What Inclusion Really Means: Creating Spaces Where People Thrive
- iamchristinejean
- Jan 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 15
When companies talk about diversity, they often focus on representation. But diversity alone isn’t enough. A company can be diverse without being inclusive—and that’s where the real challenge lies.
Inclusion is about what happens after people arrive. It’s not just about who is at the table—it’s about whether their voices are heard, valued, and respected.
An inclusive workplace ensures that everyone, regardless of background, identity, or ability, can fully participate, contribute, and succeed. It’s about removing the hidden barriers that keep people from feeling psychologically safe, growing in their careers, and bringing their full selves to work.
Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do—it drives engagement, innovation, and business success.
What is Inclusion? And Why Does It Matter?
Inclusion ensures that all employees—not just those in the majority—feel seen, respected, valued, protected, and empowered to contribute. Without inclusion, diversity efforts fall flat, and employees from underrepresented backgrounds often feel invisible, unheard, or excluded from opportunities.
Diversity is being invited to the table. Inclusion is having a voice at the table.
💡 Why Inclusion Matters:
Inclusive companies make better business decisions up to 87% of the time. (37 Statistics on Diversity in the Workplace to Know in 2024)
Inclusion increases employee engagement by up to 83%. (The value of diversity and inclusion in the workplace in stats)
Corporations identified as more diverse and inclusive are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors. (Diversity in the workplace statistics you need to know)
Inclusive teams make decisions twice as fast with half the number of meetings, leading to more efficient operations. (17 Statistics Highlighting the Importance of Workplace Diversity and Inclusion)
📖 Further Reading:
McKinsey & Company | Inclusion as a competitive advantage
Coqual | The Power of Belonging
Deloitte | Fostering an inclusive culture at work
Harvard Business Review | 10 Reasons Why Inclusion Is a Competitive Advantage
Center for Creative Leadership | What Is Inclusion in the Workplace? A Guide for Leaders
Reworked | Why Is Inclusion Important? 5 Reasons to Strive for an Inclusive Workplace
Korn Ferry | The importance of inclusion in the workplace
Boston Consulting Group | An Inclusive Workplace Is Good for Business
Psychological Safety: The Foundation of Inclusion
🛡️ Psychological safety means employees feel comfortable speaking up, taking risks, and sharing ideas without fear of retaliation, embarrassment, or exclusion. It is the foundation of a truly inclusive workplace.
📊 Psychological Safety by the Numbers
12% of employees with low psychological safety are likely to quit within a year, compared to only 3% of those with high psychological safety. (Boston Consulting Group | Psychological Safety Levels the Playing Field for Employees)
Teams with high psychological safety are 76% more engaged and 50% more productive, with a 27% reduction in turnover. (Niagara Institute | 25+ Psychological Safety at Work Stats [2024])
Employees who feel psychologically safe are 3.5X more likely to contribute innovative ideas. (McKinsey & Company | Psychological safety and the critical role of leadership development)
✅ How to Build Psychological Safety
Train leaders to welcome feedback and encourage open dialogue.
Recognize and address bias in meetings, promotions, and decision-making.
Create anonymous feedback channels for employees to raise concerns safely.
Actively listen, validate, and respond to concerns with real action.
📖 Further Reading:
Amy Edmondson | The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Harvard Business Review | High-Performing Teams Need Psychological Safety: Here’s How to Create It
Gallup | State of the Global Workplace
Journal of Management Studies | An Exploratory Study of Employee's Silence: Issues that Employees Don't Communicate Upward and Why
Google re:work | Learn about the five dimensions of teams that Google has found to drive effectiveness
Inclusive Leadership: Why It’s a Non-Negotiable
👥 Inclusive leadership isn’t just about good intentions—it’s about actionable behaviors that create equitable, thriving workplaces.
📊 Leadership & Inclusion by the Numbers
70% of workplace inclusion is directly tied to manager behavior. (Gallup | What is Employee Engagement and How Do You Improve It?)
Employees with inclusive leaders are 87% more likely to feel valued and 5X more likely to stay. (Center for Talent Innovation | Diversity's Positive Impact on Innovation and Outcomes)
Only 31% of employees believe their managers effectively lead inclusively. (Chief Learning Officer | What's holding inclusion back? Leaders' behavior.)
✅ How Leaders Can Foster Inclusion
Actively seek diverse perspectives and give employees a platform to share ideas.
Hold leaders accountable for measurable inclusion goals.
Challenge unconscious bias in hiring, promotions, and team decisions.
Ensure all employees get equal access to stretch assignments and career advancement.
📖 Further Reading:
Harvard Business Review | The Key to Inclusive Leadership
Harvard Business Review | Seven Conversations about Inclusion That Leaders Should Be Having Now
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Real Inclusion Requires Real Support
🏢 ERGs help build community, provide professional development, and advocate for workplace equity. However, many ERGs are underfunded, unsupported, and lack executive buy-in, limiting their impact.
📊 ERGs & Inclusion by the Numbers
Approximately 66% of employees believe that ERGs are effective in fostering a sense of community within the workplace. (Forbes | The Impact of Employee Resource Groups in the Workforce
70% of Gen Z respondents are more likely to apply for a job at a company that has active ERGs, indicating the role these groups play in attracting new talent. (U.S. Chamber of Commerce | How Employee Resource Groups Can Help Employee Retention)
About 90% of companies utilize ERGs to assist new staff in settling into the organization, highlighting their role in onboarding and integration. (Employee Resource Groups: Empowering Your Workforce)
Approximately 20% of ERGs operate without any budget, and only about 25% of ERG leaders receive financial compensation for their efforts. (HR Brew | New report finds employee resource groups are abundant, but funding is not)
✅ How to Strengthen ERGs for Impact
Fund ERGs properly so they can host events, offer resources, and drive change.
Give ERGs direct executive sponsorship to ensure visibility and influence.
Include ERGs in company decision-making—not just as a side initiative.
📖 Further Reading:
Boston College | Leveraging Community to Enhance Inclusion & Belonging
McKinsey & Company | Effective employee resource groups are key to inclusion at work. Here's how to get them right
The Power of Diversity & Inclusion: Building the Business Case for ERGs
Academy of Management | Diversity Inc: Exploring the History and Evolution of Employee Resource Groups
Career Growth & Advancement: Creating Clear, Transparent Pathways
🚀 Inclusion means ensuring that career growth isn’t just for a privileged few. Without transparency in promotions and career pathways, employees from underrepresented groups are less likely to advance.
📊 Career Advancement Disparities by the Numbers
only 29.4% of employees believe that promotions within their company are based on merit, suggesting a lack of transparency in advancement processes. (109+ Must-Know Workplace Statistics [Q1 2024])
47% of white respondents reported receiving a promotion, compared to 40% across all groups, indicating disparities in advancement opportunities. (Grads of Life | Equity & Career Advancement: Insights from Underrepresented Employees)
Despite women being more highly educated than men, they hold fewer than half of managerial roles, highlighting a gap between qualifications and advancement. (Women hold fewer managerial roles despite being better qualified)
Underrepresented groups are promoted to management positions less frequently and later in their careers compared to their peers. (Visier | New Report Reveals Substantial Levels of Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Workplace)
Women are 1.5 times more likely than men to feel they need to leave their current employer to advance their careers, suggesting a perceived lack of internal advancement opportunities. (109+ Must-Know Workplace Statistics [Q1 2024])
✅ How to Ensure Equitable Career Advancement
Make promotion criteria clear and public—no unwritten rules.
Implement structured mentorship and sponsorship programs.
Ensure equal access to leadership training, stretch assignments, and visibility.
📖 Further Reading:
U.S. Department of Labor | Best Practices for Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Promotions
Great Place To Work | 7 Ways To Make Job Promotions More Fair
Academy to Innovate HR | Employee Promotion: Your 7-Step Guide on the Types & How to Promote
Promotion Policies with an Equity Lens: 10 Tips for Building an Equitable Promotion Policy
Making a Seat at the Table: The Role of Sponsorship for Women
Coaching for Leaders [podcast] | What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy
Harvard Business Review | Sponsors Need to Stop Acting Like Mentors
Lean In | How to find sponsors who'll accelerate your career
Final Thoughts: Inclusion is More Than a Buzzword—It’s a Business Imperative
💡 Diversity is meaningless without inclusion. A workplace can be demographically diverse yet still leave employees feeling unseen, unheard, and unsupported.
🔹 Inclusion ensures that talent—not privilege—determines success.
🔹 Employees who feel valued and safe perform better, stay longer, and innovate more.
🔹 Companies that embrace inclusion don’t just check a box—they build stronger, more successful teams.
💼 Want to make inclusion a reality in your workplace? Start by fostering psychological safety, training inclusive leaders, strengthening ERGs, and ensuring equitable career growth.
📖 Read the full series:
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