6 Strategies for Small Businesses Aiming to Become More Inclusive
Aiming to Become More Inclusive
To help small businesses become more inclusive, we've gathered six valuable tips from CEOs and HR managers. These insights range from investing in marginalized clients and customers to adopting blind-recruitment and inclusion workshops. Dive in to learn more about these strategies for inclusivity.
Invest in Marginalized Clients and Customers
Prioritize Inclusive Language Training
Communicate Inclusive Policies Clearly
Anonymize Resumes and Applications
Implement Diversity and Inclusion Training
Adopt Blind-Recruitment and Inclusion Workshops
Invest in Marginalized Clients and Customers
Take stock of who your clients and customers are, then invest in support for the most marginalized among them. That could look like donating supplies to clients and customers in need, making financial gifts to organizations that are helping create prosperity for your marginalized clients, or it could mean hiring someone with lived experience to head up projects that center those populations.
When you center marginalized populations in your specific sphere, your investment in them will be more authentic. It will come from a place of shared experience, and it will have a greater impact. It also allows those clients and customers in whom you invest to invest in their own communities and intersecting identities later on down the line.
Marina Martinez-Bateman, CEO, New Coyote Consulting
Prioritize Inclusive Language Training
Inclusive language is a powerful tool in developing a sense of belonging. In my experience, I've seen how words can either uplift or unintentionally sideline someone. That's why prioritizing inclusive language training is essential for businesses; it allows them to learn respect and build deeper trust within their team and with clients.
Besides, such training can initiate enlightening discussions, broaden team perspectives, and reduce misunderstandings due to ignorance.
Bayu Prihandito, Certified Psychology Expert, Life Coach, Founder, Life Architekture
Communicate Inclusive Policies Clearly
Be very clear in your messaging and branding—which includes content and visuals on your team/client contracts, business literature, and all digital platform posts for both marketing and advertising—about what your main company's inclusive policies and goals are. Then, 100% do it!
Michelle Lagos, Founder/Managing CEO, Get Lagos Now LLC
Anonymize Resumes and Applications
The simplest way to make small businesses more inclusive in the long run is to anonymize resumes and application forms.
Research clearly shows that applications from minority groups are rejected more frequently when the candidate's name, gender, or age are listed explicitly. This stage in the recruitment process has the largest impact on minority candidates, representing an unacceptable hurdle which results in a loss of diversity organization-wide.
Naturally, we all like to think that our hiring managers wouldn’t discriminate in this way; however, the reality is these effects are entirely unconscious. This also matters more for smaller organizations, as smaller organizations are less likely to automate the early stages of the recruitment process.
Many solutions online can provide anonymized resumes and applications from candidates, making this a particularly easy, but effective solution for increasing inclusivity in a small business.
Chloe Yarwood, HR Manager, Test Partnership
Implement Diversity and Inclusion Training
You can invest in diversity and inclusion training for all employees. Training can increase awareness of biases, promote empathy, and foster a more inclusive workplace culture. Help employees recognize unconscious biases. Provide education on different cultures and backgrounds. You should also teach employees how to communicate inclusively.
Equip employees with skills to navigate conflicts. However, implementing diversity and inclusion training in a small business involves careful planning and a commitment to creating a more inclusive workplace. Assess your current workplace culture, policies, and practices related to diversity, and identify areas that need improvement.
Determine the budget and training resources, like materials, trainers, and technology, required for the program. Decide on the format of training sessions. For the record, always create and select training content that aligns with your objectives. You can develop content in-house or hire experts.
Saikat Ghosh, Associate Director of HR and Business, Technource
Adopt Blind-Recruitment and Inclusion Workshops
To foster inclusivity in a small business, begin at the hiring stage. Implement a blind-recruitment process to eliminate biases by omitting details such as name, age, or gender during initial reviews.
Craft job descriptions that are gender neutral and express a commitment to inclusivity. During interviews, prioritize competency over background. Additionally, facilitate diversity and inclusion workshops to educate your team. This holistic approach not only nurtures diversity but also promotes a richer, more innovative workplace.
Preston Husker, Owner, Diamond Residential Cleaning
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