Creating a company that is diverse and inclusive of all types of people is critical to your success. After all, how can you be great at what you do if you’re excluding key stakeholders? What makes a workplace inclusive? As an employer, there are several things you can do to create a more welcoming environment for everyone in your workplace.
Reconsider the traditional interview process
To make your workplace more inclusive, reconsider the traditional interview process. Rather than asking if the candidate has ever had any mental health issues, ask them to describe how they’ve dealt with stress and anxiety in their lives. This approach can help you identify the candidate who is most likely to succeed in your organization and will also serve as a reminder for candidates who have experience with mental health issues not to feel ashamed of it or hide it from future employers.
Additionally, consider providing a space where job candidates can discuss mental health during interviews—this can help put everyone at ease so that you can get more honest answers about what type of work environment would be best for them. It’s also important not to bring up these topics until after an offer has been made; there’s no need for a potential employee to worry about whether or not they’ll be able to keep their job because they had an episode while interviewing at another company!
Consider productivity versus hours worked
One of the biggest issues with making an inclusive workplace is that it can be hard to measure productivity.
When you start looking at some of the ways you can increase productivity in your company, it may feel like there’s no way to get started.
However, there are a few things you can do to make sure that productivity is a top priority for your business:
Offer flexible work options
Flexibility is a benefit that can help with work-life balance, recruitment and retention, productivity, employee satisfaction and engagement.
In addition to allowing you to work from home or on your own schedule, flexible schedules can also help you make the most of opportunities when they arise. If there’s an important meeting in another city that would take place during off hours for most employees but not for you because of your flexible schedule—great!
Develop a supportive learning environment
Fortunately, there are many ways to ensure that your workplace is welcoming for people with mental health issues. If you’re ready to take the first step, start by providing training on mental health and creating a safe space in which employees can discuss their own experiences with it. In addition to helping employees who are struggling with mental health issues cope with their condition, this type of program will help create an environment where everyone feels comfortable bringing up related topics at work.
Another way to foster an inclusive environment is by making sure your company offers resources for its employees so they can understand how they can support each other and learn more about what it means to be an ally for those struggling with mental health issues. You may also want to offer these resources online or in print format so that individuals outside of the office have access as well. Intuit CEO shares,”diversity is a fact but inclusion is a choice.”
Think about the employees who work for you. Make sure they know how much you value them. Show them that you recognize their contributions and that there are opportunities for growth within the company.
