April 12, 2023
What does it really mean to create an inclusive culture in your business? It’s a critical question, especially if it’s important to you to support progress and fight discrimination in your industry.
You and your business aren’t bound to the discriminatory policies and biases that are unfortunately still rampant in the corporate world. Let’s talk about what it takes to build a work culture that’s open and supportive to all:
- Why inclusivity is important: Nearly half of the employees believe they face discrimination at work.
- What happens with discrimination complaints: Most discrimination cases are settled out of court, and most of those that go to trial are successful.
- The real cost of discrimination: The average cost of settling a discrimination complaint is about $40,000. But that number can rise to $300,000 for larger companies.
- Building a discrimination-free environment: You need to create a workplace culture that’s employee-centric.
- Writing company policies: Your internal policies should be legal, ethical, and universal.
- Educating your workforce: You should be providing comprehensive resources and modeling behaviors that align with your policies.
- Improving your management practices: Make sure you’re leading your employees well and providing them with the opportunities and resources they need.
- Being consistent: Make sure your practices align with your inclusivity message, so your employees feel safe enough to bring up any issues with bias or discrimination.
Inclusivity isn’t just about being altruistic — it’s smart. Protecting your employees protects your business. It keeps you safe from discrimination claims and helps you attract clients who also value diversity and inclusivity. And it gives you and your business the chance to make the world a better place.
If you’ve got questions about creating inclusive HR policies, tag @theparadigmm or send me a DM on Instagram! And don’t forget to review and share this episode with any small business owners you know.
