Inclusive Workplace Practices

There’s a quiet tension that many of us carry When you step into spaces that weren’t designed with you in mind. You’ve worked for the seat. You’ve earned your place. But when you get there, you feel it… That invisible pressure: To shrink. To soften your voice. To adjust the volume of your identity until it fits comfortably within someone else’s definition of "professional.” It’s not always said out loud. It’s in the looks. The microcorrections. The way your ideas are heard differently. The way your presence is treated like a disruption when it’s actually a contribution. You can be included in the room and still feel like you’re performing for acceptance. Because “diversity” is the invitation. But “belonging” is what happens when you no longer have to explain yourself to be understood. And for those of us from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds That moment is often delayed, if it arrives at all. You were never meant to blend in. You were meant to broaden the lens. To bring the story, the rhythm, the lens that the room didn’t know it needed until you showed up. Things I’ve Learned Navigating Spaces That Were Never Built With People Like Me in Mind: 1. Don’t confuse proximity with power. Being in the room doesn’t always mean you have influence yet. But presence is the first form of disruption. And if you’re the first or the only, your very existence there is a signal that the status quo is shifting. 2. You don’t have to erase yourself to be respected. You don’t need to change your tone, name, cadence, or essence to sound “credible.” Authenticity is not a liability it’s a form of leadership. 3. Belonging is not about being accepted as you are it’s about being unchanged by the pressure to conform. And that’s a deeper kind of success: staying whole in systems that quietly ask you to split. Hetes some Practical tips for Navigating These Spaces With Integrity: 1. Show up without shrinking. You don’t owe anyone a diluted version of who you are. Rehearse being yourself in full—not just the version that’s easiest to digest. 2. Ask the uncomfortable questions—even when it shakes the room. Your silence won’t save you. Your voice might just save someone else. 3. Build a circle that reminds you who you are. Find mentors, peers, and mirrors who affirm your value outside of titles, roles, or recognition. If you’ve ever felt like you had to earn your belonging twice Once through performance, And again through proving you're not a threat… You’re not imagining it. You’re just navigating a world that hasn’t fully caught up with your presence. But keep showing up. Keep expanding the room. And when you feel the urge to shrink, remember this: You’re not here to fit in. You’re here to reshape what belonging looks like. For yourself and for everyone still waiting behind you.

If your company wants data-driven Trans inclusion efforts, there's an often overlooked question that should be in your engagement surveys and HR information systems: ✅ "Do you currently, or have you ever, identified as Transgender?" 🔲 Yes 🔲 No 🔲 Prefer Not to Say The "or have you ever" piece is critical because it's not an uncommon experience for people to transition genders and drop the "Trans" identifier or identify with it less afterwards. If your surveys ask for gender identity and employees can only select one option, for example... 🔲 Man 🔲 Woman 🔲 Nonbinary 🔲 Transgender ... some Trans men and Trans women will select the "Man" or "Woman" box because that's what they identify as first. Companies are then at risk of not reaching a statistically significant response rate of Trans employees and/or losing trust with Trans employees because it's clear that you're not in the loop enough with the Trans experience. Some surveys have gender identity options that employees don't understand or they list so many options that they risk failing to meet statistical significance. For example they give options for Cisgender Man, Cisgender Woman, Transgender Man, Transgender Woman, etc. While these answer options together are totally inclusive and technically accurate, I can tell you as someone who trains thousands of people on gender inclusion that the majority of cisgender people don't know what "Cisgender" means. So, to collect gender identity information and Trans status that balances data cleanliness, inclusivity and accuracy while maximizing our chances of reaching statistical significance, I would recommend the following: ✅ "What is your gender identity?" (Select all that apply, if possible) 🔲 Man 🔲 Woman 🔲 Nonbinary 🔲 Agender 🔲 A gender identity not listed (write in, if possible in your system" 🔲 Decline to answer ✅ "Do you currently, or have you ever, identified as Transgender?" 🔲 Yes 🔲 No 🔲 Decline to answer These questions are usually optional for all employees. Companies that have strong data governance and privacy and high levels of trust can require employees to answer these questions so long as there is a "decline to answer" option. The cultural conversation around gender is evolving and many non-LGBTQ people are realizing that they have been socialized into gender categories. You should expect that how we ask these questions and the answer options we give employees will evolve too. We should take that as a welcome sign that our organizations are becoming more inclusive and GENDER EXPANSIVE rather than seeing it as the LGBTQIA+ mafia changing the acronym yet again. UGH that dang gender mafia 😉 . Trans and nonbinary people deserve to be counted accurately and to have their voices heard. There is no organizational accountability on DEI without good data, ambitious goals and a willingness from leaders to look Trans people in the eye.

𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗗 I was once in a meeting where I relayed an idea. I was a VP. There was another male VP in the meeting. And our boss. The meeting went on as if I didn't say anything. Then, the male VP relayed the same idea. And the boss said, "Great idea!" The oversight wasn't necessarily intended. It manifested an unconscious bias that often goes unnoticed in our daily interactions. Recognizing this is the first step toward making meaningful changes. When a woman states an idea, it may be overlooked, but everyone notices when a man repeats it. This is called the “stolen idea.” When a male coworker runs away with a woman’s idea, remind everyone it originated with her by saying something like, “Great idea! I loved it when Katie originally brought it up, and I’m glad you reiterated it.” If someone takes your idea, you can speak up for yourself by saying, “Thanks for picking up on that idea. Here’s my thought. . .” (then add something new). Ways that we can make sure women’s ideas are heard: 1. Invite other women to speak 2. Distribute speaking time equally 3. Ask to hear from women who are being interrupted and spoken over 4. Amplify other women’s ideas by repeating them and giving credit 5. Praise and showcase other women’s work 6. Create systems to distribute “office housework,” such as note-taking, in meetings 7. Share public speaking opportunities with women who have less power or privilege 8. Share pronouns In reflecting on this experience, I'm reminded of the importance of RAW leadership: Being 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 in acknowledging our biases and striving for equity, Being 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 in amplifying and crediting ideas regardless of their source, and recognizing the 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗬 impact of ensuring every voice is heard and valued. By adopting these practices, we can dismantle unconscious biases and create a more inclusive environment where everyone feels seen and heard. How do you ensure all voices are heard in your spaces?

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

THE 161 UK EMPLOYERS THAT OFFER EQUAL PARENTAL LEAVE As an employer, introducing Equal Parental Leave, where maternity and paternity pay and duration is the same, is one of the best things you can do for workplace gender equality. I first curated this list in October 2023 when there where 74 employers offering EPL. Great to see positive progress in that time 👏🏽 We are ready for a change from the outdated ideas of masculinity. As men we can be breadwinners, and we can also be carers. We can be leaders, and we can be led. We can be providers, and we can be provided for. Equal Parental Leave is a game changer. The evidence is clear to see. In the UK: 👉 80% of the gender pay gap is attributed to the motherhood penalty 👉 The gender pay gap is 3 times higher for women over 40 than it is for women under 40 👉 An estimated 72,000 women per year will lose their job due to maternity discrimination Encouraging, supporting and enabling dads to be equal parents from the very beginning is fundamental to them becoming equal parents. And equal parenting is essential to addressing the motherhood penalty & achieving equality for mothers at home and at work. Equal Parenting is also fundamental for dad's mental health and happiness, recruitment, retention and, importantly, outcomes for our children ❤️ These policies are gender neutral, meaning that the leave is available to all birthing partners, regardless of gender. And they are available for all parents, regardless of how you become a parent, this could be via adoption or surrogacy or any other way. The best policies are inclusive to all. I applaud the organisations that are leading the way on this. These are policies that go above and beyond Shared Parental Leave and statutory paternity leave, both of which are vastly insufficient. This is ring-fenced paid leave for the dad, or birthing partner. But it's also important to note that the culture change work needs to be done alongside the policy. Creating a Parenting Out Loud workplace culture, one that encourages dads to be loud and proud about their caring responsibilities at work, is key to ensuring dads use the full parental leave offer available. This is what I help organisations with. Through workshops, webinars, men's listening circles and senior leader roundtables. Creating a culture where dads can 'parent out loud' at work is essential to ensuring a good take-up of the policy. We need to create inclusive working environments that normalise male caring. For more information on all the organisation's policies, including duration, pay and eligibility, see the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ej6Cbyfd If you're organisation offers Equal Parental Leave but is not featured, please let me know 😉 #EqualParentalLeave #ParentingOutLoud #WorkingDads #ParentalLeave

Do we really need institutionalized feminism? Events from the past few weeks brought up this question for me again. I am open to being challenged about this. But the more I do this work, the more I see an uncomfortable trend taking shape in the feminist movement world. Feminist movements are considered more 'credible' and 'fundable' when they get (hyper)-institutionalized. When institutionalization happens (in great dependency on governmental or institutional funding), often the core, grassroots values from where feminist movements have originally emerged are compromised over norms that benefit institutional mechanisms. It's an adaptive and often necessary process. The problem? Feminist activism just ends up being commodified by institutional etiquette, politics and norms, which are often a by-product of systems of inequalities. For funders, donors and philanthropists, institutionalized feminist movements will always be safer than grassroots feminist movements. Because they play by the same rules. Those of power, privilege, and oppressive norms. Observing this pattern makes me bolder and louder about the URGENT need to mobilize funds for community-centric, grassroots and activist-led feminist movements. Pushing for resourcing feminist rights defenders, over institutions' defenders is also part of how we do this work right.

Want to go beyond ‘sex-disaggregated data’ and actually uncover root inequalities? This toolkit walks you through how to do it—from team setup to policy recommendations: It gives tips on how to.. Build a diverse, interdisciplinary team → Include people with lived experience, gender specialists, and local actors to avoid narrow or biased analysis. Ground your work in power, not just categories → The toolkit encourages asking: Who holds power? Who faces constraints?—across gender, race, disability, class, migration status, and more. Use intersectional guiding questions → Go beyond “What are women’s needs?” to “How do different groups of women and men experience this differently—and why?” Map structural barriers and compounding risks → Identify how systems (legal, economic, cultural) reinforce inequality across intersecting identities. Apply ethics and safeguarding at every step → Includes tips on informed consent, privacy, and avoiding retraumatization when working with vulnerable groups. Well worth downloading. #IntersectionalGenderAnalysis #GenderAnalysis 🔔 Follow me for similar content

Change the system, not the individuals. This trans day of visibility, I encourage organizations to change their environments for transgender & gender diverse (TGD) inclusion. 🗺 Co-design workplace initiatives, practices and experiences with transgender & gender diverse (TGD) folks. Pay, recognise and reward them for this unique and vital contribution. This is not volunteer work, this is a form of research, this is culture building, this is experience design. This has an emotional tax so pay the bills. 🛑 Drive a zero tolerance approach for all forms of transphobia. Clearly define what’s a teachable moment (i.e. make a mistake, acknowledge it, apologize, aim to not make the same mistake, show growth) and what’s a sackable moment. Embed this into your code of conduct, policies, practices, training and values/behaviors efforts. Hiring? Here are Some Specific Edits at “Joining” Stage of the Employee Lifecycle. Systems: Review all systems and forms where gender markers and pronouns are asked. What options do you provide? What comes next and is it an ID/verification check? If so, what happens when someone’s government name and documentation doesn’t match their name on file? Can this be avoided and if not, are you teams trained on inclusive customer/employee experience? If a candidate is likely to meet 4-5 people during the hiring process, how will you ensure you limit the risk of them being misgendered or deadnaming occurring? See Envato example in comments. Process: Review your recruitment practices end to end with TGD employees and/or experts. Where you think you are being equal, you may need to consider where it is necessary to be equitable. Sameness isn't fairness. This includes when you collect information and why, unbiased interviews and selection practices and making sure your role descriptions and selection criteria are robust and line up otherwise, it’s left to “gut feel” and bias will come into play. Not all trans colleagues or candidates are out at work, and no two trans people will have an identical journey or transition. So remember to treat everyone uniquely, and without bias. Language: De-gender your targets, adverts and language. Use “they/them” as a default. Ensure you have 40/40/20 targets not 50/50 gender targets as nothing tells a non-binary colleague they aren't welcome in the exec team more than a target that literally denies their existence. Demonstrate: Show candidates not tell them. On your careers page, adverts and key hiring process points remind candidates that they can access someone in your team who is trained and aware of the barriers trans and gender diverse people face through the application process, and in work. See: Coles example in comments. Leverage (and credit) some great trans-led organizations who are specialists in this work. I’ll drop examples in the comments. What would you add?

❌ Good morning ladies and gentlemen ✅ Good morning all / people / Everyone The first one, though seemingly polite, is not inclusive—it leaves out individuals who may not identify within those categories. As leaders and managers, our words carry weight. Inclusive communication builds trust, psychological safety, and a sense of belonging in the workplace. Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts to foster inclusivity: Greetings ❌ Hey guys ✅ Hello everyone / Hi team Addressing the team ❌ He/she will handle it. ✅ They will handle it. (Use gender-neutral pronouns where appropriate.) Assumptions in conversations ❌ Let’s ask the young ones for tech help. ✅ Let’s collaborate and get everyone’s perspective. Feedback ❌ That’s too bold for someone in your position. ✅ That’s a strong idea—how can we refine it further? Small changes in language can make a big difference in creating a workplace where everyone feels seen and valued. As #leaders: Are you unintentionally using language that excludes? It’s time to reflect and make a shift. Let’s communicate with intention. What are some inclusive communication tips you’ve adopted? Share them in the comments #InclusiveLeadership #CommunicationMatters #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipTips #AmplifyWithAarti

Gender bias continues to undermine workplace accountability. Recent research published in the Harvard Business Review reveals a troubling truth: Women’s complaints of workplace abuse are more likely to be ignored than men’s, particularly when evidence is limited. Scholars from UNC Chapel Hill and Wharton found that when a woman raises concerns without corroborating evidence, third parties are significantly less likely to take corrective action compared to when a man does the same. We’re not dealing with one-off cases - this is a systemic accountability gap. Managers, often the first point of contact, may unintentionally downplay women’s reports due to ingrained stereotypes about credibility. To change this, organisations need to re-engineer their accountability systems. The study highlights clear actions: 👉 Separate report evaluators from report receivers – managers shouldn’t be the only gatekeepers. 👉 Standardise evaluation processes – every complaint should be assessed consistently. 👉 Formalise follow-ups – no report should disappear into silence. 👉 Offer protected reporting channels – create multiple safe avenues. 👉 Support reporters with follow-up tools – allow them to add further context over time. These are not just compliance measures. They are trust measures. They demonstrate to employees that their voices matter, their safety matters, and their dignity matters. The organisations that lead on gender equity will be those that create systems where every complaint is taken seriously - without exception. The question I leave to you: How is your organisation ensuring that all complaints are addressed with the seriousness they deserve? #GenderEquity #Harassment #DEI #EDI #GenderEquality