National Inclusion Week 2022 took place last week from 26th September to 2nd October; this year’s theme was ‘Time to Act: The Power of Now’.
Many of our members joined us by visiting our GSE Knowledge Hub site to mark the event and read the short ‘nudges’ that we shared daily. ‘Nudges’ are brief actions that are easily incorporated into the day, designed to be thought-provoking and encourage us all to take easy steps towards greater inclusivity.
Check out the tips below to help all of us on on our journey to greater inclusivity.
Daily tips to encourage and remind us that by taking small incremental steps daily, we can make a difference in terms of our demonstration of inclusivity.
- Start by watching this short video on What Inclusion Means. Then think about what inclusion means to you and record your thoughts.
- Listen – take time to really listen to those around you. Managers may wish to have a regular ten-minute session to check-in with staff, to get to know them better and see how they’re feeling. Crucial to this, will be acknowledging that not everyone will feel comfortable with this approach, so it may need to be tailored to individual preferences.
- Invite colleagues in your team to share a daily ‘positive quote’, designed to be thought provoking and inspirational. This could even be the topic for a ten-minute check-in.
- Send a message to a colleague you haven’t spoken to in a while, or welcome someone new, suggesting an intro chat.
- If hosting a meeting, reach out to greet colleagues and encourage the quieter members of the group to share their views, if they are comfortable. Also offer the opportunity for them to do so in the chat (virtual meetings) or afterwards if that is their preference.
- Make the time today to let a colleague know when you think they've done something well or you've liked an idea they've suggested.
- Be proactive in educating yourself about diverse characteristic groups. Seek out articles to read and engage with staff networks. This will assist with your understanding of equity and inclusivity and may help you be a supportive ally and play your part in improving inclusivity.
- Revisit your thoughts on what inclusion means to you, as recorded on day one. Then think about how you might ‘bring this to life’ in your working day and record it as an action, with a target date for implementation. The progressive aim is for these actions to move from being conscious to instinctive ones.
