I analysed our Inclusion Journey, Level One results – what I found was telling…
I’m delighted to say that I have been the Engagement Lead at Watch This Sp_ce for almost a year now. I have worked with so many clients at different stages of their Inclusion Journey. And I have learnt so much about the problem areas with Diversity and Inclusion work. This especially rings true whilst managing our Level One Clients, the foundation of our 12-step, inclusion journey process.
Diversity happens, Inclusion is a choice
Harjeet Khanduja
Have you never heard of our Inclusion Journey Mapping? Well, until you can grab our book, The Inclusion Journey, available this August, (and for pre-orders now).
Before the book is available, allow me to explain the process to you. Our process helps you work out where you are and how to get started. Inclusion Journey Mapping is a process which identifies the gaps and opportunities across your entire organisation, enabling you to work on your diversity and inclusion strategy methodically, starting with the foundations and building steadily with the confidence that your actions will have a meaningful impact. We look at different areas of your organisation and it will be different for each organisation we work with.
Using six key pointers, we evaluate the following within our framework:
People
- Demographics of organisation and leadership
- Staff recruitment, retention and integration
- Staff progression and development
Engagement
- Personnel inclusion, motivation, engagement
- Communications with various stakeholders
- Relationships with wider communities
Communications
- Inclusivity and accessibility of communications
- Internal communications and personnel support
- Giving / receiving feedback and raising concerns
Culture
- External reputation and employer brand
- Role of organisational values
- Working experience and team cohesion
Performance
- How goals are set and performance measured
- Monitoring, accountability and decision-making
- Organisational objectives and measurement
Methods
- Impact and implementation of policies
- Inclusivity and accessibility of tools
- Working practices and processes
You will learn a lot by delving into our “Levels”; some revelations might be surprising, or disappointing. You might realise that your organisation isn’t as inclusive as you believed you were. That’s what this is all about.
The majority of those who do take our FREE Level One assessment end up in the amber zone – meaning there are at least 2 actions 57% of organisations need to take to pass. Despite 41% of people being in the green zone, very few scored 100% and were required to implement an action to complete this level.
Communication:
This is our most common area with low scores…ironic, isn’t it? We find that this is not just our Level One clients:
90% of websites are inaccessible to people with disabilities who rely on assistive technology. Additionally, a 2023 analysis of the world’s top 1,000,000 home pages revealed that a staggering 96.3% of all analysed webpages failed to meet criteria from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level AA, which is the world’s most used standard.
For you to pass this level, your organisation needs to:
- Ensure that alt text is used on all images on your website so that people using assistive devices can understand the content of the image. Where the platform does not support alt text, you should add an image description to the main text of your post.
- Ensure that all videos used on your website, social media and any other communications have subtitles.
- Create a tone of voice guidelines for external communications
Methods:
Most workers often struggle to locate workplace policies, which can lead to confusion and uncertainty. Clear communication about policies is crucial for maintaining a positive and productive work environment. This is the second, most common problem area with our clients. Methods correlate to your organisation’s current policies, processes and procedures; this is what we advise:
- Ensure that all policies and processes are stored in one, easy-to-find location. Staff may not want to ask for potentially sensitive documentation in advance of needing it for fear of a negative reaction, but this information may be vital for them to have.
- Put in place mechanisms to regularly remind staff where to find policies and procedures, inform them of any updates and ensure they understand what these documents mean in practice.
People:
Did you know that, as of last year, over 200 employers have been named by the government for failing to pay their lowest-paid staff the minimum wage? These companies were found to have breached the National Minimum Wage (NMW) law, leaving approximately 63,000 workers out of pocket. The total amount underpaid was nearly £5 million! This being the third most common problem area, we are not surprised by this statistic. So, what do we ask you to do to pass this module?
- Commit to paying all staff and contractors a Real Living Wage as a minimum and ensure this is noted in all relevant policies, processes and documentation.
- Create an inclusive job advert template, as it ensures consistency, as well as many other benefits!
We have two more additional action points to take under “People”, but we don’t want to spoil the fun of you! Why don’t you try Level One for yourself? What’s stopping you from choosing to level up, to confront the barriers of Diversity and Inclusion with power and confidence, knowing that you are fully supported at every step you take?
You also get a FREE 30-minute consultation with us to deconstruct your report in further detail, prioritise your action points to take and leave the call with a stronger visualisation of what Diversity and Inclusion look like to you and your organisation.
When you pass each level, you get an accreditation, and we work with you on the next levels.
