How to make inclusion a corporate cultural reality, according to Fortay.ai

Creating an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences is not just a nice-to-have in today’s workplace — it’s critical for organizational success and top-line growth. Only when every employee feels respected, valued, and safe can they give their optimal performance. We’ll explore the current reality of diversity and inclusion, the challenges organizations face, and proven actions to embed inclusion in a company’s culture. For many companies, inclusion is a top priority, and it should be. To bridge the gap and drive positive change, Fortay.ai’s Inclusive Leadership shows great promise.

The Current Reality: Unveiling the Disparity

Diversity in the workplace remains an elusive goal for many companies in the United States and Canada. Shocking statistics from 2021 reveal that a mere 0.4% of Fortune 500 companies transparently communicate their diversity and inclusion efforts. Furthermore, only slightly over half of these companies disclose minimal information about their racial and ethnic makeup. Strikingly, 78% of employees confirm a lack of diversity in leadership positions, despite the proven correlation between inclusion and financial success, where inclusive businesses are 120% more likely to reach their revenue goals.

Despite the abundant evidence showcasing the positive impact of diversity and inclusion, numerous organizations continue to face challenges in effectively integrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging (DEIB) into their business strategy and day-to-day operations. Companies are missing out on opportunities to outperform their competitors, capture new markets, drive innovation, enhance decision-making processes, and ultimately boost their revenue. The prevalence of bias, discrimination, and regressive attitudes within these organizations is a barrier to progress, hindering their ability to capitalize on the benefits of diversity and inclusion.

It is high time for companies to recognize the urgency of addressing these systemic issues and take deliberate actions to dismantle exclusionary behaviors and practices and foster an inclusive culture to allow their employees to thrive. When everyone’s unique perspectives and contributions are honored, it paves the way for sustained business success in an increasingly diverse and global marketplace.

What Can Organizations Do? The Imperative for Change

While diversity and inclusion may have been overlooked in the past, they are now undeniable drivers of success. Companies must reconsider their approach to these vital aspects of their operations.

CEOs and business leaders often are unaware of the shortcomings within their spheres of influence and leadership approach. Relying on “self-perceived effectiveness” can be inaccurate and even damage employee morale. Merely cheering from the sidelines or using empty words of positivity and belongingness can come across as inauthentic. It’s time for leaders to take a proactive stance and acknowledge the need to improve the overall employee experience and center inclusivity.

How is this achieved? Start measuring inclusive behaviors to promote inclusive accountability. If the exclusion cannot be identified, it won’t be able to address it with meaningful action.

Embedding Diversity and Inclusion: A Cultural Transformation

For lasting impact, organizations must begin their journey toward inclusion by engaging their leaders and managers. Leveraging assessment tools and data is crucial to achieving the desired results that benefit everyone involved.

According to Fortay.ai, an industry leader in fostering inclusive workplaces, intention alone is insufficient to build an inclusive culture. Companies must establish accountability for inclusion to become a corporate cultural reality that drives positive business outcomes. For the successful implementation of DEIB in a workplace, inclusive behavioral metrics derived from clear and measurable goals need to be in place – championed by CEOs and tracked on an ongoing basis.

“Making inclusive behavioral metrics a part of a leader’s performance review embeds accountability, which should be viewed as a path to effective leadership and inspire personal and professional growth,” Fortay Co-founder Marlina Kinnersley expounds.

Inclusive Leadership: Bridging the Gap Effectively

Promoting a culture of high belonging that inevitably leads to improved performance and innovations starts with validated and reliable assessments. Leaders and top managers must go beyond mere words of encouragement and proactively evaluate their ability to lead inclusively.

Fortay.ai’s Inclusive Leadership^TM is a powerful, scientifically-validated assessment, performance, and development tool that helps leaders identify and measure their ability to lead inclusively. By analyzing leadership gaps, it creates personalized development paths to elevate inclusion in the workplace.

Fortay.ai supports organizations at all stages of their diversity and inclusion journey. In addition, Fortay’s survey templates assist in making inclusiveness a corporate cultural reality. Its human-centered approach and intuitive and advanced technology provide real-time employee insights across the entire employee lifecycle, enabling organizations to improve their DEIB efforts. Fortay diversifies the workforce across all levels and teams, empowers leaders to improve accountability, and supports continuous DEIB listening to drive change.

How To Win in 2023: Prioritize Leadership Effectiveness & Employee Experience

Organizations prioritizing inclusive leadership to improve the employee experience will gain a significant competitive advantage. As people increasingly seek a sense of belonging in their workplaces, so is the need for business leaders to ensure that their workplaces are inclusive, equitable, and safe. By cultivating an inclusive corporate culture, businesses can overcome challenges and achieve better outcomes, leading to overall success that benefits everyone. Making inclusion a corporate cultural reality requires proactive development, leadership accountability, and the right tools. Fortay.ai is at the forefront to help your business drive strategic growth, innovation, and an exceptional employee experience.

Are you ready to bridge the gap and build a more inclusive future?