By Nick Wilson 
Diversity and inclusivity are no longer just boxes to check – they have become an integral part of any successful businesses in-house policy and should form a core part of your recruitment process as well as informing the way you run your business.
From the way you market your business and products or services to customers, to the way you integrate equal opportunities into every corner of your business, inclusivity covers both employee-employer relations and your relationship with consumers. For companies seeking support on how to improve these touchpoints in their workplace, our employments lawyers in Aberdeen offer advice and guidance as part of our annual retainer or as a standalone service – with this blog introducing some of the main concepts we work on integrating across company culture.
What Is An Equal Opportunities Policy?
Generally, the first place we start in any company is with the creation of an equal opportunities policy. This policy is designed to create a standard across your business about behavioural expectations, what to do if you face discrimination of any kind, activities and support services that are available to employees, and information about how the business supports inclusivity.
This policy is not something that can be drawn up overnight or copied from another business, it needs to relate directly to your operations and the activities of your business. We generally recommend that companies consult employees when formulating this process to ensure that it covers everything that matters to them and build an action plan to launch and roll out the policy across the business.
The Most Important Touchpoints In Enhancing Inclusivity At Work
Now that you know a little more about the equal opportunities policy and how to communicate your commitment to inclusivity to employees and customers, it’s time to focus on the specifics – namely the touchpoints involved in optimising your inclusivity.
When we talk about being inclusive in the workplace, we are referring to the way that you embrace equality across everything from recruitment to training, promotions, pay, dress code, redundancy, flexible working, paid leave allowance, and more.
Any part of your business that deals with people management is subject to inclusivity, with companies needing to pay more attention than ever before to the way that inhouse operations are affected by gender, stereotypes, race, religion, and more. Anything that requires some form of people management should be conducted in line with your equal opportunities policy – not only because it’s fair, but because it protects you and your businesses reputation.
How To Boost Inclusivity In 3 Quick Steps
Looking to enhance your workplace inclusivity quickly? A great place to start is with your recruitment policy – advertising any vacant role across several platforms to improve the diversity of applicants and conducting “blind” application reviews which means you assess the skills of an individual without knowing details like their age and gender.
Another way to boost inclusivity quickly is by conducting a pay review, to ensure that employees doing equal work and fulfilling equal job roles are all paid fairly and given the same benefits.
Finally, take the time to offer a training session on the importance of inclusivity, to show your team that you are committed to positive change.
Our team of employment lawyers can offer hands-on support with training, as well as advice on how to boost inclusivity in your business. Get in touch directly to discuss our services and how they could support you.