2024 is over and the new year is just around the corner. Many of us are looking at world events with concern and wondering how political divisions and the shift to the right will affect our work. This is especially true for those who take responsibility for employees – be it HR, those in leadership positions, equal opportunities officers or diversity managers. When we prepare content for workshops or other joint activities with our customers, we increasingly hear questions like, “We’re an international company, how do we deal with it when employees come from countries that are now at war with each other?” or “How can I support our employees in countering right-wing statements from colleagues?”
Managers and diversity managers can promote diversity at work
In other words, diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI) will only become more important in the new year, because only by being aware of the needs and challenges of as many people as possible can we ensure that they can work well together. At the same time, more and more DEI initiatives are being canceled and budgets for inclusion measures are being drastically cut. What can you do as a (diversity) manager to ensure a pleasant working environment in which diversity is valued?
Make a plan
Even if you don't have the capacity to create a sophisticated DEI strategy right now, or if next year's budget is still unclear, take some time to think about what you want in terms of diversity and inclusion for the coming year (either alone or with your team). For example, you could ask yourself what was missing in 2024 that would have been necessary to create a truly inclusive work culture, or what your company would look like by the end of 2025 if everything went perfectly in terms of DEI. Write down - as specifically as possible - what you would like to achieve and what it will take to get there so that you can use it as a guide throughout the year and keep coming back to your goals.
Think beyond the basics of diversity
There is one thing we say over and over again: diversity not only concerns everyone, it also affects everyone at some point in their lives, because diversity is more than just gender, race or disability. Of course, the focus is on certain characteristics, many of which are also protected by law, for good reason; they frequently lead to discrimination and tend to have a decisive impact on a person’s life. But to ensure that everyone feels seen and valued, and to help them understand the needs of others, it is helpful to also consider characteristics that often get neglected – for example, age, class or beauty standards. Consider (or find out, for example through an employee survey) which topics are particularly relevant to your employees' identities and how you can link them to DEI. On the one hand, this will help you find allies, and on the other hand, it is useful for planning measures that your employees can really connect to – which is important, because people who feel forced into DEI measures learn significantly less.
Include DEI from the very beginning
Bring diversity into your company right from January 1, 2025 to set the tone for the coming year. You can get very creative with this! Whether it's something small, such as a new wall calendar with pictures of diverse people, or something bigger, such as a series of lunchtime talks on various diversity topics in the first few weeks of January – the clearer it is from the outset that diversity and inclusion are part of your work culture, the more likely the topic is to be taken seriously and the less individual employees can avoid it.
Create spaces for exchange
Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure to dissolve the tensions we described in the introduction to this post. But it has been shown time and again that ignoring and repressing them is counterproductive in the long run. It makes more sense to consciously give them space. Create opportunities to bring employees together and encourage them to exchange ideas, beliefs and needs. Depending on how you assess the mood, this can take different forms. For example, you could organize a team lunch or a small networking event where employees can get to know each other better by deliberately mixing with people from different departments or different backgrounds (proven to be the best way to counteract bias!) or a joint workshop on relevant topics. If there are already obvious conflicts, supervision facilitated by an external coach can help you find a way to deal with them in a safe environment.
Get creative and make DEI part of your everyday work
Let's be honest: when it comes to measures for more diversity, inclusion and equity, most people think of lectures and workshops first. It's not for nothing that these are particularly popular with our customers, and we’re not saying they’re not important – whether it's to create a common understanding of diversity at work, to create opportunities for exchange or to find solutions to DEI-related challenges. The disadvantage, however, is that these measures usually tend to be a one-time thing and are quickly dismissed by employees as “Yet another time-consuming training session!”. That's why creativity is needed - how can you address DEI at different levels from the very beginning and throughout the year?
A few suggestions: Hang posters with information on diversity, inclusion or bias, display information material or make it available on the intranet. Set up a table in the cafeteria or break room as a meeting place for colleagues who want to get to know each other – you can even display rotating discussion topic or get-to-know-you questions there to facilitate interesting discussions. Include a regular short check-in in your team meetings where you reflect on your work culture (you can find ideas at Time 2 Talk, for example). Organize a team-building event where everyone contributes a snack, a game, or something similar that has a special meaning for them, and reflect together on the diversity in the team. Consciously address various holidays and days of remembrance, whether it's through a nice email, appropriate decorations, or a whole event (these don't have to be religious; you could also do something for Coming Out Day or International Day Against Racism, for example). Remember: regular small thought-provoking impulses, which can be implemented with little effort and resources, usually bring about more lasting change than a single large event that is quickly forgotten in the daily work routine.
Find your DEI resolutions for 2025
Even in the worst case scenario, when there is no money and no time and the future seems uncertain, there is always one thing you can do: lead by example. Find your DEI resolutions that you can personally implement in the coming year – for example, including your pronouns in your signature and also consciously using gender-inclusive language when speaking (despite funny looks from colleagues), consciously reading an article on a diversity topic every week, attending trainings on inclusion yourself, actively initiating conversations about bias, etc. As a manager, your influence can be particularly significant here, as you set the tone for your team!
As you can see, there are many ways you can start to make your workplace more inclusive right from the start in 2025.
If you are not yet sure what makes sense for your company or where to set your priorities, we are happy to advise you and help you create exciting offers that appeal to all your employees.
With this in mind, we at IN-VISIBLE wish you happy holidays and a great start to an inclusive 2025!