The intent for the Inclusion Category is for organizations to proactively develop a sustained practice of creating a welcoming, supportive environment that invites and values open participation from individuals with different backgrounds, abilities and disabilities, ideas, viewpoints, and perspectives. Inclusion is characterized by an organizational culture in which a diverse mix of employees are respected for their individual attributes, as well as an environment in which they can show up feeling comfortable and confident in being themselves and work in a way that suits and supports them. Diversity alone is not enough. Creating an inclusive culture is critical to ensuring a healthy environment for a diverse workforce to thrive. Four key characteristics work together to create and maintain an inclusive work environment: belonging, accessibility, engagement, and empowerment.
An inclusive workplace environment requires honesty, trust, open dialogue, and employee empowerment to ensure that employees at all levels feel heard and that people of all identities can thrive, find meaning in their work, and be recognized for their unique contributions. These organizations celebrate diversity by allowing differences to coexist in a mutually beneficial way and demonstrate that diversity is valued by actively ensuring everyone is included. When an organization excels at inclusion, it is better able to center and honor the perspectives, voices, values, and needs of all employees, including people who experience systemic barriers or disadvantages based on their identities or disabilities, so that they feel a sense of belonging.
Accessibility is an important aspect of an inclusive organization and requires thoughtful, intentional design of policies and practices to create environments that welcome people with a wide spectrum of abilities and disabilities. A survey conducted by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) indicates workplace accommodations are not only typically low in cost, but also positively impact the workplace in many ways including increased retention, greater morale, and improved diversity.13 Leading accessibility advocates encourage workplaces seeking to be accessible to adopt Universal Design.14-15 Universal Design (UD) is an approach that aims to create products and environments that can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of age, size, ability, or disability and without the need for adaptation.16 By considering the diverse needs and abilities of all throughout the design process, UD results in inclusive products, communications, services, and environments that meet all people’s needs.
Vibrant, successful organizations have an employee-centric culture that encourages engagement and empowerment. In these settings, employee resources and supports include information and programs that help all employees connect to colleagues and fully participate in the life of an organization.17 Other top drivers of employee engagement include both organizational factors, such as a clear understanding of how an employee fits into an organization’s future and opportunities for career growth, and management factors, such as having the resources and authority necessary to do the job well.18 Moreover, a work environment with mature workforce empowerment structures promotes employee inclusion and engagement in decision-making and fosters an awareness of and respect for employees’ rights, including the right to self-organize and unionize without fear of adverse consequences. Research shows that employees with union membership are less likely to intend to leave their jobs, yielding lower turnover and higher retention.19
Further demonstrating the connection between diversity and inclusion, organizations that have a highly inclusive culture and policies are more likely to attract and retain a diverse workforce.20 Organizations that work to create a culture of inclusion and belonging are better prepared so that when diverse employees enter the workforce, they have the necessary support to show up as their authentic selves while meaningfully contributing to the organization.21 When employees feel their organization is committed to and supportive of diversity and they feel a sense of belonging, they report better business performance in terms of ability to innovate, responsiveness to changing customer needs, and team collaboration.22 High levels of engagement promote retention of talent, foster brand ambassadorship, improve organizational performance, and reduce workplace stress and risk of burnout.23 Highly engaged employees are also more likely to report an inclusive and positive workplace culture.24
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13 Job Accommodation Network. (2024, April 5). Costs and Benefits of Accommodation. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://askjan.org/topics/costs.cfm?csSearch=2546498_1.
14 Job Accommodation Network. (n.d.). Accommodation and Compliance: Universal Design in the Workplace. Retrieved April 3, 2024, from https://askjan.org/topics/univdes.cfm.
15 Disability Inclusion. (n.d.). Universal Design. Retrieved April 3, 2024, from https://disabilityinclusion.com/universal-design/.
16 Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. (n.d.). About Universal Design. Retrieved September 26, 2023, from https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design.
17 Catsouphes, M., McNamara, T., Decker, R., Christensen, K., Bradley, Jr., S., & Nelson, K. (2022 December). The National Study of Workplace Equity. Boston College School of Social Work – Work Equity & Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/national-study-workplace-equity-report.
18 Society for Human Resource Management. (n.d.). Developing and Sustaining Employee Engagement. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/toolkits/pages/sustainingemployeeengagement.aspx.
19 Abraham, S., Friedman, B., & Thomas, R. (2005). The Impact of Union Membership on Intent to Leave: Additional Evidence on the Voice Face of Unions. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal. 17. 201-213. 10.1007/s10672-005-9049-0. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226530917_The_Impact_of_Union_Membership_on_Intent_to_Leave_Additional_Evidence_on_the_Voice_Face_of_Unions.
20 Brown, K. (2018, December 4). To Retain Employees, Focus on Inclusion–Not Just Diversity. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2018/12/to-retain-employees-focus-on-inclusion-not-just-diversity.
21 Harvard Business Review Analytic Services. (2021). Creating a Culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Real Progress Requires Sustained Commitment. Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/dei-metrics-2021.
22 Workleap. (2022, July 7). 10 Key Factors to Employee Engagement. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://workleap.com/blog/employee-engagement-guide/..
23 Workleap. (2022, September 2). 10 Benefits of Employee Engagement and Why it’s So Important. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://workleap.com/blog/employee-engagement-benefits/.
24 U.S. General Services Administration. (2022, November 9). Results of New Survey Recommends Steps to Improve Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Design and Construction Industry. Retrieved September 25, 2023, from https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/results-of-new-survey-recommends-steps-to-improve-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-design-and-construction-industry-11092022.
