The Importance of Inclusion and Integration Through Activity at work!

Inclusion and integration are essential values to uphold in any workplace. By engaging in activities that promote these values, employers can foster a more positive and productive work environment for all employees.

There are many benefits to promoting inclusion and integration in the workplace. For one, it can help to improve communication and collaboration between employees. When everyone feels like they are part of the team and working towards common goals, it can lead to better results for the company.

On the contrary, a workplace that does not value inclusion and integration can be pretty harmful. Employees may feel isolated and excluded, leading to decreased motivation and productivity. Sometimes, it can even lead to conflict and disharmony among employees.

Inclusion and integration are essential values in the workplace. This article will discuss some activities that employers can do to promote these values in their workplace.

Why inclusion and diversity are important at work

But why are inclusion and diversity so important at work? 

To kickstart that question, we wanted to share some interesting stats from Exude, because, at the end of the day, when you see results for a topic of this nature in numbers, you'll start to consider how important it is. 

• 32% of Employees Wouldn't Apply to Work at a Company Lacking Diversity

• Corporations Identified as More Diverse Are 35% More Likely to Outperform Competitors. 

Outperforming competitors and attracting top-tier talent is what all business owners want, right? 

Well, to achieve that, companies need to listen up and - if they're not already - begin fostering an all-inclusive and diverse working environment for their success and the wellbeing of their employees.

There are many reasons why inclusion and diversity are essential at work, but what's the difference?

A diverse workplace is made up of people from all backgrounds, no matter their race, class, gender, or sexual orientation. The business opens the room to many more perspectives and ideas by not discriminating. 

Including all talent can lead to increased creativity, better employee engagement, more chances to innovate, and high-level performance.

When it comes to an inclusive workplace, the meaning behind that term comes down to empowering your employees. Empowering employees leads to a much more positive work environment, with staff feeling appreciated and motivated in their roles. No one wants to feel stuck in a dead-end job where their voice isn't being heard - that's just soul-destroying.

Empowering can take many shapes, but a few key things you can do as an employer to make sure your workplace is inclusive are:

• Encourage employees to share their ideas and give them the platform to do so

• Promote flexible working arrangements, so employees feel in control of their time

• Give employees the chance to learn new skills and grow in their roles

• Encourage employees to be their authentic selves

All those from the diverse mix you have hired feel respected, valued, and involved. You can highlight each and every one of their unique talents and make them all feel entirely part of each cog within the business. 

If you're a business with both these elements nailed, then the likelihood of your team members working harder, and smarter and producing an excellent quality of work is exceptionally high.

The more they feel included in the workplace, the better engaged they will be with their work.

The ripple effect is vital as it continues into every aspect of their lives beyond work. Highly engaged employees have fewer sick days, better hold on their mental wellbeing, and they trust the organisation they work for.

Build trust and install a diverse and inclusive workplace and you'll create a team that will want to come to work, they'll want to hit targets (and go beyond them!). They will want to innovate and be involved, which will take your business to the next level.

So how can an inclusive and diverse workplace be improved through activities?

If you want to attract top talent, retain loyal employees, boost your company reputation and increase profits and creativity, then ensuring your workplace is fully inclusive and wholeheartedly diverse is the way to go.

But how do I foster an environment like that? I hear you ask… 

Enter, Big Smoke Events!

Fun activities are a great way to show appreciation and get people together, from acknowledging holidays of all cultures to team-away days to celebrate a company milestone.

If you want your employees to continue to bring their best selves to work, then you need to recognise their hard work and talents! You must celebrate them and allow them time to bond away from their desk. Especially when it comes to new starters, it can be difficult for them to feel part of the team if they're stuck behind a screen all day. So, getting everyone out of the office for fun activities is a great way to help them break the ice and get to know their colleagues better.

We like to call this an effective recognition process - this is the process that you need to implement into your HR strategy to show love and continue to foster that belonging with your team.

How to show appreciation and inject fun at the same time

We wanted to share four of our favourite activity ideas to show appreciation and inject consistent fun into your workplace.

1. Scavenger Hunts in London

First up yet, a little shameless plug (sorry not sorry), but our Scavenger Hunts are a hit with businesses!

With a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, our scavenger hunt is a race against the clock where teams of 5 or more work inclusively to complete a series of challenges. Teams will have to answer questions, take videos and photos, and track down items as they race to be the first team back to base. 

It's seriously fun, awesomely interactive and a great team-building activity - give it a go! It also has the benefit of putting everyone (from the CEO to the new intern) on a level playing field, which is the whole point of team-building activities.

2. Learn about your employees' backgrounds

Book a nice space for lunch or organise a delicious deliveroo, allow your colleagues the afternoon away from their desks, and participate in an activity that focuses on learning about your team! 

Ask everyone to list out 1 - 3 defining moments in their lives on separate post-its and then present them to the team. They can share as much as they feel comfortable with, and once shared, finish by asking them to give feedback on the exercise.

This is a great one for remote teams!

3. Create an inclusive calendar 

If your workplace is diverse, then you shouldn't just be celebrating Christmas! Adding in all holidays is excellent to create awareness and learn about some employees' heritage and culture. This is a super vital one to abide by, and it is so interesting and fun to learn the ways of others.

4. Include a photo board at your next happy hour!

Ask each employee to bring in 2 photos that depict their background and life so far, and then organise a super fun happy hour one afternoon. Pin all the images to a board and put on some food and drinks, before you know it conversations will be sparked, and the lives of everyone within the workplace will be shared.

It's a great team-building afternoon that allows employees to see the perspectives of their co-workers, which in turn will create mutual respect within the workplace. It can also be a fun way to introduce new employees to the team, especially if you're a remote company!

Wrap Up

It's time to influence change, create happy working environments for everybody and focus on bringing inclusive and diverse workplaces to the forefront. 

Are you ready to go the extra mile? We sure are!