Companies with diverse workforces perform better financially and we can build a diverse workplace without achieving inclusion. Yet, inclusion remains an enigma, something very complex and hard to achieve. Why? Creating a sense of belonging, or a sense of “usness” requires complex behaviors on the part of both employees and leadership. Building a culture of inclusion within the workplace that respects each employee irrespective of their job title with dignity and acceptance is a hard task.

A study by HR.com “Workplace diversity and inclusion: Emerging awareness and best practices” surveyed over 450 HR professionals and found that companies can improve their D&I performance using the following steps:

1. Train all employees and every level of leadership. Provide trainings in emotional intelligence (EQ), unconscious bias, supervisory skills, listening skills, problem solving and verbal communications.
2. Focus on reliable data collection.
3. Invest in employee engagement through social learning & collaboration.
4. Leverage internal groups like Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and build allyship programs to give more voice to underrepresented groups in your company.