Building an Inclusive Organization: Leveraging the Power of a Diverse Workforce - Softcover

Frost, Stephen; Alidina, Raafi-Karim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0749484284 ISBN 13: 9780749484286

Publisher: Kogan Page, 2019

Synopsis

A diverse workforce is a business imperative. Without it, companies are made up of employees who come from the same background and have the same skills and, therefore, the same blind spots. A diverse workforce brings together different strengths, a variety of experiences, a huge breadth of knowledge and a myriad of creative problem-solving techniques. However, in order to leverage the benefits of this diverse workforce, businesses must be inclusive. Inclusion ensures that employees feel supported, are treated fairly and are therefore happier, more engaged and more productive. This not only improves staff wellbeing but also boosts company performance. Building an Inclusive Organization is a practical guide to creating an environment of real inclusion. It highlights how to remove unconscious bias from company processes including recruitment and selection, how to make the case for diversity and inclusion to all stakeholders and how to embed inclusion into an organization's culture and overall business strategy.

Packed with case studies from global organizations including HSBC, UK Civil Service, BBC, KPMG, BAE Systems and Harvard Business School, Building an Inclusive Organization outlines the opportunities inclusion can create and how to leverage the benefits of diversity. There is also guidance and advice on how to measure, review and evaluate inclusion, how to achieve transparency around diversity both inside and outside the organization and how to implement robust processes and policies to foster diversity in organizations of any size from large corporates to SMEs and public sector departments.

About this title

Review

"This book, by two real thought leaders in the field, provides a comprehensive, well-researched, and highly accessible guide to leaders and managers, as well as HR practitioners, on how to create genuine inclusion from top to bottom. The lessons everyone can learn will help drive more sustainable and responsible business, but also opportunity and fairer access to work for all which is good for wider society." (Peter Cheese, Chief Executive, CIPD 2018-12-19)

"Frost and Alidina have set out a holistic, step-by-step guide on how to build an inclusive organization. It is a must read for diversity and inclusion practitioners, leaders and future leaders who want to understand how they can ensure that they can make a difference." (Simon Fillery, former Head of Inclusion, Bank of England 2018-12-19)

"This book gives clear tangibles on how to take action, and how to deliver in a way that is effective and most importantly sustainable. It provides multiple pathways to an inclusive organization and a solid framework for getting there. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to make a confident step in developing a more inclusive organization and culture." (Claire Camara, HR Director, Co-op 2018-12-19)

"This is the go-to book for inclusion 3.0 and how to truly have a culture of respecting and embracing difference in a positive way. This book will get you one step closer to organizational change and improve the 3 C's: our companies, cultures and colleagues." (John Athanasiou, Director of People, HarperCollinsPublishers 2018-12-19)

"Frost and Alidina know the research and they understand how organizations work, from the boardroom and c-suite to mid-level management to frontline employees. This book will help organizational leaders think about what they can do personally and strategically to seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges of inclusion in today's diverse workplaces." (Hannah Riley Bowles, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management, and Co-Director of the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School 2018-12-19)

"While inclusion's significance is imperative, its implementation is not always obvious. Frost and Alidina provide the skills to accomplish this and, much more importantly, the practical, financial, and humanitarian reasons why it should be embraced. Building an Inclusive Organization is a call to action and a veritable survival guide for organizations and businesses seeking to remain relevant in the decades to come. This book is a master class for diversity and inclusion." (Brooke Ellison, Assistant Professor of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Stony Brook University)

"Working with Stephen on some of the ideas that he articulates in this fascinating and important book has genuinely changed the way I think. But more importantly it has changed what I do. It's the most compelling thing that I've experienced about inclusion and diversity, both as an employer and a television producer." (Diederick Santer, CEO, Kudos)

"Steve and Raafi have written a book that not only makes a powerful case for why we need to build inclusive organizations, but tells us how to do so in very practical ways. Running Fulbright founded on the premise of fostering mutual cultural understanding between peoples worldwide, it is essential we embrace these ideas and this gives me and my board a clear road map to a more inclusive future." (Penny Egan, Executive Director, US-UK Fulbright Commission 2018-12-19)

"Stephen Frost has been a wise companion and guide on Wellcome's still-unfinished journey towards becoming a more inclusive organization. His low-key but practical approach has helped to make diversity and inclusion a natural part of the decision-making process. My leadership team colleagues and I have learnt volumes about the impact of our behaviour and the benefits of thinking differently. We have a long way still to go, and I hope that our steps and missteps featured in this book will help others to make progress more swiftly." (Mark Henderson, Director of Communications, Wellcome Trust)

"The authors of this terrific book are kind enough to say that the senior people in Wellcome 'get it'-that we get the importance of diversity and inclusion both in achieving our mission and in how we achieve it. Before I met Steve and Raafi, I barely realised there was so much I did have to get, but working with them over the last 18 months has transformed the way Wellcome thinks and the way I think. This book sets out the authors' message persuasively and clearly, and will be essential reading for the largest funder or university as well as for the newly-fledged lab head." (Jim Smith, Director of Science, Wellcome Trust 2018-12-19)

Book Description

Provides guidance on how to make the argument for inclusion to all business stakeholders and build consensus among colleagues

Explains how to measure representation but also go beyond this to measure inclusion and identify if diversity strategies are really working

Includes case studies from global organizations including KPMG, Uber, Salesforce, Harvard University and the UK National Health Service (NHS)

Covers how to achieve inclusion in any organization with specific guidance for academic institutions, professional services firms, large corporates, public sector departments and media businesses

Edition details

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0749484284
• ISBN 13: 9780749484286
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 280