Supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace is vital for organisations to create a positive, equitable and productive working environment. In order to effectively foster diversity and inclusion at work, businesses need to utilise the correct tools and strategies, to begin and sustain these efforts.

In this blog, we investigate some of the best tools that can help businesses build and maintain a foundation for inclusion. From recruitment to communication, these tools can support diverse needs and create a workplace where every individual employee feels valued and is able to work to the best of their ability.

Diversity, equality and inclusion working group

One tool you can use to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace is to create a diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) working group. Having a group made up of various team members can help the business to find the issues that it should be focusing on and create a touchpoint to develop policies and make decisions.

You can ask for volunteers to join the DE&I from the entire workforce, but you will need to decide how to choose between people if you have more volunteers than you need. Ideally, your DE&I group will be made up of a diverse mix of people, to try to get as many perspectives as possible. Your DE&I group can act as a foundation to pick and manage the other tools you might need to support diversity and inclusion at work.

Inclusive recruitment tools

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace will start with recruitment. You will need to work to make sure your job advertisements are being seen by everyone who has the relevant experience. To do this, you can use diversity-focused job boards which are focused on minority groups that can sometimes be overlooked. As well as ensuring your jobs are advertised on the major job sites, you can also ensure they’re on the smaller, more diversity-focused ones too.

You should also aim to ensure your job advertisement is written in an inclusive way. There are various software options, such as Textio, that can scan your writing to identify any possible diversity issues, such as wording that might discourage certain groups from applying.

You can also use software for blind recruitment, such as Applied. This can help filter out any unconscious bias by presenting candidates without any identifiable features, instead allowing a judgment to be made on their qualifications and experience alone. This can result in not only increased diversity on the team, but also better quality hires.

Diversity and inclusion training

Another helpful tool to support diversity and inclusion at work is training programmes for employees. This can include online or in-person seminars and workshops covering issues such as unconscious bias, cultural awareness and diversity. There are also an abundance of online courses that can be helpful in raising awareness amongst the workforce and educating people to be more empathetic towards other people’s needs.

Diversity and inclusion training can also be a valuable tool for management specifically. Educating managers and raising awareness of the language they use and the policies that are in place can help people to be more aware of diverse needs and avoid insensitivities. 

Inclusive communication tools

Effective communication is a cornerstone of an inclusive, productive work environment. The best communication will allow everyone to contribute, no matter their specific needs. So, the communication tools your business use should be able to accommodate various needs. For example, when you use video calls, you can use software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams and their live captioning and screen reading tools. This can help people who have issues with hearing or seeing to have all the required information.

You can utilise the British Dyslexia Style guide to help ensure the written communications you put out can be easily read by everyone. The guide will advise on best colours, fonts and sizes to use to support people with dyslexia. There are also software solutions, such as Dyslexie Font, which can integrate with programmes such as Microsoft Office to help improve readability.

Flexible work policies

Allowing flexible work arrangements can help support people with a diverse range of needs. In order to allow people who need to work from home or work various hours to do so productively, your business will need to provide a range of tools.

This can include communication platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams that can allow people to communicate with each other wherever they’re working from. You can also utilise collaborative working platforms such as Basecamp or Monday.com, where team members can work together on a project and keep updated with the latest developments, deadlines and goals.

Employee resource groups

Employee resource groups, or ERGs, are a great way of supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. These will consist of various groups with shared identities or interests coming together to share their experiences and ideas. ERGs can help to make people feel included and foster a positive community. They can also help to create a platform for people to advocate for their various diverse needs and raise awareness if and when issues arise.

Mentorship programmes

Mentoring can be a fantastic way to support various people within the workplace. Matching the right mentor with the right mentee will give that individual a role model to whom they can confide in and gain valuable advice. It’s great for supporting career development and personal growth and ensures no one gets left behind. It can also help people to learn about the company culture, as well as speak with people they might not have otherwise spoken to. It can be especially effective in business with a large workforce.

There are various software solutions to help you to run a mentorship programme, such as Mentorloop. These can help to make more effective matches, by collecting information on what the mentee needs and what the mentor can offer, and matching people appropriately.

Employee surveys

A helpful tool to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace are employee surveys. If you’re just starting out enhancing your diversity and inclusion in your business, a survey can be a good starting point to establish the range of needs of the individuals who work there.

As well as learning about the demographics of your workforce, you can also investigate how people feel about the current working culture and how inclusive they feel it is. You can then conduct regular surveys on an ongoing basis to gain feedback on developments within the working environment.

It’s important to retain sensitivity when collecting this kind of information. People should never be forced to give information they don’t want to, so it’s best to ensure questions are voluntary rather than mandatory and make sure surveys can be filled out anonymously. You could also benefit from sending out separate questionnaires – one to gain demographic information and one to gain thoughts and experiences about company culture. This can help to encourage people to give their honest opinions in an anonymous way, without risk of being identified.

Support effective communication in the workplace with Nobo

Part of supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace is to ensure everyone is able to communicate effectively. Nobo has a range of tools and workplace solutions to help you get the most out of your workplace and enjoy effective, productive communication. From whiteboards, projection screens and notice boards, we’re sure to have what you need to foster a positive and inclusive working environment.