Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion has grown in recent years and is worth far more to businesses that understand it well. Long gone are the days where companies thinking that a simple annual survey ticked this box and therefore the job was done. 

Respecting the unique needs, perspectives and potential of all team members will result in a workforce that trusts the employer and subsequently, their commitment strengthens. This puts the organisation ahead of its competitors, it benefits from lower absence & attrition and attracts the right people, who more than ever before, are putting a real value on companies that recognise it. 

Our favourite saying is 'I'm not different from you, I'm different like you' because we are all different and this is a really good thing. 

We all have different personalities and we respond to different stimulus. What motivates one person doesn't necessarily motivate another. Similarly, how one person feels recognised is different to another. Companies that don't understand this will be guilty of always running the same incentives or recognising their team in the same way. Doing this will mean you always stimulate the same kind of person, whilst others are left demotivated. If this happens, then the culture of recognition and engagement that the business has tried so hard to create, simply becomes counter productive. 

Here at B23 we're always trying to understand this better. We're keen to run different incentives and different events so that we can capture everyone. We've embraced our people and all the things that make them unique, because we want them to be at their best. This not only benefits them but ourselves as well. 

Inclusion isn't just about gender, religion or sexual orientation. It's about lifestyles, identity and aspirations as well. Think of it this way - If Diversity is about being invited to the party, then inclusion is about being asked to dance. 

Workplace conflict is seen as a real positive at B23. If we all just simply agreed then we would be in danger of that nodding dog syndrome. We don't want a culture where people feel like they must agree with the leadership team because then we would be in danger of missing something. It's so much more beneficial to have constructive meetings, where we know our voice is not just listened to but valued. Then we can be confident as an organisation that we have explored all options and that we're all committed to the overall objectives of the business. 

In a world where automation and AI is the new normal, don't forget to humanise your processes. Nothing should feel robotic or transactional, it should be a relationship. How are you helping each other to deliver for the customer? Ultimately your business is based around delivering a product or service to a customer and if you can't see how a task or process is adding value to this overall objective, then should you be doing it? Taking this step back to ask this question is vital and don't forget to get everyone else involved as you do. Trust us, it will be for your benefit.