Volume 14│Issue 1│Spring 2023
The “I” in DEI: Inclusion (Part 3 of a 3 part series)
Monica Coles, DNP, APRN, MedSurg-BC, ACNS-BC, CDP - CRMH Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist & Pam Lindsey, MSN, RN - Magnet® Program Director In most workplace organizations, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are three closely linked values that an organization uses to show that they are working to be supportive of different races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, genders, and sexual orientations. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. If diversity is another word for variety, which spice can enhance the flavor of the world? This is difficult to answer because every group and individuals have different talents and skills that they bring to the workplace. Inclusion is the recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of employees of all backgrounds. Inclusion refers to how the workforce experiences the workplace and the degree to which the organization embraces all employees and enables them to make meaningful contributions. You often hear that organizations are intent on recruiting a diverse workforce, but the workplace must also strive to develop a sufficiently inclusive culture, such that all employees feel their voices will be heard. Inclusion is the value of DEI that the diverse employees seek when hired. Inclusion is critical to the retention of a diverse workforce. The marketing of a diverse workforce can provide the diverse employee with an “Illusion of Inclusion”. The show of diversity is not enough to manifest a diverse workplace culture (Hancock, Schaninger, 2021).
A lack of inclusion or the “Illusion of Inclusion” can manifest in workplace culture: The diverse employee, feels like an “only” at work and are more likely to experience microaggressions; they might feel unable to talk openly and comfortable about themselves, for example, or need constantly to correct assumptions about their race, ethnicity, and personal life choices. One of the main factors associated with employee inclusion is the presence of diverse, inclusive leadership where there is the presence of diverse leaders at all levels of the organization. The most underrepresented area of diverse leadership is at the upper or senior level of leadership (Dolan, Dixon, Hunt, Prince, 2020). Employee engagement is strongly linked with a sense of inclusion (Dolan, Dixon, Hunt, Prince, 2020). Those that feel very included are more likely to say they feel excited and committed to their organizations. The presence of diverse leadership and the organization’s focus on inclusive leadership, are correlated with individuals feeling more included. Initiatives add to a culture of inclusivity and create professionaladvancement opportunities. Meaningful interactions with senior leadership can lead to a strong sense of inclusion. Employee engagement is strongly linked to a sense of inclusion. To prevent or remove the “Illusion of Inclusion” in an organization and operationalize the “I” in DEI, the organization must develop a diversity and inclusion strategy to make the workplace more inclusive and address organizational barriers at the granular level. An inclusive workplace is a win-win solution for all involved. References Hancock, B., & Schaninger, B. (2021). The elusive inclusive workplace [Audio podcast] https://www.mckinsey.com/ capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-elusive-inclusive-workplace Dixon-Fyle, S., Dolan, K., Hunt, V. & Prince, S. (2020). Diversity wins; how inclusion matters [Audio podcast] https:// www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters
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