along with creating measurable 30-60-90-day goals that focus on these aspects.

“For example: Ask yourself ‘What initiatives can I build off the subject of humanity in 30 days? Or humanity in 60 days?’ Get creative! For example, utilize DEI ambassadors to have inclusive 15-minute conversations and measure the outcomes,” said Dr. Goodwin.

Use inclusive communication: Using your company’s shared language and incorporating more inclusive terms will help establish a stronger sense of inclusivity. Dr. Goodwin encourages companies to use social media hashtags, include wording or links in email signatures, message recordings and building signage or incorporate representation at their desk.

“I call them inclusive community agreements or standards where you're able to illustrate inclusion and belonging,” said Dr. Goodwin. “How do you set the tone early to show visibility?”

Ask the right questions: Dr. Goodwin encourages leaders to get to know employees by starting a conversation, which can be as simple as “hello,” to create a more approachable and welcoming atmosphere where employees feel seen, heard and valued. In addition, people leaders should provide spaces for different personality types and thinking styles by asking innovative questions beyond the skills that align with their job description. In this, people leaders may just discover a new skill an associate has that can contribute to a different project.

“If you ask the right questions, they’ll give the right answers all the time and that will help you move in the right direction together,” said Dr. Goodwin.

Recognize the difference between imposter syndrome and imposter treatment: Dr. Goodwin explains that imposter treatment, a new term that describes instances when your skills are constantly questioned, often precedes and leads to imposter syndrome and a decrease in belonging. There is a subtle distinction between both concepts but both can be attributed to the atmosphere and the associate's connection to the business. As leaders, it is important to maintain a positive mindset by welcoming an environment of different skill sets and celebrating both the small and big wins.

“If someone feels like their skills are not valued, unsupported or have been challenged more than being championed this can lead to imposter syndrome which in some cases can lead to a decrease in performance or stagnancy,” said Dr. Goodwin. “The goal is to encourage associates to be their authentic selves which helps them be their best selves. When employees feel their best, they perform at their best. It isn’t just one person's job, we all have a social responsibility to nurture environments of belonging.”

Learn how Ingram Micro supports inclusion

Jackie Connor is a writer with more than 15 years of experience contributing to news publications and marketing teams. Since joining Ingram Micro in 2022, she covers technology services, financial solutions, ESG and DEI.

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