This is What Inclusion Sounds Like

We all know that diversity and inclusion in the workplace is a hotter than hot topic right now. But what will it really mean to have more inclusive workplaces and communities?

Often, competitive advantage via more innovative products and programs is the desired outcome of diversity and inclusion initiatives. We are given ratios to indicate both the problem and how success will be measured.

Don’t get me wrong, I love numbers and data as much as the next woman, but by focusing on numbers only we miss the most important, harder to quantify change that more inclusive workplaces will bring. This shift will happen in one of the most important intersections at any company, the proverbial water cooler conversation (or these days it’s more likely to be the cappuccino counter conversation). Wherever it takes place, it is these informal, rarely measured interactions between employees that will drive innovation, creativity and solutions that will change the world.

Recently both Pinterest and Facebook announced exciting new diversity and inclusion initiatives aimed at changing the ratios of women and underrepresented minorities at all levels within each company. While those announcements garnered global attention it might have been easy to miss what we think is one of the most important initiatives already having an impact, the BBC Ouch: Disability Talk podcast.

BBC Ouch is a blog and radio talk show produced by the BBC with a focus on disabled people and diverse stories, it was launched in 2006 and won best media podcast at the 2015 Drum Online Media Awards.

My friend and client Toby Mildon, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at BBC Digital, introduced me to the BBC Ouch podcast last week and I was absolutely smitten.

Numbers and ratios tell one story, this podcast tells another, much more compelling story about what we are all missing out on due to the lack of diversity and inclusion in every facet of life. While listening to this podcast you immediately understand why numbers and ratios alone can lead to insulting tokenism.

The variety of topics covered, the unique challenges shared, and the potential solutions discussed are possible because of the diversity of each of the participants. The result is a rich and authentic discussion that can only be achieved when you feel accepted, safe and supported in your environment. This is what inclusion sounds like.

Focusing on changing the dynamics of the watercooler/coffee-counter conversation and the ideas generated at every intersection of a workplace or community are the true desired result of diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Listen to the podcast and experience what true diversity and inclusion in our communities will sound like. And then, as Joelle Emerson so rightly put it in this piece, “Want to hire more diverse people? Raise the bar!” What steps will you take to the raise the bar when it comes to creating more diverse and inclusive workplaces and communities?

I like the way inclusion sounds at the BBC,  I'd love to hear what inclusion sounds like in your workplace or community. Follow me @HeidiDifference and @GapJumpers and join the discussion #diversity #inclusion #whatworks #changetheratio #accessibility.

This post originally appeared on Medium on July 31, 2015.