10 Ways to Create a Safe and Inclusive Environment for Employees to Share Their Perspectives
Curious about what industry leaders are doing to foster inclusive environments? Find out how a renowned Author of The Power of HR and CEO emphasizes Psychological Safety as the first essential step. With exclusive insights, a total of ten experts weighed in, concluding with a dynamic approach from a visionary Founder promoting open sharing from leaders. Embrace innovative solutions for a thriving workplace revealed by top experts.
- Model Psychological Safety
- Eliminate Bias in Hiring
- Enforce Honest-Communication Policies
- Incorporate Themed Discussions in Meetings
- Allow Anonymous Sharing
- Expand and Diversify HR
- Implement Regular Diversity Workshops
- Establish Leadership-Led Courageous Conversations
- Encourage Cultural Competency Training
- Leaders Share Experiences Openly
Model Psychological Safety
Employees develop trust when they feel the sentiment is mutual. I've found the best way to create a safe and inclusive environment for employees is to ensure leaders know and model psychological safety. Employees should not be given a reason to fear retaliation for sharing ideas. Instead, leaders should listen to ideas and embrace the heart behind what's being said. That's not to say that every idea is actionable, but it should be responded to in a way that builds credible trustworthiness and safety.
Eliminate Bias in Hiring
As a recruiter, I know that hiring for diverse experiences is key to fostering an office where everyone feels comfortable sharing their perspective. Too many companies bring on a token worker that checks a box and then wonder why the office culture remains stagnant. In other words, they are doing the minimum but expecting maximum results.
Creating a safe and inclusive atmosphere requires time and dedication. Marginalized workers won't feel good about speaking up if they suspect they're alone in their concerns. They will naturally worry about being singled out as needlessly disgruntled.
That's why I always counsel companies looking to increase honest communication to go back and review their hiring practices, making sure bias is eliminated and varying cultures and backgrounds are sought. This is where you must start if you are truly committed to workplace openness.
Enforce Honest-Communication Policies
Your commitment to openness must be more than superficial if you truly want employees to speak freely at work. As a recruiter, this is a common complaint I hear from workers looking to move on. They'd assumed that an honest-communication policy would be enforced, only to find all that talk about inclusion to be lip service. Once they truly spoke up about bias or marginalization, they quickly found themselves further ostracized. And it was very rarely direct action. Rather, they felt at the mercy of bias and microaggressions, passed over for qualified work, and the recipient of coldness in the office setting.
Business owners, CEOs, and managers must be aware that they are setting the tone for the entire workforce. Best practices are one thing, but if you are allowing small, sometimes inadvertent, favoritism to creep in after a worker speaks up, you're actually fostering an environment where people are afraid to come forward. Check your own behavior carefully. Are you letting emotion enter the picture? It's natural to feel frustrated when an employee complains, but that negativity must be funneled internally and used to expedite change. Next, direct the same focus to other workers. An open-communication policy must be enforced by nipping in the bud any partiality or intolerance within team members.
Incorporate Themed Discussions in Meetings
One practice that I highly encourage my clients to incorporate into their team meetings is to pick a theme and build in time for discussion around this topic. For example, it could be around their communication preferences, how they prefer to receive feedback and praise, their approach to conflict, unique experiences from their upbringing, challenges they've overcome, and more.
These types of discussions, particularly when weaved into work conversations or team meeting agendas, can be powerful ways to build trust and understand how differently everyone experiences the world. This can be taken a step further by building out norms or "rules of engagement" for the team, particularly around topics with differing opinions or approaches. The key is to intentionally build in time to have these conversations in a way that supports performance, productivity, and other key metrics that are important to the team. That allows everyone to make the connection between the relationships they build together and the outcomes the team achieves.
Allow Anonymous Sharing
As human beings, we are a judgmental lot. So, when an employee gathers the courage to speak or share, we know it's not just their feelings we'd be witnessing and acknowledging, but also the inadequacies we've come to associate with them.
Allowing employees to share their worries and wins anonymously is a great way to cut through this haze. In addition to a judgment-free environment where only thoughts and ideas grab attention, it also gives people the opportunity to empathize without personal opinions clouding their minds.
You could argue that anonymity is no way to promote safety and inclusivity, but if your broader diversity goals are met, and if you're left with a workforce that's much more sensitive toward the issues and needs of their fellow workers, I think it's worth it.
Expand and Diversify HR
An inclusive workplace starts with a robust and well-equipped human resources department. As your company grows, you should expand HR accordingly. At some point, I looked at our HR team and realized we needed to expand—quickly. It's easy to think of them last, but these are the people who keep your company running smoothly. Employees who feel like HR is overworked are more likely to keep silent about issues in the office. The end result can be lowered retention rates.
Of course, size isn't the only factor. A strong and capable HR team should include diverse voices. Inclusive hiring here is so important to creating a safe and open workplace. Take a hard look at your HR department and consider whether you are adequately representing your workers. You should aim for a makeup that reflects every level of employee. This will go a long way toward reducing bias and marginalization, and it is key to free and genuine employee communication.
Implement Regular Diversity Workshops
Creating a safe and inclusive environment for employees to share their experiences and perspectives is essential for fostering a healthy workplace culture. One effective practice that I've found is the implementation of consistent exposure, awareness, and education through regular workshops. These workshops provide a platform for open dialogue, allowing employees to engage in discussions about diversity, inclusion, and personal experiences in a supportive setting.
To eliminate the stigma associated with these conversations, organizations should normalize discussions around diversity and inclusion. Structured workshops that focus on education and storytelling can empower employees to share their own experiences without fear of judgment. Additionally, inviting guest speakers from diverse backgrounds can broaden perspectives and foster empathy among employees.
Leadership plays a critical role in this process. Managers, Directors, General Managers, and CEOs must not only endorse diversity and inclusion verbally but also demonstrate a genuine commitment through their actions. When senior leaders actively engage in these discussions and approach them with openness and authenticity, it sets a powerful example for the entire organization. Employees are more likely to feel safe sharing their perspectives when they see that their leaders are willing to participate in these conversations without criticism.
Furthermore, providing anonymous feedback mechanisms can encourage employees to voice concerns or suggestions without fear of reprisal. This enhances the culture of inclusivity by allowing everyone to contribute to the conversation.
In conclusion, consistent exposure, awareness, and education are key to creating a safe environment for employees to share their experiences. By normalizing discussions about diversity and ensuring that leadership demonstrates commitment to these values, organizations can cultivate a culture where every employee feels valued and heard. This ultimately leads to a more engaged workforce and a more innovative, successful organization.
Establish Leadership-Led Courageous Conversations
Creating a safe and inclusive environment requires a top-down commitment, where leadership authentically embraces inclusivity—not just as a message, but as a core value demonstrated in action. One effective practice is establishing leadership-led 'courageous conversations' that model open, transparent dialogue. In these sessions, executives share their own experiences and perspectives on topics like diversity, equity, and inclusion, setting an example of vulnerability and openness.
This approach shows that creating an inclusive culture isn't just a directive passed down, but a responsibility leaders take seriously. By openly participating and being receptive to feedback, leaders signal that diverse perspectives are valued and that the goal is real change, not simply optics. When leadership authentically models this behavior, it creates a ripple effect that encourages all employees to share openly, building a culture where everyone's voice is heard and respected.
Encourage Cultural Competency Training
One way to do this is by encouraging all employees to take cultural competency training. The workplace is made up of diverse cultures, which can lead to various expectations of what is "culturally appropriate." By understanding and being open to various cultural backgrounds, employees can actively listen to their colleagues, and their colleagues know that when they share their perspectives, they will be heard.
Leaders Share Experiences Openly
When leaders participate and share their experiences uninhibitedly, it makes it easier for the workforce to follow suit without fear of prejudice. While this begins with hiring a leadership team that showcases an organization’s commitment to inclusivity, elements like open dialogue, active listening, and transparency on the leadership front further foster a culture where employees find it safe to express their feelings and concerns. Leader involvement and participation also reiterate a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination and bias, further cementing employee trust and confidence.
