Putting inclusivity at the heart of leadership

By Dr Julie Smith
Clinical psychologist, best-selling author and social influencer

In this article in our wellbeing at work series, we describe how:

• to understand the importance of inclusivity, you should first realise the importance of diversity
• psychological safety has had a profound effect on corporate culture and attitudes to diversity and inclusion
• for leaders to become more inclusive, people and ideas should be approached with curiosity rather than judgment

Over the past few months, we've discussed the many ways you and your team can create the space to feel comfortable and be productive, from wellness-boosting tips to techniques for team building. We’ve talked about trust and bravery, diversity and psychological safety and looked at the dangers of burnout and how to avoid it.

Everyone is different

One of the recurring themes I've taken away from talking to people from across Bupa is a recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all. Everyone is different. Presented with a given situation, we all react in our own way. That can be the result of personality, mindset and external factors. And it's important for us all to recognise that not all of these things can be modified.

Instead, we need to think about how to make an environment where a variety of different approaches are welcomed. And that's why we're talking about inclusivity.

I spoke to Julie Stephens, Group Director of Wellbeing, Inclusion, Health and Safety, and Kate Dee, Chief People Officer, Bupa Asia Pacific (APAC), to see what they think makes inclusivity so vital to a successful business environment.

Inclusivity is the key to unlocking diversity

Julie tells me that to understand the importance of inclusivity, you should first realise the importance of diversity. “To be truly customer-centric, we must first reflect and understand the communities we serve, particularly in healthcare,” she says. “Diversity has long been proven to generate greater innovation, the kind needed to solve our customers' problems and improve health outcomes for them and their families.”

But hiring people who have different backgrounds, skills and approaches is not enough on its own.

According to Diversity Council Australia, an inclusive culture means you are five times more likely to innovate, five times more likely to be very satisfied with your job, three times more likely to provide excellent customer service and twice as likely to have regular career development opportunities. People who work in inclusive environments feel better valued, more cared for and have greater belief in the legitimacy of their opinions.

Kate adds: “At Bupa, we not only believe in workplace inclusion because it is the right thing to do (which it is) or because it is core to wellbeing (which it is) – we also know it is the only way we can genuinely support the needs of our equally diverse customers.”

Building inclusivity through psychological safety

Julie points to the work of Amy C Edmondson, Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School, whose work on psychological safety has had a profound effect on corporate culture and attitudes to diversity and inclusion.

Here's Edmondson's definition of psychological safety in an article for PwC:

“Study after study,” Edmonson says, “has shown a consistently positive relationship between psychological safety and team performance.”

As Kate points out, “No one should ever be in a position where their energy is spent hiding who they are, for fear of being misunderstood, or discriminated against. This energy should be available to all of us to deliver our best – and to value the unique talents, experiences and perspectives of others.”

Creating an inclusive environment

As Bupa's Group Director of Wellbeing, Julie thinks “leaders and managers need to create psychological safety to encourage inclusivity in their teams”.

She has come up with a three-point plan to help them do exactly that:

1. Make it clear our work requires everyone to speak up, to share mistakes, to learn to shape what we do. As a leader you do not have all the answers; be humble.
2. Invite participation – seek to listen to your team, appreciate contribution, be curious and ask more questions. Ensure what you hear changes or improves what the team works on.
3. Visibly appreciate what your team tells you. Show you care, particularly when it's bad news, and value when people have spoken up.

Julie adds: “If a leader is truly living by values of inclusivity and demonstrating it, then it can shift the culture of an entire workplace. But if those values are preached without any real demonstration of it, I think most people quickly see through that.”

Small things make a big difference

Kate says that even the smallest nods of recognition can act as lightning rods for inclusivity. “The tone we use in response to a question, the support we show for an idea or the gratitude we show for effort all contribute to a feeling of safety and inclusion for our people. What choices/actions/language are we using that might unintentionally be disabling? When have we ignored something we should have called out? And, conversely, how do we amplify our positive impact? Conscious reflection is key.

“We need to keep an open mind to the evolving needs of our people and, when in doubt, we should feel comfortable to ask what works best for them. The very act of asking shows willingness to make things better for those around us.”

Seeing is believing: change through inclusivity

Julie has seen the effects of the inclusivity culture shift first-hand: