Being Cognizant and Inclusive in The Workplace

“Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own" -Michelle Obama

With all the social injustices currently taking place in our society, I am reminded to continue the conversation on how we can be more cognizant of people in our surroundings and ways we can individually and collectively move towards creating a more inclusive environment. This has always been my goal as a Human Resources professional, but there is always room to self-reflect, evaluate, and improve.

Through my personal experience in the development of my career, I have faced many obstacles whether it be my gender, race, age, or other key pillars of my identity. Although I had to develop strong endurance to get to where I am currently, I recognize that I have had privileges in my life that may not be as accessible by others who are struggling in this situation. We all come from different walks of life, and it is crucial to consider this when approaching the topic of inclusivity in the workplace.

Here are my recommendations on how to be cognizant and utilizing that to create more inclusivity.

Be aware and informed.

To optimize our awareness, it is important to stay informed on historical and current events to understand how our system is built infrastructurally and have perspective on how this may affect different demographics of people.

Since we live in a new era of technology and information, we need to take advantage of our resources. Here are a few resources available online:

•  Informative films and documentaries available on streaming platforms such as Netflix
• Blogs and videos where individuals can share and recount their personal experiences
•  Access to multiple news sources or podcast to stay informed on the various topics at hand
• Read resources such as Brené Brown's community booklist

Tackle unconscious bias.

There will always be unconscious bias, although it might not be evident in all situations, there are ways to minimize how much it affects your decision-making skills. Unconscious biases are social stereotypes built up over time based on experiences and other factors that people can be exposed to without realizing it affects their perspective.

Here are a few suggestions on how to overcome them:

•  Focus on the facts and statistics, rather than opinion-based information
•  Again, try to consider the perspectives of others. All events affect people differently
• Get out of your comfort zone and self-reflect

 Transfer your new awareness into your approach with conversations.

Change the way you approach conversations by structuring your discussion with the goal of seeking to understand the other’s perspective. Listen, respond, and ask questions accordingly to get better clarification or scope.

Examples of how you can create a supportive dialogue include:

• Acknowledging their opinion and let them know that their feelings are validated
•  Never assume, always ask for clarification if you do not fully understand
• Continue to ask neutral questions to explore their view, without creating a tone of strong opposition. For example, “Can you share any experiences or resources that I could also take a look at to learn more?”

Create an action plan.

Put all this knowledge and recommendations into action. What measurable action items can you set forth that will help you be inclusive in your workplace?

Action items to increase inclusivity:

• Develop, implement, or participate in diversity and inclusion training to share with your organization and colleagues
• Be aware of different cultural holidays and acknowledge them
• Create easy and equal access to employee resources
• Establish an anonymous feedback form where employees can share their ideas

Overall, I want to share an important reminder that we need to be loving and accepting of all people, despite our differences. These are just a few of my top recommendations for people to initiate conversation and action around building a better community, especially within the workplace. I strongly believe and hope that these discussions will continue and evolve over time with the result being increased inclusivity like we’ve never experienced before!

Talent, Passion, People –

Amor Castro, Associate Director of Talent Acquisition & Development

Ashford University