In today’s world, the need for culture change is becoming more and more urgent within the corporate environment. For businesses that want agility and innovation, culture change is required as it encourages team engagement. According to a 2018 study done by Bersin and Deloitte, organizations with cultural inclusivity are eight times more likely to achieve positive business outcomes.

Another study by Deloitte states that employees’ innovation ability is likely to increase by 83% if they feel the company is dedicated to inclusivity and diversity. While there is a ton of research to back the importance of shifting company culture, organizations today are still struggling with the concept.

Although a 2014 global study suggests that 72% of organizations feel culture is essential for performance, the truth remains that most businesses fail when it comes to implementing a culture change. Executives have an integral share in ensuring that their companies have a shift in culture by creating a comfortable and accepting work environment that benefits their employees.

So how do you shift your company’s culture to encourage team management and support a diverse team?

Don’t Assume There’s A Culture In Place

As a leader, it's your responsibility to find out the culture in your workplace without assuming that one's already in place. So many executives lack a consistent understanding and knowledge of what their company's current culture is. It's, therefore, crucial that you enact strategies that encourage a more inclusive and equitable work culture by finding out what your employees consider important.

Assuming the culture doesn't help you build a better one, or any for that matter. If you're looking to have a more inclusive work environment, an excellent place to start is to ask your employees what they feel is missing. Find out what they think can be added to support a diverse team. Taking small steps plays a big part in helping your employees feel included.

An Expert Can Shed More Light

Another step to take would be to hire a DEI agency like The Adaway Group to advise your team on diversity, inclusivity, and equity to ensure every member is adequately equipped to create a healthy work environment. If you find yourself in short supply of how to handle work inclusivity and diversity, bringing in experts can take the issue off your plate.

Hiring a qualified agency to poke holes in your current work environment allows you to find out what's missing. Bootstrapping lets you run the risk of getting it wrong. Therefore, getting outside help can help you change where you find your new candidates, and also craft a more inclusive job description that isn’t biased for future use.

isolved is designed to be the hub and heartbeat of the organization. View this 4 minute video to see how the Engagement Management solution empowers organizations to promote employee engagement and bring your company culture to life.

Different Perspectives Need Nurturing

During the hiring process, you might come across several candidates who look good on paper, but don’t have the necessary people skills you are looking for to make them a good fit for your organization. This is why finding one who backs their skills on paper and in real life is a valuable resource.

If you find one that fits your description, the rest might not matter, right? While a good “fit” might be a big boost for your organization, having candidates from diverse cultures adds a refreshing point of view to the team.

If you find one that doesn't “fit” but offers a unique perspective, do your best to nurture them. Ask them non-invasive questions that add value to the team. You’ll find out more about how they view the world and the industry, and might even learn additional tidbits that might help edge out the competition.

Identify Biased Hiring Patterns

Your organization probably takes some group pictures often, maybe during a workshop or event. Take a look at the picture and ask yourself if all the team members look the same or fit one description. Do they have similar upbringings, backgrounds, or come from the same race or gender identities.

If your answer is yes to any or all of the questions, then it’s time for a culture shift. The next time you’re looking to bring a new member on board, pay attention to who you’re hiring and ask yourself why you’re hiring them.

Are you hiring a candidate who fits the team or one who best adds value to the team? Asking yourself such questions can help you identify biased hiring patterns and help you work toward fixing them.

Embrace The Differences

Inclusivity in the workplace leads to increased performance in the team. A good way of creating a more inclusive workplace is embracing and celebrating every member’s differences. Having a diverse workplace fosters productivity and clears the path for a broad range of skills.

You can celebrate diversity in the work environment in several ways. For instance, you can allow flexible work options for your staff so that they can make it to work based on their schedule. You can also add nursing rooms for mothers to easily care for their newborns.

What’s more, adding a gender-neutral bathroom helps your non-binary employees feel more included. You can also have parties that celebrate other staff members’ cultures, such as a Chinese New Years party or Diwali.

Performance Management

How you approach, performance management helps set the tone for how valued your employees feel. As a leader, it’s essential to set clear goals based on an employee’s performance based on their track record and not on what other people think. 

Additionally, evaluating a person’s performance based on multiple reviews helps avoid bias as one person might not feel favorably to the candidate on review. Likewise, fostering inclusive behavior such as encouraging other members to participate actively during meetings should be encouraged. All these help your team feel respected, valued, and seen.

Talk To Us

Having an in-house human resource manager is an excellent way of ensuring a shift in the culture is implemented. However, if you’re looking for an outside and fresh perspective into matters of culture and diversity without bias, it’s best to hire an agency.

Platinum Group is a human capital management resource with solutions to help you streamline operations, so you’ll have time to manage your business. No matter which division you work with: Payroll/HR or Accounting, our team is built upon a foundation of support, service, camaraderie, and collaboration that we share both in-house and with our wonderful clients. For more information about Platinum Group or to schedule a demo of isolved, please visit our website.