Although these two terms are often used in tandem, understanding how they differ can help elevate your teams.

Diversity and inclusion are often tied together as one term — one idea that companies should focus on to create a thriving work environment. However, reconsidering diversity and inclusion as separate, complementary parts can help create a welcoming environment, reduce turnover, and boost productivity.

Digging Into Diversity

Diversity refers to the variety in the actual people who make up your teams, reflecting differences in age, gender, ethnicity, education, veteran status, and more. Building a diverse workforce starts with your company’s active recruiting.

When recruiting, consider looking outside your traditional networks for new talent. For example, you might participate in job fairs hosted by historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), engage with local women’s professional organizations. Widening your geographic search for new employees can help you engage with a more diverse pool of talent as well. With many companies still operating remotely into 2021, consider that the right person for your job might not live within a certain distance of your company’s headquarters, and the job may be one that can be performed remotely long-term.

Building True Inclusivity

Making a commitment to hiring different types of people is an important first step, but just as important is fostering inclusion, or making sure you are creating a sense of belonging within your organization.

Do your employees feel physically and psychologically safe in the workplace? Do they feel empowered to do their best work and share their ideas? Are all employees treated with respect and dignity, as valuable members of the team? Does everyone have equal opportunities to advance within the company?

Here are steps you can take to help answer “yes” to those questions:

• Unconscious bias training: Teach your employees about the ways they might unknowingly harbor or act on stereotypes in the workplace.
• Flexible working conditions: When a position allows for flexibility, consider allowing people to complete work as it benefits their own schedule. This will help employees who might be caring for children or sick relatives, or those pursuing a degree. Make sure that expectations are clearly communicated, and that work is completed timely, while giving discretion where you can.
• A diversity and inclusion manager: Hire someone who can help eliminate pressure on individual employees to become an unintentional “go-to” for any questions about diversity. This will show your commitment to diversity to your employees, customers, and community, and it will also mean the employees who may have historically been the “go-to” people are able to focus more attention on their work.

At Regions, we strive every day to elevate our performance as a team to better serve our customers and communities, and building the best teams requires a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Learn more about how we’re committed to being part of the solution.

The Regions Approach: Bring Your Whole Self to Work

We have a passion for creating an inclusive environment that promotes and values diversity of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sex, pregnancy, and many other primary and secondary dimensions that make each of us unique as individuals and provide valuable perspective that makes us a better company and employer. More importantly, we recognize that creating a workplace where everyone, regardless of background, can do their best work is the right thing to do.

OFCCP Disclosure: Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans