Writing about diversity, inclusion and belonging is one thing, but being part of an organization that practices these concepts day in and day out is an entirely different feeling. Although diversity and inclusion (D&I) has been a trending topic within the HR world for a while now, there is still a lot of ground to cover before we can truly call ourselves a diverse and inclusive industry. D&I are no longer just buzzwords. They have become an essential element of the way an organization functions, as well as how their consumers view them. At Godrej Housing Finance, diversity, inclusion and belonging is always at the core of everything we do, because it enables each one of us to do better, live better and act better every day.
Do you feel like you belong?
Sweta always had the best ideas, but she kept most of them to herself and jotted them down in her notebook, hoping that she could muster up the courage to share them with her team at their next weekly meeting. But Sweta was just an intern and felt like the best way for her to learn, was simply to observe. Her seniors didn’t see her as someone that could make an impact and limited her opportunities to mostly doing large amounts of paperwork. Sweta finished her internship and left the company shortly after.
While some might argue that Sweta could have talked about what was happening, workplace discrimination isn’t always black and white. For most people, diversity simply means understanding that each individual is different and celebrating what makes us all unique. But the fact of the matter is that not everybody has equal opportunities, the same financial structures or even similar experiences simply because they belong to a particular gender, religion or race. Although companies are now upping their game and making solid efforts to be diverse and inclusive, the focus is now on creating and nurturing a sense of belonging, where employees can be their true selves and feel like they are part of an open work community.
“Belonging is the feeling of being part of something bigger and mattering to others”
Belonging and purpose go hand in hand, which is why I believe that in order to enable people to fully belong, organizations need to start by defining their purpose.
Nurturing a sense of belonging is more important now than ever before
As we continue to reshape workplaces and prepare for a post-pandemic future, it is important for leaders to include the voices and perspectives of every person in an organization. For example, a report titled “The Impact of COVID-19 on Women,” found that the pandemic is likely to have a disproportionate negative impact on working women owing to less secure jobs, increased rates of domestic violence and increased household responsibilities. Which is why I believe that making decisions behind the closed doors of the boardroom could be detrimental to the workplace if people are not prioritized over business outcomes. We have always encouraged GHFites to speak candidly about what they believe in, share ideas, questions, concerns and feedback about what’s been working for them and what needs improvement. Creating an environment where everyone feels included and has a safe space to put their diverse viewpoints forward is vital to nurturing a sense of belonging at work. And as for what we can do as leaders to support this, the numbers tell a story of their own. A McKinsey study found that their financial returns are as much as 35% above their industry medians, with a higher return on equity and higher growth income simply when leaders valued and supported diversity.
At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel like they belong
When people feel confident to let themselves be heard, they perform better at work and are more likely to bring about positive change. Apart from being the newest addition to the D&I family, belonging enables a sense of security and psychological safety that our contributions are seen and valued. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs show us that our basic needs need to be met before we can reach our full potential. And the way I see it, diversity, inclusion and belonging are intricate parts of what employees need to thrive at work. Feeling psychologically ‘safe’ is believing that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. If we reflect on Sweta’s case, it is clear that she did not feel comfortable sharing her thoughts due to the fear of being laughed at or ridiculed.
What can companies do to drive a culture where diversity and inclusion become second nature?
At Godrej Housing Finance, our policies and programs are not only diverse and inclusive, but also influence the way we hire, retain and motivate talent. Careers 2.0, for instance, is a platform that offers women who have taken a career break, a chance to return to work with aspirational projects across sectors. Although we started off strong with women making up 50% of our management team and frequent hiring drives specifically for women candidates, I believe that sustenance is key. And so, as part of our Women’s Day campaign, we introduced ‘RefHer’ – a unique referral program for our women employees to refer women candidates to work with us, irrespective of experience level or expertise! Some of the leadership programs that we run are tailored towards women employees who are preparing to move into leadership roles to enable them to take the next step, and drive purposeful change.
Employees who feel like they belong will stay in their jobs longer, collaborate better and go the extra mile on projects. I would like to conclude this piece with a little food for thought, so that we can all take something fresh back to our teams and task ourselves with ensuring that people feel like they truly belong where they work! Here are a couple of purposeful strategies that I jotted down that promote dialogue and debate, and can also help organizations inch closer to their diversity, inclusion and belonging goals:
- Agreeing to candidly share failures, experiences and appreciating opportunities to grow.
- Being open to learn from anybody within the company, barring age, gender and experience levels.
- Intentionally making the time to express gratitude and recognize a job well done.
- Accepting that not everybody will be on board with your ideas and listening to the ones that come from a completely opposite school of thought.
And finally, true diversity steps in at work when an organization takes the effort to embrace differences and intentionally hire people from a variety of backgrounds. Similarly, true inclusion takes place when people are mindful of each other’s differences and encourage perspectives that are not similar to their own. This often means intentionally including the Sweta’s of the world when making business decisions, instead of allowing age and experience to stand in the way and disregarding their point of view.
Because when people at work feel like their voice matters, their contributions are valued, and their efforts are appreciated, the seeds of belonging are sowed.
Ruhie Pande 