7 simple ways to make your business more diverse and inclusive

During Pride month earlier this year, we got to talking about what more we could do to make Melo even more diverse and inclusive.

It got us thinking about all the ways that businesses in the financial advice sector could do more to improve employee satisfaction and productivity in the process. So, if you’ve been wondering how you can do more, you’re not alone.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that around 3% of people in England and Wales aged 16 or over identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual in 2021. Similarly, around 0.5% of people indicated that the gender they identified with was different from their gender registered at birth. So, it’s never been more important to try and make your business as inclusive and diverse as possible.

Read on to discover the seven simple ways that you can do just that.

1. Talk to your employees and learn about their experiences

Firstly, it can be a great idea to get a firm understanding of where you currently stand regarding inclusivity and diversity in your workplace. The best way to do this is by talking to your staff and gathering data about their experiences.

As discretion is incredibly important, a suggestion would be to send an anonymous survey to your employees that features the option for them to provide written feedback.

2. Utilise the experience of your team

Forming a working group with an open call put out to everyone can send the message that everyone is in this together and sometimes lead to unexpected results.

By putting the call out to everyone, you can see who’s passionate about making a difference in the business. Moreover, not approaching anyone directly avoids the risk of making an individual feel like a “token” figure.

3. Set the standard that you expect your staff to follow

As a business owner, it is down to you to set the standards that all employees must follow in terms of promoting inclusivity and diversity. However, you’re also not expected to have all the answers straight away.

As you learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), it’s important to acknowledge you are on a journey. This will encourage other members of your workforce to acknowledge and understand that they also have more work to do.

4. Create a culture for learning

This is a vital part of running any business. As well as leading inclusively and setting the standard that you expect your staff to follow, you could also have team workshops or bring in guest speakers to encourage your employees to discuss different topics or themes.

5. Use sensitivity and discretion

When considering LGBTQ+ employees, discretion and sensitivity is essential. They might not be fully comfortable discussing their gender identity or sexuality.

So, using your judgement, sensitivity and discretion is vital here. It’s a great way of making sure that you get your inclusion programme right for you and your staff. If you’re trying to create a more inclusive workplace, your underrepresented communities are more likely to respond positively.

6. Devise a plan for the future that promotes greater inclusion and diversity

When you know exactly where your strengths and weaknesses lie, you’ll be able to set an ambitious plan for your business that will enable you and your staff to promote greater diversity and inclusion.

While devising a plan for the future is vital, businesses that are more inclusive and diverse have also been found to consistently outperform other businesses.

7. Be patient – things will take time

The opportunities and challenges of DEI will always take time to address and understand but even the smallest steps can make a big difference. Making sure that your staff feel like they belong will be worth the effort and your business, and employees, will be better off for it.

Get in touch

Running a business is never easy, especially when you’re trying to sell it. So don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you would like honest advice and support throughout the sale process. Email hello@melo.co.uk or call 0113 4656 111.