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Turning up the volume on your I&D voice and challenging resistance to I&D progress

Sharon Cooper, Senior Inclusion and Diversity Consultant, discusses how it’s normal to face challenges such as resistance to change, usually passive and indirect. She also advises on how to turn up your voice to drive organisational evolution to create more inclusive workplaces.

If you work in any people-focused role, such as I&D, HR, OD, L&D, employee engagement …the list goes on, you will likely resonate with the title “Turning up the volume on your I&D voice: Challenging resistance to I&D progress”. Having worked in many of these roles myself, I have often felt that my voice wasn’t being heard. 

There were times when it was hard to influence the conversation and to help colleagues understand what an inclusive workplace was and the power and importance of having one. Nearly all people professions have felt this at some point in their working life. It can be easy at these points for that little imposter syndrome to kick in and to turn the critical narrative inwards. 

My big piece of advice in these moments – is don’t give up, take a breath, and remember you are making a difference!

Having worked in many of these roles myself, I have often felt that my voice wasn’t being heard

Sharon Cooper, Senior Inclusion and Diversity Consultant

Why might we have these moments? 

There are many contributing factors, and here are a few reflections.

When there is a team or role within an organisation whose focus is I&D and culture, there can be a perception internally that the responsibility to develop in these areas is solely to these individuals. Of course, individuals in these roles are there to help drive the culture, advise, influence, bring in best practise, help measure progress and introduce accountability. But one person or team cannot shift thinking and approach it independently. The reality is that everyone has a role in creating an inclusive culture. 

Another contributing factor is that colleagues will have many work objectives and pressures and may need to see how I&D fits into what they do and how they do it. They may see I&D as an add-on, a nice to have, rather than an essential part of creating a culture and contributing to how colleagues feel within the workplace. 

The fear factor also comes in here; some colleagues are worried about having inclusion conversations. They may feel they don’t know enough and worry about offending people or getting it “wrong”. A lot of the hostile media around inclusion topics can contribute to this. All of which can result in colleagues “turning down” the volume on I&D.

What can we do to turn up the volume and make ourselves heard?

I’m a great believer in bringing in the external narrative, what is happening locally, nationally, or globally which we can use as a platform to discuss inclusion within our organisations.

Use these examples to highlight the relevance and that this is every day and affects us all. Its likely colleagues are talking about these things, so why not shine a light on them, utilise the learning opportunity and link back to organisational values and objectives? A great example of this is the publication of the KPMG Social Mobility Progression Report: Mind the Gap, which contains some fascinating findings about career progression.

How can your data, or lack of, help turn up the volume on inclusion within your organisation?

Think about the data you do have and how you use it. Remember, this data isn’t just your diversity demographics.

Look at all these touchpoints too:

Your qualitative and quantitative information will provide evidence and can be used to create measures to help bring the inclusion conversation to life and make it relevant. It can also create accountability for leaders and others within the organisation, which is essential to progress.

How do I have meaningful conversations around workplace inclusion?

Take time to build your confidence in these conversations and look at your strengths; some great free strength finders are available. Make sure you take an evidence-based approach, as you may need more than moral justification. Practise what you will say and how you will say it and ask a colleague you trust to give you feedback. Of course, you can engage with external experts such as Inclusive Employers!

Working in inclusion is incredibly rewarding and, at times, challenging. Make sure you make space to look after yourself. Take time to reflect and celebrate; enjoy the big and small wins.

How Inclusive Employers can help you turn up your voice on I&D progress