How to commit to a more inclusive workplace

Do you wonder what it's like to work in an inclusive environment?

Cultural inclusiveness addresses and supports the needs of people from diverse cultures, and values their unique contribution.

An inclusive workplace means you can feel safe to:

• express who you are by sharing your ideas and points of view

• take part in a variety of activities where you learn from, share with, and teach others

Everyone from management to entry-level staff can contribute to a culturally inclusive workplace.

How can you contribute to a fully inclusive work environment from the ground up?

Cultural awareness is the understanding and acceptance that we all come from different experiences that shaped us to be who we are today!

Imagine working in a place where EVERYONE had the same experiences and same background.

That would be boring!

Bringing diverse backgrounds and ideas into the workplace is how we grow and learn from each other. It is how we innovate.

In the workplace, you may experience situations where people are not inclusive and accepting of people's diverse backgrounds.

How do you influence others to be more inclusive?

1. Celebrate uniqueness: think about what makes you unique and what has influenced your cultural background, and share these ideas with others.

2. Don't judge: don't think of those with views that differ from yours as wrong.

3. Avoid imposing your own values on others: respect that others have their own perspectives and opinions.

4. Resist stereotyping: everyone is unique and might not fit your preconceived notions of who they are.

Don't be a bystander!

Stand up and speak up if you see that others are not being inclusive!

What makes you different?

What makes me different is that I was born in Canada and my parents are immigrants from Guyana. By just looking at me you wouldn't have known that!

Getting to know an individual will open up a new world for you. Understanding their cultural background and the experiences they've gone through either in the workplace or their personal life will open your eyes.

Don’t be afraid to open up and let people know who you are and what you’re about!

The best way to build influence in the workplace is by consistently performing well in your role.

Leaders in an organization want to have as many high-performing team members as they can. This means leaders will actively seek out these individuals to learn what makes them successful.

Being excellent provides an instant platform to share your ideas with leadership and shape the environment for you and everyone else on your team.

3 Keys to Being Excellent

1. Find a role you enjoy

When work is enjoyable, it's much easier to do things that lead to success like focusing on a task and learning how to master it.

2. Do what you're good at

Everyone has unique experiences and diverse skills. You're always going to be the most successful when you can use your talents, so incorporate them into your work as much as possible.

3. Be consistent

Leaders appreciate reliability. Make sure you build habits at work that allow you to consistently perform well to maximize your impact.

Lead the charge for a more inclusive workplace!