10 ways to be more inclusive at work

How to create an environment where all people feel respected.

By Hansini Gunasekara, Psychology and Wellbeing Specialist at Groov.

Being inclusive is about treating all people with respect, regardless of differences. Most of us understand and value inclusivity, but because of unconscious bias, modeling inclusive behavior can be challenging.

Unconscious biases are the assumptions we make about people in our subconscious, often based on harmful stereotypes or misconceptions. We all have unconscious biases and they shape how we speak, think, and behave.

Being truly inclusive involves challenging your own unconscious biases (thoughts, assumptions, and behaviors) and committing to communicating differently. Here are some tips to help you be more inclusive within the workplace.

1. Learn people’s names

Names are an important part of people's identities. Learning people’s names and pronouncing them correctly is a simple step and it makes people feel respected.

If you’re not sure, ask clarifying questions like “how do I pronounce your name?”, “am I saying it right?” or “what’s your preferred name?” The best thing to do when you’re not sure is to ask questions. It shows that you care.

Ask similar clarifying questions about people’s preferred gender pronoun and title. Be curious and show an interest in diverse identities and preferences.

2. Avoid assumptions and leading questions

Avoid making assumptions regarding people’s identity, ethnicity, behaviors, or beliefs. For example, avoid asking leading questions like “are you from [specific country]?” or “which part of [specific country] are you from?” when you meet someone new.

Instead, ask open-ended questions, such as “can you tell me more about yourself?” or “what are your hobbies/interests?” People often appreciate others asking open questions. Show interest without assuming.

3. Be wary of stereotypes

The media only shows a very small slice of what it means to live in a place, belong to a certain culture, or have a certain experience. What’s more, when you encounter someone from a particular culture or background, it’s very easy to apply that knowledge to the entire group. Our brains like classifying or putting things in boxes. Historically, it’s helped with survival. But generalizing such categories across entire groups of people can be harmful.

Be aware of your own biases, challenge your thinking, and keep an open mind. You can take the Harvard Implicit Association Test to find out more about your unconscious biases.

4. Use inclusive language

Take the time to learn inclusive language and use it in everyday conversations. Some examples of inclusive language include:

• ‘Partner’ or ‘spouse’ instead of ‘husband’ or ‘wife’

• ‘Colleagues’, ‘team,’ ‘people’, or ‘y’all’ instead of ‘guys’ or ‘gals’

• ‘Parental leave’ instead of ‘maternity leave’ or ‘paternity leave’

5. Make banter inclusive

People from diverse backgrounds may not always understand or resonate with some work chitchat. Create opportunities for diverse stories to be shared and include everyone in social talk. This helps to build meaningful connections.

6. Be wary of ‘averages’ or ‘majorities’

If a group is made up of a majority (let’s say 80%) of people who are largely homogeneous, then results of surveys or feedback sessions may not always represent the experiences of other groups who exist in smaller numbers. People who belong to diverse backgrounds may lose their voices.

Surveys are a great tool to understand the overall pulse of a group, but they don’t paint the whole picture. To address this shortcoming, use a range of tools to assess the pulse of the people within your workplace.

7. Own your mistakes

Sometimes we just get it wrong, and that’s OK. When you do, instead of becoming defensive, apologize sincerely. Don’t say: “I didn’t mean to cause offense” or “I’m sorry if I caused offence”. Instead, say: “I’m sorry that I caused offence.” Owning your own biases and showing intention to learn helps build trust.

8. Create safe lines of communication

Asking questions is great, but only if people feel safe to answer. Sometimes, statements like “my door is always open” or “please feel free to give your feedback” are too ambiguous to inspire effective communication. Instead, create specific opportunities for people to share their thoughts and make it clear. For example, “John, what did you think about this project – I’d love to hear your thoughts”.

Some people may prefer giving feedback anonymously, some prefer face-to-face chats. So creating multiple ways of sharing thoughts on the same subject may encourage honest feedback.

9. Understand what D&I means to different people

Human experience is extremely diverse. So, when we try to provide prescriptive solutions to address gaps in diversity and inclusion, we miss out on a lot of the meaningful details.

Some basic building blocks can be prescriptive (e.g. diversity and inclusion policy for hiring, prejudice and discrimination training, inclusive holidays, etc) but other experiences can be tailored to meet the needs of the team.

Include diverse voices in the decision-making process. Ask for feedback, create conversations around experiences, and include individuals from different backgrounds in driving D&I solutions.

10. Facilitate conversations

Most workplaces have the intention of creating inclusive environments but don't create opportunities for the difficult, sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Having these tough conversations on what makes people feel included, the barriers for creating a sense of belonging, enables us to understand the underlying layers of what makes people feel a certain way.

The first step to creating inclusive spaces for all is facilitating the much needed conversations. Here are a few questions you can ask to start such conversations:

• What makes you feel valued?

• What makes you feel included?

• What do you think about the way information is shared in this environment?

• What can we do to become a more inclusive place of work?

Learning how to be more inclusive takes time, patience, and self-compassion. Remember, we all have unconscious biases, and we all get it wrong sometimes. What matters is that we keep listening, learning, and striving to do better.