Inclusion at Work Week is finally here!
DCA is kicking off this momentous occasion by sharing with you a sneak peek at some exclusive data from our upcoming Inclusion@Work Index that illustrates the real-life benefits of inclusion.
But first, we’d like to give some background about this special week.
Now in its second year, Inclusion at Work Week is DCA’s annual week-long celebration of all the great work Australian organisations do to foster a more inclusive and diverse workforce.
It’s a digital campaign that provides a platform to connect and share why D&I is important to you, as well as an excellent platform to showcase all the great work your organisation does in this space using the hashtag #InclusionAtWorkWeek.
Inclusion is much more than just a “feel good” exercise, and, thanks to newly released data from DCA’s upcoming 2023-2024 Inclusion@Work Index, we’ve got the research to prove it.
Below are just a few reasons why inclusion at work is important.
Australian workers want their workplace to be inclusive
Inclusion occurs when a diversity of people (i.e. from different ages, cultural backgrounds, genders) feel respected, connected, and able to progress and contribute to organisational success.
The latest Inclusion@Work Index data shows the overwhelming majority of Australian workers support inclusion at work efforts. Three-quarters of respondents said they support or strongly support their organisation taking action to create a workplace that is diverse and inclusive.
This is particularly true for marginalised workers, and those entering the workforce, proving that the more inclusive your organisation is, the easier it is to attract and retain new and previously untapped talent.
Inclusion is good for your mental health
Workplace inclusion significantly increases employee wellbeing. According to the Index, the more inclusive an organisation is, the more satisfied, secure, and successful its employees tend to be.
Specifically, workers in inclusive teams are:
- 10 times more likely to be very satisfied than workers from non-inclusive teams
- three times less likely to leave their organisation
- more than twice as likely to receive useful feedback from their colleagues.
With this in mind, it’s not surprising respondents who belong to an inclusive team were also four times more likely to report that their workplace has a positive impact on their mental health.
Inclusion boosts performance and profit
The index consistently shows a strong link between inclusion at work and team performance.
The data revealed that inclusive teams are:
- more than twice as likely to work extra hard to help their team succeed
- almost 10 times more likely to be innovative
- eight times more likely to work effectively together
- four times more likely to provide excellent customer service.
Further research shows that more inclusive companies also outperform their competitors by 25 to 36 per cent.
Inclusion minimises risk
Exclusion at work harms both people and businesses. For employees, experiencing discrimination and harassment can harm their wellbeing and impact their performance. For organisations, it risks costly lawsuits and loss of organisational reputation.
In fact, the Australian Human Rights Commission estimates that workplace bullying costs Australian employers between $6 and $36 billion dollars every year.
The good news is that workplaces that are inclusive have much lower rates of discrimination and harassment. Specifically, the index showed workers in inclusive teams are 5 times less likely to experience discrimination and/or harassment at work compared to those in non-inclusive teams.