How we can all be inclusive colleagues

It’s been another big year for Anchor when looking at our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) activity. We are always striving to improve things for our colleagues and residents and make sure we are an inclusive place to work. 

We know that being an inclusive and diverse workplace has many benefits; it improves performance, it attracts new colleagues and keeps the brilliant colleagues we have already. 

That’s why for us here at Anchor, we are so proud to be awarded Silver by Inclusive Employers this year, as part of their national standard. It is a great way to recognise our efforts and gives us a benchmark for where we can do better. 

Creating an inclusive environment is an ongoing process for everyone and we all have a duty to act in a way that champions EDI. But how do we do this in the most practical sense? Here’s 5 tips that can help you foster EDI in the workplace wherever you work. 

5 ways to create an inclusive workplace environment

1. Celebrate difference: At Anchor, we aim to celebrate individual differences and one of the ways we do this is with awareness days and months. By getting involved in these awareness days and months, you can learn about people’s backgrounds, lived experience and cultures and it lets your colleagues know that you appreciate those differences. These small actions can make a big difference. 
2. Communicate mindfully: Be respectful and patient, always listen and allow others to speak and express themselves. Make sure you are respectful of peoples’ time and give them your full attention by being courteous and not interrupting and over-talking. 
3. Use personal pronouns: Try introducing yourself with your pronouns added on at the end. This helps to create a space where people can express their gender freely. It’s a great way to make the meeting feel inclusive from the very start. You do not have to share your pronouns if you don’t want to but do create a space where people can share theirs and they are acknowledged. 
4. Stay open and curious: Becoming and remaining inclusive is a process, so and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. What’s important is to continue looking for opportunities to learn and grow when it comes to EDI. This allows us to challenge (both in a positive and negative way) our beliefs and our cultural and personal patterns.
5. Speak up: If you hear something or see something that you know is wrong and it doesn’t foster inclusion then challenge it. If you don’t feel comfortable tackling the issue head on, then you can use other tactics such as distraction (take the target away or change the subject) or you can escalate the situation to someone more senior. Speaking up is so important in helping people feel like they are supported at work.

You can find out more about how Anchor is focused on making diversity and inclusion an everyday reality for our colleagues and residents on our Diversity and Inclusion page here.

Teagan Robinson (She/Her) is Anchor’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager