This article is sponsored by PECO, an Exelon Company.
Making sure you have a diverse workforce will help your small business stay innovative with various personalities contributing new perspectives and ideas. Promoting inclusion at work is also crucial to fostering a supportive and respectful workplace culture where staff know diversity is truly valued and not just the company paying lip service.
Here are tips for raising awareness and promoting diversity at your place of business.
Start an inclusion team
Create a board of employees in charge of analyzing if there is any possible discrimination occurring by surveying attitudes from the rest of the staff and coming up with ways to be more inclusive. In addition to spearheading any new policy implementation, the team can also look for opportunities to reach and grow a more diverse customer base.
Be transparent with communication
As a leader, it is imperative to effectively communicate your diversity plans and goals to the entire staff. Once any new protocols are established, make sure all employees are clearly aware of policy updates, guidelines, and procedures for disciplinary action should infractions occur. Whether directly to you or through the inclusion team, it’s important staff have an open communication pathway to discuss their concerns and to feel seen and heard.
Honor diverse holidays
Celebrating and giving employees paid time off to enjoy cultural and religious holidays outside of the federally-mandated ones is another way to honor the diversity of your staff. Augmenting holiday policies to take into account the cultural identities of various staff members sends the message that diversity is essential to your small business. Observing the various holidays also serves as an educational tool for the importance of workplace inclusion.
Go beyond diverse hiring
Once you’ve hired an inclusive staff and made it an ongoing procedure, offer team building opportunities to foster a cohesive spirit among all employees. Sample activities can include group trips outside the office, meetings where everyone is encouraged to participate in a judgment-free zone, or other exercises where employees get to know each other beyond their job functions. Actively promoting a space where everyone’s differences are appreciated and respected will help to form a more productive and creative environment at your small business.
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