Communicating Equity and Inclusion Expectations in the Workplace

In a recent debrief session with one of our clients, they shared an insightful piece of feedback that one of their staff members had provided. The feedback read something like this:

"These learning sessions have me thinking about expectations regarding equity and inclusivity in my role. I would like to know from the leadership team what expectations they have for us as it relates to equity."

Leaders play a critical role in shaping and communicating anti-racism, equity, inclusion expectations within an organization. It’s not enough to introduce training sessions or roll out diversity initiatives—leaders must actively hold space for staff conversations that build a common understanding of equity, anti-racism, inclusion (and related terms) and what these terms mean in the context of their workplace.

When leaders clearly articulate expectations around equity and inclusion, it sets a standard that guides both individual and organizational behaviour. Without this clarity, employees may struggle to understand what this means for them, and how to integrate equity principles into their daily work, leading to inaction and a return to the status quo.

Here are 3 actions leaders and managers can take to set and communicate equity and inclusion goals and outcomes:

1. Define Expectations: be explicit about what equity and inclusivity means in the context of their work/mission, and what it looks like in practice. When expectations are vague or implied, employees may interpret them in inconsistent ways. You may want to tie equity expectations to the core values of the organization. When employees see that equity and inclusion are critical to the company’s mission, they are more likely to internalize these principles and put them into action. In addition, create the space for collaborative conversations where staff input and insights are encouraged to help inform expectations. Soliciting feedback from staff helps to deepen understanding of different perspectives as well as build trust and a commitment to common goals. 

2. Open Lines of Communication: Be sure to build in regular check-ins, team debriefs, and feedback loops during any equity and inclusion training or initiative. You want to foster an environment where staff can ask questions, discuss challenges, and seek clarification about expectations. This ensures that equity is an ongoing conversation, not a one-time directive. Leaders also have the opportunity to model the behaviour and demonstrate their commitment to equity.  Demonstrating inclusive behaviours, such as actively listening to diverse perspectives and inviting feedback reinforces the importance of inclusion and sets an example for the entire organization.

3. Provide Support and Accountability: Setting expectations is only effective if employees have the tools and support to meet them. Leaders can provide staff with additional resources, training, and mentorship to help process and integrate behavioural changes related to equity.  Additionally, there should be accountability measures in place to ensure that these expectations are being met consistently across the organization.

By actively shaping and communicating equity and anti-racism expectations, leaders not only guide their teams toward a more inclusive and equitable workplace but also have the opportunity to build trust by demonstrating their commitment to making these values a lived reality within the organization.

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Chanel Grenaway & Associates Inc. is committed to helping leaders, staff teams and boards align with their anti-racism and inclusion goals through continuous learning and practice change. Do you need support to start or accelerate your equity practice and outcomes? Happy to hop on a call with you to see how I might help. Let’s chat.