How Inclusive Community Engagement Builds a Better Workplace

It’s a lofty and worthwhile goal to be a good employer and provide a healthy workplace that fosters growth and success. Many businesses consider their employees to be their greatest assets and spend a lot of time and money making sure they are providing good resources and benefits, but they are missing an essential part of the bigger picture- community engagement. And not just any community engagement- inclusive and dynamic engagement that encourages innovation in the workplace.

We’ve found that the best way to approach inclusive community building is exactly how we approach any great project- learning about your community, designing a plan to meet your goals and making it happen.

Let’s look at why you should be building an inclusive community in your workplace and how to make it happen.

Do ALL your employees feel safe to speak up?

First, let’s think about what inclusive community engagement looks like. In a perfect world, everyone would be able to speak their mind and propose new ideas confidently. The reality is that many people struggle to be heard due to a wide variety of reasons including job title, personality type, race, socioeconomic status, or disability, among others.

Encouraging people to speak up can be hard. One way we strive to make that happen at Haven Creative is by practicing radical candor. When everyone is encouraged and expected to challenge directly while still caring on a personal level, it is easier to have candid conversations that spark inclusion without personal issues arising.

By being mindful of individual issues that may keep your employees from engaging in the community you are trying to build, you can better accommodate and level the playing field to create a community built on respect and accountability. It’s important to reach out and consider every stakeholder, employee, and staff member that your policies and efforts will affect. No member of your community is too small or insignificant to be heard.

By celebrating that diversity and making your employees feel heard no matter their status, you open the doors to integration.

Do you really need an inclusive community?

It might be tempting to think that as long as a decent percent of your employees are participating in your programs that it’s “good enough,” but the reason that inclusivity is so valuable is the unique perspectives marginalized groups bring to the table. Perspectives you would have been incapable of even perceiving.

Arming yourself with a complete picture of your employee’s likes, dislikes, desires, and needs is the smart and productive choice that will allow your community engagement to grow and prosper.

Building trust and unlocking new ideas

Now that you know the importance of building an inclusive community, let’s talk about making it happen. Saying you offer an inclusive community and actually creating a safe environment are two different things.

A great place to start is by taking an audit of the language your company is presently using. Check for micro-aggressions and harmful assumptions that can make a marginalized individual feel unwelcome or targeted.

Another important thing to consider is what barriers are preventing effective community engagement. Do you mostly send out polls over emails or host in-person events? Some of your employees might not use emails efficiently or have physical difficulties that prevent them from attending in-person events. Do you offer anonymous communication options and follow-up on concerns?

As you begin to take a closer look at your community engagement efforts, keep an open mind. Don’t get offended when you learn of changes that need to be made. Being heard and acknowledged can go a long way toward building trust and creating the balanced and inclusive community engagement program you’ve been dreaming of.

There is always room for improvement in any community. At HAVEN Creative®, we are committed to continuously listening to and growing our own inclusive community and yours! Ready to get started? We are confident we can help you build an inclusive community through internal communications.