Inclusion - an escapable imperative

Simon Kettleborough, director at diversity consultancy, Performance Through Inclusion, explains the difference between diversity and inclusion, why he thinks itís so important, and why so many businesses fail to grasp the key issues. Here he also provides practical advice to enable companies to become truly inclusive.

Itís not unusual, these days, to catch HR people from large public or private organisations in moments of self-congratulation about the degree to which theyíve embraced the concept of Diversity in their workplace.

In an increasingly multi-racial, multi-ethnic, religiously and ideologically disparate society, theyíll tell you, they have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that the composition of their body of employees statistically reflects both society at large and their customer profile in particular.

ëNo one,í they will cheerfully volunteer, ëhas a more carefully considered and balanced diversity policy then we do. In our national and international operations we strive to be a microcosm of the societies in which we operate and the markets we serve.í

Excellent. This is indeed an achievement to be proud of, not only because diversity is ethically equitable, enlightened and just, but because it makes eminent business sense, too. There is a significant body of evidence to suggest that ëmirroringí your marketplace makes the market a lot more accessible and comfortable in its dealings with you. This is likely to make it more productive. (Public organisations become more effective, as opposed to being more productive).

Letís be clear about this, organisations that have introduced ethical and pragmatic diversity policies have much to recommend them.

My area of special interest, however, compels me to raise a disappointing note of caution.

Achieving diversity is clearly neither a satisfactory ethical end in itself nor the end of the story; itís just the beginning. In complex markets and among working populations that are shifting and changing more rapidly than at any time in history, is it not sufficient to merely respond the changes as they happen. We should be anticipating the even more dramatic changes to come and taking active steps to move on from ëtokení diversity to full inclusion of the diverse minority groups in the management mechanics and workings of the organisation.

The first question that organisations that have reached a representative statistical balance of minority groups must ask themselves is whether or not this balance truly permeates the operational and management fabric of the organisation - or merely manifests itself in the distribution of work.

ëA difficult question to answer,í is the most likely response.

Sorry to disappoint again, but that is no longer the case. Itís a straightforward question to answer, using the appropriate tools. A great deal of theoretical and academic work has been done recently to define and refine the means of measuring organisational diversity and inclusion. This in turn has resulted in the development of some fairly sophisticated audit and measurement software (I must declare an interest here) that is capable of benchmarking progress on the road to optimum diversity and the extent to which minority groups are truly being included in the inner fabric of the body corporate.

Work undertaken in the field with both very large public and private bodies has proved beyond doubt that superficial management assumptions about the ëspontaneousí migration of minority groups into the corporate fabric over time are just that, assumptions, and an unfounded ones at that.

The evidence points starkly to the converse. That, left to their own devices, large organisations will spontaneously become less diverse and inclusive. The white, male, physically able heterosexual majority will continue to dominate and proliferate.

The problem for progressive organisations with long-term growth and expansions plans is that over time, this majority will decline sharply in both size and economic clout. The stakeholders in every organisation ñ customers, financial influencers, investors, shareholders, employees and suppliers - will be comprised of minority groups that are rapidly increasing in size and power.

No large business or other body can afford to simply ignore these incontrovertible facts if it expects to prosper and survive.

It transpires that all the evidence points to the fact that organisations are highly unlikely to negotiate the pathway from diversity to inclusion spontaneously. The route needs to be sign-posted, the steps structured, the process managed and the activity driven. A robust business case will help organisations overcome one of the main barriers to inclusion, the apathy of the majority population of usually white male middle management. This group is often indifferent or even hostile, not because it doesnít value inclusion but because they donít understand it and therefore sees it as a threat.

Training at all levels is intrinsic to the process of change.

Whatís in it for me?

Survival and success are the most powerful reasons for doing anything in organisational life. If something needs to be done that is critical to the organisationís survival then a way to achieve it simply must and will be found.

It is my contention that the inclusion of minority groups in the corporate mix is just such an imperative. The indigenous Caucasian male population of the UK is diminishing due to irreversible factors like the ethnic imbalance between inward and outward migration, a comparatively low historic birth rate, global workforce mobility and the political and economic inequities which draw people to these shores.

One of the stark business case issues we will face in the next ten years is the ageing population. Quite simply, Europe is getting older. Between now and 2010 we will have approximately 15 million more ëover fortiesí and 15 million fewer ëunder fortiesí. This will significantly impact the way organisations manage their employees and serve their customers. Age is not an ethnic issue, or a disabled issue or a gender issue; it is an issue for everyone.

Quite clearly, if the indigenous white, male population of the UK is ageing rapidly and in numeric decline, the working roles which are now filled by this majority will need to be filled by others from minority groups which donít fit this description. If an organisation is to grow, a proportionately higher percentage of the workforce and management will have to be drawn from these other categories. This is a matter of simple arithmetic.

The primary benefit of diversity and inclusion, then, is that the diverse, inclusive organisation will have the opportunity to survival and grow. It follows that those which arenít will find their way forward fraught with staffing difficulties.

If it can be taken as read that organisations develop and flourish through the talents and ability of the people they employ, if follows that the more varied and comprehensive these employee groups are, the more likely becomes that these qualities will be present in abundance.

Again, there is an ample body of evidence to support the contention that the incidence of ability, talent, judgement and skill is not limited to the indigenous, white, heterosexual, able-bodied males who form the preponderant head on the shoulders of the British corporate body. Members of minority groups clearly have an equal distribution of undiscovered and undeveloped abilities of use in organisational life.

There may be obvious linguistic and cultural skills, for example, which could be of use in opening or developing niche markets. There could be less obvious qualities that give them empathetic insights into operational aspects of the business, perhaps related to religious or cultural sensibilities. Employees from certain minority groups will be more driven, more committed and more able than some of their indigenous counterparts.

The best interests of the organisation rest with levelling the playing field so that all those with talent and ability find it equally easy to shine. This can only happen in a business where management has been selected and trained to create an inclusive climate.

The benefits of having the most able and dynamic people influencing the destiny of an organisation will be most keenly felt where it matters most, on the bottom line.

The tangible benefits of inclusion can be measured in numerous ways;
in the depth of corporate self-belief,
the loyalty and longevity of its employees
the empathy between the management and workforce
the relationship between the business and its various stake-holding publics and the esteem in which these critical publics hold the organisation
the organisations preparedness for change
its vigour, itís appetite for growth
its performance
and ultimately, its market value.

In the age of internationalism, global business interaction and global population migration there will be no place for monotheistic, mono-cultural, ethnically exclusive and discriminatory organisations. The process of change is irreversible.

It is the responsibility of every forward-looking organisation to equip itself for the inclusive world in which our children and grandchildren will find themselves. The instigation of this training process, in organisations that have not already done so, is not an altruistic option or the exercise of a moral prerogative; it is commercial or operational imperative.

This is what needs to be done and the way to do it.

Formal Training

Organisations that are really serious about inclusion take a systemic approach.

Inclusion is not just about awareness training, it needs to address all areas and tackle the internal (employee) issues as well as the external (customer/supplier) interface. The organisation-wide systemic approach needed for success is the reason we strongly advise organisations to separate the Inclusion function from HR. In some organisations, HR processes and practices that are sometimes exclusive can compromise Inclusion.

There are four enablers that must be put in place for an organisation to accept Inclusion

Get leadership buy in, with a strong, robust business case. If leaders see that Inclusion is a key business imperative, it will be much easier for them to get buy in from the majority population.

Grow your culture, by creating the internal environment where all people can flourish. This is where good training plays a major role, but organisations must be clear about why you are training people and the desired training outcomes. This is not measured with ëhappy sheetsí at the end of a workshop; itís about what happens differently in the organisation as a result of the training.

Have inclusive values, making sure they spell out how people should expect to be treated in your organisation. Review performance against the values and take action to reward good behaviour, whilst clearly penalising unacceptable behaviour without exception. Non-values driven behaviour needs to be addressed at the most senior leaders, as well as on the shop floor.

Get the dialogue right, providing clear messages about Inclusion to the organisation with consistent dialogue. Remember, itís not Inclusion if briefings constitute sharing the percentage of non-white people who now work for the organisation. If your communication creates fear rather than opportunity, you turn off the very people you need to make change happen.


Success in Inclusion

There is no guaranteed formula for success, but some common characteristics amongst successful practitioners include

Courage & Commitment ñ You will face difficult challenges and sometimes you will have to challenge senior people in the organisation. Having the courage to stand your ground when you believe in your view is both important and difficult.

Self esteem and belief ñ If you are confident of who you are, the challenges will be easier to overcome and the criticism will not be taken personally. Donít weaken your resolve to please others; if you are doing your job properly there will be disruption!

Strong values ñ Inclusion and equality must be a core part of your personal values set. When times are tough you will draw on your values for the right direction.

Influencing the organisation

To really make change happen you need to understand how organisations work and how you can influence them. Many gifted and committed practitioners fail because they have not worked out how to influence leaders and decision-makers in the organisation. If you really want to make a difference, learn their view of the world and work from the performance perspective. Show them how an inclusive organisation performs better, in the interests of all its publics - employees, suppliers, customers, consumers and shareholders and you will make change happen.

For further information, please contact

David Shirt
david@rmspr.co.uk