Employers still have work to do to create truly diverse and inclusive work environments. Recent research reveals many Australian workers still don’t feel comfortable or confident enough to be themselves at work. Organisations that fail to do this will not only have lower employee morale and output, but also limit their opportunities to attract top talent, as these individuals prioritise other more inclusive workplaces.
Diversity and inclusion can mean different things to different people, but if you want to create a truly diverse and inclusive working environment for your employees, it’s important to understand what these words mean to them.
In Indeed’s recent survey, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Fostering an environment
for all employees to thrive, more than 1,500 workers in Australia were asked what diversity and inclusion mean to them. The most common definitions provided centred around treating everyone equally, hiring a diverse workforce, valuing all employees, and creating an environment where everyone can embody their true selves at work.
But when respondents were asked whether they personally feel comfortable to be their true selves at work, nearly half (46%) revealed they feel unable to be themselves at work either some or all of the time. So, why do so many people not feel comfortable to be themselves at work, and what can you do to ensure all employees feel welcome, safe and valued at your organisation?
People from certain groups feel less comfortable being themselves at work
We know that a large number of workers in Australia don’t feel comfortable being their true selves at work, however, there are certain groups that are overrepresented in this category. For example, 65% of workers with a disability say they feel the need to hide a part of their identity at work some or all of the time, and 51% feel the need to hide something about their disability.
Similarly, 67% of LGBTIQ+ workers regularly feel the need to hide their true selves at work, and for the majority of these workers (61%), this means hiding their sexual orientation.
While not as many older workers feel the need to hide a part of their identity at work (34%), the most common thing this group covers up is their age (33%).
Employees fear they will be criticised or discriminated against at work
One of the main reasons employees feel the need to hide their true selves at work is because of fear of criticism or discrimination. In fact, 20% of workers with a disability don’t believe their organisation would take the appropriate action in response to an incident of discrimination in the workplace. And when it comes to feeling able to speak openly at work, 29% of workers with a disability, and 30% of LGBTIQ+ workers, don’t feel comfortable doing so without fear of criticism.
So, how can you create a truly inclusive workplace?
With such a large number of workers in Australia not feeling comfortable or confident enough to be themselves at work, it’s clear that businesses still have a long way to go in combatting discrimination in order to create truly diverse and inclusive work environments.
Organisations that fail to do this will not only have lower employee morale and output, they will limit their opportunities to attract top talent as these individuals will prioritise other more inclusive places to work.
So, here are four steps to help ensure your business encourages diversity and inclusivity in everything it does.
1. Commit to hiring a diverse workforce
It’s a well-known fact that companies with more diverse leadership report greater revenue, but you need to go further than just meeting a quota or checking a diversity box. To encourage real diversity, you first need to identify and eliminate any barriers and biases that exist in your organisation and recruitment processes that might disadvantage certain individuals. This will not only help employees feel more comfortable being themselves during the recruitment and onboarding process, but it will bring unique and valuable experiences and perspectives to your organisation which will help the whole team to grow, and the business to thrive.
2. Ask your employees
It’s a common saying that ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure’, and the same goes for diversity and inclusion. If you don’t regularly check in with your employees to find out whether they feel comfortable being themselves at work, whether they feel valued, or if they feel the organisation is diverse, it will be near impossible to know how you’re performing in this regard and whether you’re improving or going backwards over time. (Despite what some organisations may think, asking a small section of management will not give you an accurate indication.)
Conduct regular surveys of your employees (making these anonymous is a good way to get honest feedback) and ask what they believe you should be doing to create a more welcoming and equal workplace. This will provide you with a benchmark to work from as well as ideas for initiatives that will resonate with your employees.
3. Implement a zero-tolerance harassment and bullying policy
If you don’t already have one, create and enforce a zero-tolerance harassment and bullying policy. Ensure that individuals at all levels and across all departments are familiar with the policy and are aware of clear paths for reporting inappropriate behaviour. To create companywide cultural change, it’s particularly important that managers and the C-suite lead by example by demonstrating the values and behaviours that underpin the policy.
Should you receive a report of harassment or bullying and find it to be true, where possible, let your employees know the actions taken. This will help to demonstrate that there is zero tolerance for discriminatory behaviour or harassment and will help to build your team’s trust in the organisation.
4. Establish inclusive resource groups
Creating a space where your employees can connect with like-minded colleagues can help contribute to individuals’ sense of belonging at work. So, if your organisation doesn’t already have inclusive resource groups (IRGs), take the time to establish some and encourage your employees to join. Some common IRGs include groups for people with disabilities, the LGBTIQ+ community, women, parents, caregivers and more. While it can be a good idea to implement a few to get the ball rolling at your organisation, make sure to open up the floor for any other appropriate IRGs your employees may want to create.
With more than 15 years of experience in the recruitment industry, Jay Munro has worked in a variety of roles in agencies and job boards, from consulting and recruiting, through to leading the product development of new sourcing technologies. As an Employer Insights Strategist with the Indeed Employer Insights Team, Jay pairs platform data with industry trend analysis to share Indeed’s story and bring the value of the company’s programs and solutions to life.
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