Everyday Inclusion
Together we can create workplaces where everyone feels included
The Everyday Inclusion campaign from Business in the Community (BITC) is designed to support employers in ensuring their employees feel they belong, have a voice, are valued and are able to be their true selves.
BITC research shows that almost half of UK employees regularly experience non-inclusive behaviours – often in the form of unintended ‘microaggressions’. This has an impact on wellbeing and wider performance and undermines employers’ efforts to foster inclusive working cultures.
While the impact of COVID-19 on inclusion is still being understood, early signs are that for many, increased pressure and the move of many staff to home working could be making the situation worse.
Campaign foundations and objectives
- COVID-19, and the economic crisis, has or will entrench inequalities. It is likely to impact on some of those already feeling excluded. This will impact on D&I targets, eg the pay gap.
- Before the crisis hit, we had a long way to go on creating truly inclusive workplaces – BITC research found that many employees, particularly women, young workers, and black, Asian, and ethnic minority people/employees felt left out or excluded in some way – and culture and everyday experiences were crucial to this but often given insufficient attention.
- Inclusion is crucial to building back responsibly. Organisations that take an inclusive approach to their recovery will be more resilient and better able to navigate the challenges ahead.
- The anti-racist protests have prompted further discussion around inclusion – with greater awareness of the way black people can be excluded at work, and the micro aggressions they regularly face.