You found our list of the top inclusive practices examples.
Inclusive practices are strategies and actions implemented in workplaces to ensure all employees feel valued and included. For example, implementing wheelchair accessibility, creating gender-neutral restrooms, and hosting multicultural festivals. The purpose of these practices is to enhance employee engagement, boost morale, and foster a diverse workplace culture. These practices are also known as inclusion techniques and ways to foster diversity and inclusion.
These concepts relate to DEI topics, virtual diversity inclusion, DEI tips, and employee engagement strategies.
This list covers:
- diversity engagement strategies
- inclusivity in hiring
- inclusive communication examples
- inclusion techniques
- inclusion practices
Let’s get to it!
List of inclusive practices
From Wheelchair Accessibility to Inclusive Team Building Activities, here is our list of the best inclusive practices examples.
1. Wheelchair Accessibility
Making spaces wheelchair accessible is important for helping employees with mobility challenges move around easily.
More examples:
- Ramps and Elevators: Install ramps or elevators for access to different levels.
- Adjustable Desks: Provide desks that can be adjusted for sitting or standing to accommodate different needs.
- Accessible Restrooms: Design restrooms with grab bars, lower sinks, and enough space for wheelchair maneuvering.
- Clear Pathways: Keep hallways and workspaces free of obstacles and ensure adequate turning space.
Creating accessible environments shows a commitment to meeting diverse needs and improves everyone’s experience. Inclusive design supports equality and allows all employees to participate fully without physical barriers.
2. Gender Neutral Restrooms
Gender-neutral restrooms are available to all employees, regardless of gender, creating a safe and welcoming space. These restrooms support diversity and respect for all gender identities, including transgender and non-binary individuals. This simple change helps make all employees feel valued and respected.
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3. Multicultural Festivals
Multicultural festivals are one of the best diversity engagement strategies. The celebrations show off different cultures through food, music, dance, and art. These occasions bring individuals from various backgrounds together to promote understanding and respect.
Examples:
- Lunar New Year
- Ramadan/Eid al-Fitr
- Holi
- Black History Month
- Pride Month
- Women’s History Month
Holding or attending these festivals helps teams learn about and appreciate other cultures, breaking down stereotypes.
4. Diverse Hiring Panels
Using hiring panels with interviewers from different backgrounds helps make the recruitment process fairer and more inclusive. Diverse perspectives lead to better decisions and reduce bias. This approach ensures that all candidates have an equal chance and helps create a welcoming work environment. Embracing diverse hiring panels shows a fair and employee-centric employer brand to candidates, and ultimately improves inclusivity in hiring.
5. Flexible Holiday Policies
Flexible holiday policies help employees balance work and personal life by letting them take time off when needed.
Granting floating holidays allows team members to observe religious our cultural holidays without having to request them. Some professionals are very private and would prefer to keep their work life separate from their beliefs. Flexible holiday practices empower employees to take off important dates without having to explain themselves.
6. Bias Interruption Training
Bias training helps employees spot and challenge their own biases, which can affect decisions. The practice teaches how biases impact interactions and how to address them. This training promotes fairness and respect, leading to a more diverse and inclusive workplace. It also improves team dynamics and productivity by encouraging consideration for different viewpoints and experiences.
Learn more about bias interruption training.
7. ASL Interpretation Services
ASL interpretation services help deaf and hard of hearing people communicate effectively. These services ensure all employees can participate equally, regardless of hearing ability. Providing these services shows a commitment to diversity and inclusion, respects different languages, and creates a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued.
You might even offer free ASL classes to employees. Team members may be eager and enthusiastic to learn the language, especially if it will help them communicate with a hard of hearing coworker.
8. Inclusive Communication Practices
Mindful language is one of the most powerful inclusive communication examples.
Inclusive language is crucial in the workplace because it ensures that all employees feel respected, valued, and engaged, fostering a positive and collaborative environment. It is important to be mindful of language, because words have meanings and send secondary messages beyond what the speaker may intend.
Inclusive Communication Practices at work take many forms.
Examples:
- Use and respect individuals’ preferred pronouns.
- Minimize the use of industry-specific terms or country-specific idioms that some coworkers or clients may not understand.
- Avoid gendered phrases like “guys” or “ladies”
- Allow multiple options like email, meetings, and chat for communication.
- Provide materials in accessible formats, such as large print or audio.
- Supplement verbal communication with charts, diagrams, or slides.
- Acknowledge there are different communication styles and try to adapt to coworkers.
Here are more internal communication tips.
9. Accessible Web Design
Making web design accessible involves creating easy-to-use and clear content, like using simple headings, descriptive text for images, and keyboard navigation.
These practices make websites usable for a broader audience and promote equality. Accessible design benefits all users by making websites more user-friendly and enjoyable, with better navigation, faster loading, and a more appealing look. Prioritizing accessible design ensures that all visitors can use and enjoy your website.
It is important to also ensure your employee intranet is accessible as well, so that team members can access important resources.
Having an accessible web presence sends the message that the company is committed to inclusion and allows you to communicate with much wider audiences.
10. Inclusive Dress Code Policies
Dress code policies help ensure everyone feels comfortable and respected at work, no matter their gender, culture, or personal style. These policies provide different clothing options while keeping a professional look.
Examples:
- Permit wearing religious or cultural attire like hijabs, turbans, or kippahs.
- Ensure dress code accommodates all body sizes and shapes.
- Avoid specifying attire based on gender, such as “suits for men” or “skirts for women.”
- Accept visible tattoos and piercings, as long as they don’t impact safety.
- Allow adjustments in clothing based on local climate and individual comfort.
- Include natural hair and culturally specific hairstyles under the label of professionalism.
Inclusive dress codes support diversity and create a welcoming environment where employees can be themselves. This practice can boost morale and productivity by making all team members feel like they belong.
11. Anonymous Feedback Channels
Anonymous feedback channels are powerful inclusion techniques. These tools let employees share their thoughts and ideas without worrying about negative reactions.
This concept can empower team members in underrepresented demographics to speak up and share their opinions, when they otherwise might keep quiet.
Tips:
- Use third-party tools with built-in anonymity features.
- Provide multiple submission options like online forms, suggestion boxes, and email.
- Design interfaces that are easy to navigate and use.
- Assign a team to handle and review anonymous feedback.
- Analyze feedback for recurring issues and report trends to leadership.
- Report on ways that you implement feedback.
Encouraging anonymous feedback helps increase transparency, engagement, and trust. The practice shows that the organization values all perspectives and creates a safe space for everyone to speak up.
You can also learn about open-door policies.
12. Equal Pay Measures
Equal pay measures are important to ensure all employees gets fair wages, no matter their gender, race, or other factors. These practices help close pay gaps by using clear salary structures and regular pay checks. Addressing wage differences makes the workplace more inclusive, boosts employee satisfaction, and helps retain staff. Focusing on fair pay shows a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and improves morale and engagement.
13. Employee Resource Groups
Supporting Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) is key for promoting diversity and inclusion. These groups let employees connect over shared interests or identities, creating a sense of community at work. By backing ERGs, companies show they value diversity and want everyone to feel included. Encouraging people to join these groups can boost engagement, creativity, and job satisfaction.
Learn more about employee resource groups.
14. Inclusive Team Building Activities
Team building activities activities encourage connections, communication, and cooperation among team members. However, it is also important to ensure that team building is inclusive and fosters belonging.
Tips:
- Provide both virtual and in-person options.
- Choose activities that cater to various interests and abilities.
- Vary activities and social outings to appeal to different personality types, interests, and social styles.
- Do a mix of structured and unstructured activities.
- Give options for less socially outgoing team members to participate.
- Provide food and drink options that accommodate all dietary restrictions.
- Ensure activities are respectful of all cultural backgrounds.
- Adjust activities to accommodate different physical abilities.
Learn more about team building activities
Final Thoughts
Making the workplace more inclusive is not just about following laws or meeting requirements, but about creating a fairer work environment where all team members can succeed. Companies that use inclusive practices tap into the full talents of their team, spark new ideas from diverse viewpoints, and boost employee happiness. These practices help to build a stronger company culture where every employee has a chance to do well.
Next, check out our posts on diverse companies, inclusive leadership, organizational culture and inclusion ideas.
