For leaders, fostering inclusion goes beyond organizational goals—it’s about creating a workplace where every person feels genuinely valued. An inclusive environment encourages trust, fuels engagement, and strengthens team cohesion. When leaders actively promote inclusivity, they enable their teams to bring their full selves to work, positively impacting culture and driving success.
When asked about effective strategies for leaders to foster inclusion, Brian Snodgrass, Vice President of Product & Technology at Terryberry, says, “To foster true inclusion, leaders need to go beyond policies and create an environment where everyone feels empowered to share their perspectives. Effective strategies include building a culture of psychological safety where employees feel respected, investing in continuous learning around diversity topics, and ensuring transparent communication. When leaders model inclusivity in their actions and decisions, it signals to the team that every voice matters and strengthens the sense of belonging across the organization.”
What Does Workplace Inclusion Really Mean?
An inclusive work culture aims for workers to open up about parts of their lives or themselves without worry of backlash — if they choose to. A workplace that welcomes everyone makes staff feel appreciated, engaged, and esteemed for their unique outlooks, thoughts, viewpoints, and backgrounds. Employees know they play a key role in the company and can be themselves without feeling the need to hide or downplay any aspect of who they are.
Is your DEI program designed to foster an inclusive work culture?
Inclusion is vital for effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Companies must take real action to support their workers. To genuinely promote inclusion, organizations should implement specific DEI tips, such as tailoring their plans to their unique contexts and investing in training leaders to be inclusive. These steps can help cultivate a welcoming workplace culture for everyone.
Inclusion is key to making diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts work well. It takes more than just wanting to do good; companies need to take real steps to back up their workers. Take this example: if a company says it supports families but doesn’t offer flexible work options, it can hurt its trustworthiness. In the same way, not making room for different cultural practices weakens true inclusion.
To genuinely promote inclusion, organizations should implement specific DEI tips, such as tailoring their plans to their unique contexts and investing in training leaders to be inclusive. This helps create a workplace culture that welcomes everyone.
Creating an Inclusive Work Culture: 5 Keys for Leaders
Unsure how to enhance inclusion in the workplace? Here are some practical strategies for leaders to cultivate a more inclusive culture.
1. Encourage meaningful, real engagement.
There is a difference between being asked to join the conversation and actually having agency over what that conversation will be. When making strategic decisions, a good leader will take advantage of the opportunity to have divergent viewpoints. You must build a psychologically safe working environment where employees can freely share their opinions and ideas. This empowerment is important in encouraging employees to take action. It demonstrates that you value their perspectives and are committed to addressing their concerns.
“Inclusive leaders don’t just invite participation—they empower their team members to have a real impact,” says Snodgrass. “Creating a culture of psychological safety, where employees feel their contributions are respected and valued, is crucial. This empowerment builds trust, encourages engagement, and motivates individuals to take initiative.”
2. Invest in your employees.
Organizations that offer opportunities for leadership development increase employee confidence, readiness, impact, and a greater sense of value within the company. Providing training and mentorship offers the skills employees need to learn and shows that you are willing to support development.
It is crucial to make those opportunities available not only for individuals in the “high potential” category; otherwise, it can be biased. Make the tools you use to build your products great and democratize access so that all can benefit & thrive in a more inclusive workplace.
3. Commit to diverse representation
Workplace inclusion also covers new hires, so your recruiting team needs to reflect the same diversity as the workplace. This includes screening for bias and taking steps to eliminate it, training a broad range of interview panels, and proactively supporting applicants with differing needs.
Once onboarded, it is critical to ensure that new hires feel integrated and challenge any imposed social or work-related segregation. This encourages them to work together and break down these lines, which will improve diversity outreach in the daily management of a company.
4. Be purposeful in your messages and behaviors
Building an inclusive work culture takes time but can be easily damaged. Leaders must keep their mission and culture in focus, especially during changes. Effective communication is crucial, with a focus on being invitational, accountable, consistent, and purposeful. Analyzing corporate responses to events like George Floyd’s murder shows that specific, actionable communication fosters a perception of inclusivity. Engaging in deeper conversations rather than relying on superficial statements can significantly enhance workplace inclusion.
“The language and actions of leaders directly shape workplace culture,” explains Snodgrass. “Clear, actionable communication is essential, especially during times of change. By focusing on accountability and consistency, leaders can reinforce their commitment to inclusivity, encouraging open conversations and genuine connections within the team.”
5. Continue to evolve
When we think about how workplaces should or can work, it is easy to want a fast and simple answer that works for everyone, but the nuances are key. This flexibility will be necessary since what works for one group might not work for another. One-off solutions tend to fail, as different groups of employees struggle with different problems based on their identities. It may miss the challenges confronted by women of color or transgender; it is surreal that we have to say this, but it is obviously unhelpful.
Given the dynamics of our modern workplaces, it takes a more fluid, organic journey to build robust inclusion and belonging. It is important to consistently include a diverse lens while reviewing policies.
