How to promote diversity and inclusion in your organisation.

Diversity matters.

In 2023, it’s time to start building diverse and dynamic teams.  Diversity is good for business, driving greater innovation with the potential to boost profits by as much as 35%. Not only this, but a diverse workforce will foster inclusion at your organisation, building a work culture where your people feel valued.

Positive work culture relies on people who feel valued and included in the workplace.

When diversity and inclusion are part of your employer brand, you’ll not only attract a wider talent pool but people will be highly engaged with your organisation, even before they apply.

What makes an inclusive workplace?

Inclusive teams provide an environment where all employees feel welcome, accepted and valued for their contributions. But that’s not all.

Inclusion and diversity go hand in hand. An inclusive culture that welcomes and values all people will attract more diverse talent. To achieve this, you’ll need a real, actionable inclusion policy that allows for regular reflection and analysis. 

No workplace should be homogenous – not anymore. 

Work is for everyone, and your team should reflect the diversity of the world around you. 

When you build an inclusive and diverse organisation, you make space for people from all backgrounds to be a part of your mission and to enjoy equitable opportunities that support their growth. 

Why diversity matters

According to the ABS, in 2022, 51% of the Australian workforce was female. 

11% were neurodivergent, and 9% identified as having a disability. 

10% were part of the LGBTQI+ community.

2% were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

Diversity is part of being human. People are diverse, so teams should be too. By making inclusion a priority at your organisation, you’ll be a leader in the always changing world of work..

All people have the right to fair pay and equitable employment, regardless of religion, race, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.

Diversity matters from a social justice point of view, but it matters for you as an employer too. When you work with diverse talent, you can benefit from new and innovative perspectives that help your organisation achieve great things.

Promoting diversity and inclusion at your organisation

Ensuring diversity and inclusion at your organisation doesn’t have to be a challenge. Keep these actionable steps in mind.

Let go of unconscious bias

When you’re hiring, unconscious bias could stand in the way of building a diverse team. In fact, 48% of hiring managers agree that bias affects their recruitment decision-making.

Unconscious bias is an implicit process that works to reinforce stereotypes. It is closely linked to affinity bias, which makes people more likely to gravitate towards people who share their own characteristics. Studies show that this can make you more likely to hire someone who is similar to yourself, citing a good culture fit. 

Have you ever favoured one potential employee over another without knowing why? This could be a result of unconscious bias. The solution is to become aware of your biases and address them before they take control of your decisions.

Prioritise accessibility 

“It’s really discouraging as a person living with a disability when it’s day one and you can’t even fill out your onboarding form.” – Scott Hollier, CEO and Co-founder, Centre for Accessibility Australia.

Inclusion starts long before you welcome a new team member to your organisation and should be a fundamental component of your talent strategy.

When you set out to attract new talent to your team, make sure your recruitment content is accessible for everyone. From rethinking the language you use to updating your careers page for screen reader compatibility, there are plenty of things you can do to make your organisation as welcoming and inclusive as possible.

Promote personalisation 

The people who apply to join your organisation are individuals. Treating them as such can make a big difference to the way you include everyone as a valued part of your organisation.

According to the latest REBA global report, by 2024, almost 85% of employers will be focused on personalisation. Understanding diverse needs and encouraging people to customise various aspects of work will be critical to attracting and retaining great talent and supporting wellbeing at work. 

By understanding what benefits matter most to your employees, you can help your people feel their best and deliver great work results. 

For some employees, you might need to offer extra flexibility to accommodate family life. For others, you may need to respect religious days off or provide accessibility supports or assistive devices.  

Listen to employee voices

Your organisation’s inclusion landscape is a living and breathing concept, which means there will always be room to grow and improve your approach. 

Employees are at the heart of any organisation. If you want to prioritise diversity and inclusion in your team, employee voices are your most valuable learning resource.

Look beyond basic employee satisfaction surveys, and listen to your team to get real insight into the employee experience your organisation provides. 

Talk to your team about the way you include people from different personal backgrounds, and ask what you can do to make work a psychologically safer, more inclusive space for everyone. 

And next time you need a new employee? Don’t be afraid to set bias aside and seek an opportunity to diversify your team. 

Get employer brand help

Need support understanding how people experience your organisation? Want to understand your value to employees? The Heart team can help you understand and embrace the diverse needs of your team - and leverage these insights for your talent attraction.