5 ways technology can help create an inclusive culture at work

This International Women’s Day 2022 we’re celebrating women in our own organization, women in business, women in technology, and women across the globe. And we’re joining the call to #BreaktheBias, this year’s IWD theme, to help create a more equitable, inclusive world. 

The latest McKinsey report, on Women in the Workplace shows that women are still underrepresented in board rooms around the world, and the pandemic has affected women more in terms of burnout, as they often have more caring responsibilities. Women of color, the report says, “lose ground at every step in the pipeline” with little to no improvement in their day-to-day experiences at work.  

Despite these challenges, the report found that women are stepping up, doing more than their male counterparts to support their teams and to drive change when it comes to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). “Yet this critical work is going unrecognized and unrewarded by most companies, and that has concerning implications”, the report says.

“Companies risk losing the very leaders they need right now, and it’s hard to imagine organizations navigating the pandemic and building inclusive workplaces if this work isn’t truly prioritized.” 

There’s strong evidence that diverse organizations that create an inclusive workplace culture are not only nicer places to work – helping them to retain the best talent – but they perform better than the competition in terms of profitability. What’s more, consumers are increasingly looking to connect with brands that reflect their values, and that includes how they recruit and treat their staff. 

How can organizations build inclusive company cultures? Here are some ways technology can help:

1. Demonstrate your commitment to creating an inclusive organizational culture

It’s important to share your ongoing commitments for diversity and inclusion to the wider organization, as well as following up on how you’re doing as a company to meet diversity goals.

Use your digital workplace to communicate on the issue regularly, including company-wide messages from the CEO and leadership teams.

Make sure everyone knows your organization is committed to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

2. Create safe spaces that bring people together

Good communication and collaboration can help to foster equality and inclusion at work. When you include all voices in your workplace culture, it means giving every employee a space to feel supported and be heard. It can help to build a collaborative community where everyone feels they can thrive. 

Create spaces for employee resource groups. These voluntary, employee-led groups are a great way to bring people together such as women’s networks, LGBTQ+ groups, BIPOC communities, disability groups, and religious networks. They provide support and are a safe space for people to share their experiences as well as a place to connect, find mentors, solve problems, and share knowledge.

With more companies embracing hybrid or remote working for their teams, a robust digital workplace is key to bringing people together. Make sure you’re using all the collaboration and social tools it has to offer.

3. Champion your people and celebrate your workforce’s diversity

Encouraging diverse members of staff to author and share their stories helps to foster better communication, collaboration and understanding.

Internal blogs and stories offer a way to highlight different voices and perspectives.

And using tools like auto-Translation will mean, at a click, that everyone in your organization can communicate with each other. Imagine the possibilities when you say goodbye to language-based silos.

4. Collaborate to innovate

An inclusive organization is one that’s more likely to retain talent and drive innovation. In short, a more diverse workforce brings more ideas and perspectives to the table.

Today’s employees are looking for a more meaningful work life. They want to be able to contribute to ideas and feel valued for their feedback and contribution. Your business can work smarter by tapping into the diverse ideas right across your workforce via your digital workplace.

Using shared spaces and asynchronous collaboration tools, an employee’s location or flexible work schedule won’t hinder their ability to contribute.  

5. Create a culture of inclusion throughout the employee experience

From recruitment and onboarding, to managing your staff, organizations need to lead by example. From the board room to the shop floor, everyone should feel that they can contribute and are valued for what they bring to the table.  

Use training to break the bias in recruiting, managing and promoting staff. Make sure policies and information on diversity, equality and inclusion are easily available to, and seen by, everyone.  

Want to talk about how Beezy can help you create an inclusive culture at work?

If your organization still has work to do to break the bias, see International Women’s Day 2022 as a starting point to be more creative and innovative. We’ll be cheering you on. And if you'd like to learn more about what Beezy can do, let's schedule a demo.