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How to Become More Inclusive at Work: The Uncomfortable Truth About What Actually Works

Here's something that'll ruffle some feathers: the inclusion training I sat through last month was absolutely brilliant, and everyone who walked out rolling their eyes missed the entire bloody point.

I've been running workplace training programs across Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney for the better part of seventeen years now, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that most people approach inclusion completely backwards. They think it's about walking on eggshells, memorising pronouns, and attending mandatory workshops where they nod politely while secretly checking their phones.

Wrong. Dead wrong.

Real inclusion isn't about perfection—it's about genuine curiosity and the willingness to stuff up occasionally while learning. The companies that get this right aren't the ones with the glossiest diversity statements on their websites. They're the ones where people actually want to work.

The Problem With Playing It Safe

Last year, I worked with a finance firm in Collins Street where the management team was so terrified of saying the wrong thing that they'd basically stopped talking to half their staff. The irony was thick enough to cut with a knife. In their quest to be inclusive, they'd created the most exclusive environment I'd ever seen.

The breakthrough came when their CEO—a bloke from regional Queensland who'd never claimed to be politically correct—admitted he had no idea what half the acronyms in their inclusion policy actually meant. Instead of pretending otherwise, he asked. Publicly. In front of the entire leadership team.

That moment of vulnerability changed everything.

Here's what I've learned works:

Stop treating inclusion like compliance training. The moment you turn it into a box-ticking exercise, you've lost. People can smell insincerity from three postcodes away, and they'll respond accordingly.

Encourage questions, even awkward ones. The person who asks "Is it okay if I don't understand something?" is miles ahead of the person who nods along while understanding nothing. Create space for people to be genuinely confused without being shamed for it.

Focus on inclusion, not just diversity. Hiring diverse talent is only half the battle. If those people don't feel genuinely welcomed and valued once they're through the door, you've wasted everyone's time and money.

The Microaggression Myth

Now here's where I'll probably lose some of you. The constant focus on microaggressions—while well-intentioned—has created workplaces where people are more focused on not offending than on actually connecting.

I'm not suggesting we ignore genuine problems. Discrimination is real, and it damages both people and businesses. But when we spend more time dissecting every casual comment than we do on building actual relationships, we've missed the plot entirely.

The best inclusive workplaces I've consulted for don't obsess over every syllable. They focus on emotional intelligence training and building genuine empathy between team members. They understand that intent matters, context matters, and relationships matter more than perfect language.

What Actually Moves the Needle

Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Real conversations about inclusion aren't neat and tidy. They're messy, sometimes awkward, and occasionally heated. That's not a bug—it's a feature. If your inclusion efforts never make anyone squirm a little, you're probably not pushing hard enough.

Make it about business outcomes. This isn't charity work or social justice theatre. Inclusive teams consistently outperform homogeneous ones. They spot problems earlier, generate more creative solutions, and connect better with diverse customer bases. When you frame inclusion as a competitive advantage rather than a moral obligation, the conversation changes entirely.

Start with hiring practices. Your recruitment process tells candidates everything they need to know about your values. Are you only posting jobs on the same three websites you've used for the past decade? Are your job descriptions full of unnecessary requirements that filter out perfectly capable candidates? Are your interview panels diverse, or do they look like a corporate version of The Breakfast Club?

Measure what matters. Track retention rates across different groups. Monitor promotion patterns. Survey your people about psychological safety. Numbers don't lie, and they're harder to ignore than good intentions.

The Power of Practical Steps

Here's something that worked brilliantly at a tech startup in Fortitude Valley: they instituted "Learning Lunches" where team members would share something about their background, culture, or perspective over a catered meal. Nothing formal, nothing scripted. Just people talking to people.

The conversations that emerged were incredible. The Muslim developer explained why he couldn't attend Friday afternoon drinks and suggested alternative social events. The team member with ADHD shared strategies that helped her focus, which ended up benefiting half the office. The guy from rural Tasmania told stories that made city colleagues realise their assumptions about "country people" were completely off base.

These weren't diversity training sessions—they were just good conversations between colleagues who'd taken the time to actually know each other.

Beyond the Buzzwords

The inclusion industry loves its jargon, and frankly, some of it's useful. But if you're spending more time debating terminology than addressing actual problems, you've lost the thread.

I worked with a manufacturing company in western Sydney where the management team got so caught up in finding the "right" language that they stopped communicating altogether. Meanwhile, their factory floor—where people from fourteen different countries worked side by side—had figured out inclusion without any formal training at all. They just talked to each other like human beings.

Sometimes the best inclusion strategy is the simplest one: treat people like individuals rather than representatives of their demographic groups.

The role of leadership cannot be overstated. When leaders model genuine curiosity about their people—not just their productivity—everything changes. When they admit their own blind spots and show they're willing to learn, it gives everyone else permission to do the same.

Making It Stick

Real inclusion isn't a destination you reach after completing a training program or implementing a policy. It's an ongoing conversation that requires constant attention and adjustment.

Set up feedback loops. Create safe channels for people to raise concerns without fear of retaliation. This might be anonymous surveys, regular one-on-ones with trusted managers, or external ombudsman services. The key is making sure people believe their feedback will actually lead to action.

Celebrate progress, not perfection. Acknowledge when people make efforts, even if the execution isn't flawless. The marketing manager who tries to use inclusive language in campaign materials deserves recognition, even if she doesn't get every nuance right the first time.

Connect inclusion to performance reviews. If creating an inclusive environment isn't part of how you evaluate managers, you're sending a clear message about what actually matters. Make it count toward promotions, bonuses, and recognition.

Don't just train management. Team development training that includes all levels of the organisation creates shared language and expectations. When everyone understands the goals and strategies, implementation becomes much smoother.

The Long Game

Here's what I wish more organisations understood: inclusion work is never finished. Markets change, workforces evolve, and social norms shift. What felt progressive five years ago might feel dated today, and what seems cutting-edge now might be standard practice tomorrow.

The companies that thrive are the ones that treat inclusion as an ongoing capability rather than a one-time project. They build flexibility into their approaches and stay curious about what their people actually need.

Most importantly, they understand that inclusion isn't about making everyone happy all the time. It's about creating environments where people can do their best work while being authentically themselves. Sometimes that means difficult conversations. Sometimes it means admitting mistakes and changing course.

But when you get it right—when people genuinely feel valued and heard—the results speak for themselves. Better ideas, stronger teams, and yes, better business outcomes.

The uncomfortable truth about inclusion is that it requires real effort, genuine commitment, and the willingness to keep learning even when it's awkward. But for organisations brave enough to do the work properly, the payoff is extraordinary.

And that's worth fighting for.