Every successful business or company often credits workplace diversity, equality and inclusion as one of the reasons for their success. Every member brings something from their background and experience, inspiring creativity in tackling challenges and completing projects on time.

However, not all workplaces come with these DEI policies, which puts some workers at a disadvantage. Fortunately, if you are the manager of these workspaces, here are five ways on how you can become an advocate for diversity, equality and inclusion in your workplace:

Take Initiative

Every action you take as a manager often reveals the values and beliefs you support. It also gives them the push to do the same thing.

With this in mind, if you see a team member being excluded from the group, make it clear you do not tolerate this behaviour and get them involved in the discussions. You should also ask your team to contribute to the discussions and open your doors to listen to them.

Failure to show that you are open to inclusion, diversity, and equality will signal to your team that you don’t support them.

Don’t Be Afraid of Change

Change in the workplace is never easy, especially when it comes to adopting new policies. There’s the fear that your team may not accept the latest policies, which may damage your relationship with your team and many others. However, by embracing change, you will be able to open conversations regarding the changes and allow them to propose adjustments which they believe would help the entire team. You will also be able to provide the proper support to your team members, especially when you reach an impasse or they try to avoid discussions.

Get Everyone Involved

Sometimes, it is hard to stop ourselves from reaching out to people we can count on to get things done. However, while this is good in some situations, it may not work if you want to introduce new policies on inclusion, equality, and diversity in the workplace. Everyone has to be involved to succeed in introducing positive change in the workplace.

Some ways to involve everyone in changing your workplace include distributing work equally to the team. Don’t hesitate to ask members about which tasks they want to work on and review their progress to see if they need help.

Have Mentorship Programs

Mentorship programs can also help create workplace diversity initiatives by allowing each team member to advance in their position. Mentors should not be selective with who they mentor.

If you don’t have the capacity for a mentorship program, you can connect your team to a third-party resource group focused on career growth and development. You can also hire a diverse staff to diversify your team and strengthen your performance.

Remove Biases in the Evaluation & Promotion Process

It is highly recommended to remove bias from affecting the evaluation and promotion process. Failure to do so only shows how unfair your workplace practices are and how they affect your reputation with potential applicants. Use gender-neutral language in job descriptions to make your job openings open to everyone. You can also set goals for your diversity and inclusion targets so the entire team can track your progress.

Every business is different in how it can achieve diversity, inclusion, and equality in the workplace. As a manager, you will definitely meet challenges in pushing for it. But with a clear plan and dedication, you will be able to see improvements in how your team interacts and get things underway.

If you’re serious about freelancing success, this is the guide you need. Get it before the next client lands in your inbox.