The Business case is clear – but how do we work strategically with inclusion?
The business case for enhancing diversity in business decisions has been clear for many years – proving again and again that strategic initiatives to empower diverse teams have a direct impact on business results, adding up to an additional 30% to the bottom line.
When we work with our own clients on inclusion and diversity, the ‘why’ tends to be clear. Today, most Top Management recognizes that D&I is an important element for business success. The management knows that the outlook of a diverse and inclusive working environment becomes increasingly more important for potential future employees. Many young talents are driven by values and passion, and thus seek out organizations with whom they can identify and feel comfortable bringing their whole self to work, as it enables them to make a significant difference – adding in their individual competencies and uniqueness. This emphasizes why it is absolutely crucial that organizations react to the D&I agenda; if not they risk a shrinking candidate pool, a reduced market share, and, ultimately, lost profits.
In addition to the specific business context, the humane and social angle is also enhancing the urgency for management teams to transform the culture of their organization, embrace all levels of diversity, and ensure that a sense of belonging is high on the agenda. It is not enough to ‘just’ include it in leadership programs and in CSR reports. Inclusion of Diversity needs to become an integrated part of how you do business, and the ask for it goes way beyond the company door. Our experience is that most management teams truly want to contribute to the inclusion and diversity agenda – stressing that making a significant footmark for the future of D&I is a high priority and is seen as a real business element.
What does an Inclusion strategy really mean, and how does it create value?
Acknowledging that the D&I agenda is important, it seems that the more present questions concern what diversity really means in the individual business context and how to create value-giving change in the company culture. WithINTENT can advise and support you and your organization in this transformation and thereby improve your business results with an inclusion strategy – also in the future.
At withINTENT we believe that the focus should be on inclusion in the day-to-day work life. Inclusion is the key to unlocking the full potential of each talent and making it possible to enhance all the different value-giving sides of each and every employee without conscious or unconscious limitations. From our experience, the best possible results are achieved through a structured, pragmatic, and conceptual transformation. We all need to experience meaning in the work we do, and the strategic diversity and inclusion agenda is no exception. On the contrary, if the intent is not clear and founded in real, authentic behavior, it quickly becomes hollow, and the organization risks becoming reluctant and turning against the management.
It can sound overwhelming, but it’s not!
There are different governing elements when you are working with inclusion and diversity. Nevertheless, the priorities should be carefully embedded in the organization, and with a deep respect towards the local business context and ambition level — to ensure that all promises are kept.
We always ensure the presence of the following elements when facilitating a transformation on the D&I agenda:
- THINK globally but ACT locally to engage all diverse talents via community, pieces of training, and projects related and integrated into the day-to-day work-life.
- Fostering AUTHENTICITY and employee WELL-BEING with programs that support human connectivity, belonging, and purpose both in the organization and the local society.
- Embedding D&I throughout the EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE e.g., career paths across roles and regions to improve inclusion, growth, and trust.
- Structuring the organization with ACCOUNTABILITY for D&I initiatives with role models and ambassadors throughout the company.
Top management knows that the D&I agenda is much more than a program — it must become deeply embedded in the company culture and incorporated across the organization. In fact, several D&I leaders express their hope for a future where diversity and inclusion programs and -leaders do not exist at all because they simply are no longer needed. It is a powerful and inspiring vision.
Some of the questions we ask our clients are:
- What were the driving factors that made your company focus on Inclusion of Diversity?
- What are your priorities in D&I, and why are you focusing on them?
- What have been your biggest challenges with your D&I program up until now?
- How have you measured the success of your D&I program on your overall business performance?
- What is your vision for the future with regard to D&I? – And what are the first steps you can take today to realize that future?
Lastly, my final question to you is – when should we talk about how we can help you make Inclusion of Diversity your new strategic tool for innovative growth?
