Inclusion in action: what is best practice?

As you may not be surprised to read, inclusion is always at the focus of our heads and hearts at Inclusive Employers. National Inclusion Week is only 4 weeks away and as our theme this year is ‘Each One, Reach One’ we are thinking about what inclusion looks and feels like on a daily basis: how we can reach out and include others. This week we asked our Head of Inclusion and Diversity – North, Rosie Clarke, to share her experience of inclusion best practice in action

You might expect me to talk about development programmes, blind recruitment, management training and all sorts of other initiatives that are considered best practice in the world of inclusion and diversity. After receiving some positive feedback from a client, I reflected on what best practice means for me. Best practice means that you never stop being inclusive, I’m not saying you don’t make mistakes, but everything you do has an element of valuing others.

As an example, being an inclusive colleague for me is valuing other people’s time, and understanding that if they are left waiting for your action to be complete that any delay may cause them to be behind plan and negatively affect their wellbeing. Communicating with everyone about what you are going to do and by when, and then keeping that promise is vital for an inclusive culture. If you can’t rely on your colleagues to keep you updated or you always have to chase them it effects your ability to be your best self at work.

So, my best practice tip on inclusion this week is… approach every day thinking about your impact on others, from turning up late to a meeting to being chased by a supplier for an action. Our actions cause a reaction.