Did you know inclusive companies have 2.3x higher cash flow and are 3.8x better able to improve employee performance? Diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords—they are critical for business success. Employees thrive and succeed in work environments where they feel engaged, empowered, accepted, and valued. 

At Queen City Certified (Ellequate)’s inaugural “Elevating Equity” event, Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson—WSJ best-selling author of Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams—shared how diverse and inclusive workplaces can unleash innovative ideas, leading to powerful results. Professionals from around the world tuned in for practical strategies to become more inclusive leaders and build better performing teams.

Dr. Johnson asked the audience why someone might not feel included. After all, even well-intentioned leaders have blind spots that can unintentionally undermine the success of their teams. So how can we create a greater sense of belonging in the workplace?

Dr. Johnson Says “Inclusify”

“Inclusifying”—unlike simply diversifying—implies a continuous, sustained effort towards creating a workplace where employees are both recognized for their uniqueness and feel like they belong. According to Dr. Johnson, “It’s no use having diversity if everyone feels like an outsider.” 

Here are 3 tips for “inclusifying” your workplace: 

1. Improve the way you run meetings.
Design and facilitate meetings so that people know their opinions and ideas matter and are valued. Every individual has a unique perspective and develops ideas in different ways. Consider providing an agenda before each meeting, giving team members plenty of time to jot down their ideas in advance—this can be especially helpful for introverted employees. Regularly communicating that different perspectives will help build innovative ideas will create a safe space for people with dissenting opinions to speak up. As an inclusive leader, you can reward dissenting positions, curate team discussions, and even assign a devil’s advocate to each meeting to build a better library of ideas. 

2. Build a mentorship program.
A mentorship program that pairs senior leaders with junior employees unlike them is a great way to help people feel engaged and create a sense of belonging. Dr. Johnson’s Inclusify points to research proving that not only are mentees 6x more likely to be promoted, but mentors are 5x more likely to be promoted as well. Mentorship and sponsorship programs can have a profound impact on the success of underrepresented groups, increase company performance, and mitigate inequity. If organizations structure their mentorship program to be mutually beneficial, people at all levels of the organization will be more likely to approach projects with humility and a willingness to learn.

3. Find the time to recognize performance.
Does your company have a performance recognition program or a way to celebrate an employee’s success and achievements? Research shows that employee recognition can help reduce turnover and increase engagement. Here are a few ways an inclusive leader can recognize their employees:

• Distribute both promotable and non-promotable tasks to everyone on the team evenly

• Seek out those who are struggling and find ways to engage them in dialogue and professional development—celebrate milestones!

• Invite those with unique perspectives, especially underrepresented employees, to the decision-making table

Diverse Backgrounds Offer Diverse Ideas

How can your organization unleash its greatest potential? At Queen City Certified, we believe that building a diverse organization doesn’t end at the hiring process—inclusion and equity have to be built into the systems we work in. It was an honor to have Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson as the first guest in our “Elevating Equity” series. We can’t wait to see you at our next event! Until then, let’s continue to move forward together.

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