Diversity of profiles and the inclusion of everyone within a company are two major assets to its smooth running. Age, gender, religion, sexual orientation and disability should not be obstacles to employment and fulfillment in the workplace. Yet the reality is sometimes quite different. In this article, Wenabi gives you a better understanding of the notion of aninclusive company, and how to meet the challenges of diversity and inclusion in the workplace today.
Understanding inclusion in the workplace
What is an inclusive company?
Before talking about inclusive business, we need to define the concepts of diversity and inclusion. Although they are complementary, it is important to differentiate between the two. Diversity focuses on the recruitment of different profiles in terms of gender, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, ideology, lifestyle, physical ability and many other factors. Inclusion, on the other hand, is the opposite of discrimination, and describes the fact of integrating an individual into the company through a sense of belonging, the quality of team cohesion, autonomy and the valuing of work.
Combining these two notions, an inclusive company takes action right from the recruitment phase, promoting the social and professional integration of people who are far from employment, based on a simple philosophy: build on the potential of each individual to promote their access to sustainable employment. In the same vein, an inclusive company operates through actions designed to create a professional environment conducive to the development of each employee, whatever their differences.
👉 Discover also examples of companies committed to different causes
Discrimination in figures
Although the last few years have seen remarkable progress in terms of inclusion in the workplace, the figures are still edifying. A survey conducted by Diversidays survey of 1,000 employees revealed that 48% of those questioned felt they had been the victim of some form of discrimination within their company.
The recruitment phase: a key moment of exclusion
According to an Ifop survey based on a sample of 4,000 employees, recruitment is the number one factor in exclusion. In fact, 21% of employees say they have already experienced discrimination when hiring. This figure shifts according to gender, with 23% of women saying they had already experienced discrimination when looking for a job, compared with 19% of men. Finally, 49% of recruiters continue to ask women if they have children.
Gender equality still a long way off
Discrimination at work therefore remains a sad reality, and sexism is an integral part of it. In 2018, Accor, EY and L'Oréal created the inter-company initiative Stop au Sexisme Ordinaire en Entreprise. The #StOpE collective brings together more than 110 companies and implements very specific means of action to combat sexism in the workplace. nonprofit has carried out a survey using a barometer designed to measure employee perceptions of the prevalence of ordinary sexism in the workplace. The survey reveals that for 82% of employees questioned: women are regularly confronted with sexist attitudes or decisions in the workplace, and 60% of those questioned agree with this assessment.
Age, a key concern
An often overlooked factor of exclusion, Diversidays nevertheless highlights the fact that age is the main concern expressed in terms of discrimination, by 45% of young people and 35% of older people. In fact, according to a study by AlterNego, 52% of the 10,000 employees surveyed aged over 60 feel that certain jobs are no longer accessible to them, compared with 28% of those aged 45-49. Nearly a third of seniors feel they have already been a victim of discrimination, compared with 9% of those in their forties.
Companies' slow progress on disability issues
The Ifop barometer highlights the paradox between the desire for inclusion and the obstacles, both perceived and real, to integrating people with disabilities into the workplace. 67% of recruiters consider that hiring people with disabilities is difficult, even though 35% of them believe that their integration is a priority for companies today. Inclusion is not just a question of adapting workstations and working hours, but also of training all teams.
These results are staggering when you consider that the impact of discrimination on the people concerned is tangible, as is the loss of self-confidence and the destabilization of their professional activity.
The quota system: an essential but still poorly applied law
Most employees, seven out of ten, recognize the positive impact of quotas, particularly in terms of promoting gender equality. As far as company directors are concerned, opinions are more divided. Even so, around half of them believe that the quota system is necessary to stimulate their company's progress in favor of diversity.
Despite this, progress remains limited: according to data from the Dares (Direction de l'animation de la recherche, des études et des statistiques), the direct employment rate of disabled people was 3.5% in 2021. This is a noteworthy statistic given that, since 1987, companies with over 20 employees have been required to have a quota of 6% disabled workers in their workforce.
Why become a more inclusive company?
The benefits of inclusiveness in the workplace
A strong diversity and inclusion policy brings many benefits to a company. Firstly, it fosters a more dynamic and creative working environment by bringing together diverse perspectives and encouraging innovation. Secondly, it can improve collaboration, communication and cohesion within teams, thus ensuring a healthier working environment.
In addition, a culture of inclusion strengthens the company's reputation as an inclusive and socially responsible employer, which can attract top talent and build employee loyalty. It also fosters employees' personal and professional development by offering them opportunities to learn and grow in a diverse environment. Finally, a company focused on diversity and inclusion can serve as a model for other organizations, fostering wider positive change in society.
Read also:
- Inclusion through sport: state of play and solutions
- Acting for the inclusion of the disabled in the workplace
Inclusive practices to prioritize in your company
Inclusive recruitment
Recruitment is one of the most important steps in becoming an inclusive company. So what are the solutions for more inclusive recruitment? First of all, recruit on the basis of skills and experience. But there are also a few rules to follow when hiring employees:
- Avoid asking questions related to origin, gender, political opinions, disability...
- Clearly state your company's values.
- Put yourself in the candidate's shoes and show empathy.
- Submit a satisfaction questionnaire to them at the end of the interview to optimize hiring methods
Onboarding
While recruitment is an essential step in the inclusion process, integration is no less necessary. Onboarding refers to the post-hiring period, a crucial stage in team cohesion. But how can onboarding and inclusion go hand in hand? By preparing the arrival of the new recruit in advance. Handling administrative formalities, introducing the team over lunch, sending out a recruitment questionnaire... The employee needs to feel integrated even before taking up his or her position within the company. Onboarding is a long and meticulous process, lasting a minimum of 3 months, the importance of which should not be underestimated.
Mobilize your teams around the theme of inclusion
Wenabi invites you to go further in the quest for inclusiveness in the workplace through concrete actions:
- Distribute the How to be an LGTQIA+ community ally guide 🛑
- Invite your employees to help a refugee find employment withnonprofit Kodiko ✊
- Become a partner ofnonprofit Elles Bougent! and enable your employees to become godmothers and inspire young girls to take up scientific and technical careers. 🧪
- Take part in Duo Day by forming pairs between your employees and people with disabilities for a day of sharing and collaboration. 🧑🤝🧑
- Discover and share disability awareness tools with your teams usingAgefiph's #ACTIVATEURDEPROGRÈS platform.
Inclusion in the workplace: what does the future hold?
Inclusion is one of the new challenges facing companies. Training your employees and raising their awareness of inequalities in the workplace would be a real source of progress and performance for your company. In line with this, 86% of working people would like their companies to get more involved in their diversity and inclusion policies. In particular, they are calling for more awareness-raising, since 54% of those questioned said they did not have a good grasp of the notion of diversity.
Dialogue between managers and their employees is unavoidable to raise awareness of the principles of inclusion and welcome differences. Ideas can be varied: satisfaction questionnaires, suggestion boxes, team meetings, emailing... The important thing is to establish a way of working that is adapted to everyone, where inclusiveness becomes an integral part of the corporate culture.
👉 Discover in this article all the levers to mobilize your company for the inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community on the occasion of Pride Month every year.
Diversity and inclusion are therefore crucial to the smooth running of companies. A strong policy in this area brings significant human and social benefits, fostering more balanced and fair workplaces. It is essential that companies step up their efforts to promote diversity and inclusion to create working environments where everyone feels valued and integrated. Would you like to make a commitment to a more inclusive society? Contact Wenabi to discuss the creation of a commitment program around inclusion.
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