Stop leaving HR to handle your inclusion initiatives.

Inclusion isn't just another box for HR to tick it’s foundational to sound business strategy.

Yet too often, inclusion is mistakenly treated as a side project or an HR-only responsibility. 

Leaders, it's time we stepped away from the idea that inclusion is someone else's job and started seeing it as an essential part of our everyday leadership practice. Inclusion is the critical step we've been skipping, but it's precisely what's needed to build thriving, innovative, and successful businesses.

Inclusion goes beyond HR.

When inclusion initiatives are handled exclusively by HR, it sends a message: inclusion is about compliance, not culture. Genuinely inclusive organisations understand that this approach isn’t enough. Inclusion must be intersectional, recognising how identities such as disability, race, gender, socioeconomic status, and neurodiversity overlap and shape people's experiences.

For example, intersectionality in recruitment could mean recognising that a disabled Black parent might face different barriers than a non-disabled white woman. 

Generic "diversity" policies can’t address or effectively welcome her experience; it requires specific supports and adjustments that acknowledge how these identities intersect and amplify one another.

This kind of thoughtful approach doesn't just create fairer workplaces; it opens your business to a richer, more innovative range of perspectives and experiences.

Why inclusion is a leadership issue

Leaders don't just run businesses; they set the tone for them. Their behaviours signal what truly matters within an organisation. Inclusive leaders actively create safe, open environments where every employee feels valued, heard, and respected. They don’t just talk about inclusion, they practice it daily.

Take psychological safety, for example.

Recall the leadership style depicted in the series "Ted Lasso"?

GIF: Ted pointing at the believe sign above his door

Ted creates a culture where team members feel secure enough to admit mistakes, voice their ideas, and share their personal struggles. 

This fosters trust, creativity, and ultimately, better team performance. Leaders who embrace psychological safety encourage open dialogue about the realities and complexities of diverse experiences, enabling authentic inclusion to thrive.

Addressing the "not my job" mindset

One of the biggest obstacles to inclusion is attitudinal: the mindset that inclusion belongs solely with HR or Diversity & Inclusion teams. Inclusion isn’t just another training module it's a mindset shift that must permeate decision-making, team interactions, and leadership practices.

Leaders must move from passive agreement to active ownership.

As a leader, you should:

• Embed inclusion into strategic business goals.

• Continuously develop your understanding of their impact.

• Set clear inclusion targets and hold yourself accountable.

  
  

Practical strategies for intersectional inclusion

Inclusion in systems

• Regularly review and revise recruitment, onboarding, and career progression policies to identify and address hidden biases.

• Partner with intersectional lived-experience experts to co-create policies that authentically address diverse needs.

  
  

Inclusion in design

• Prioritise accessibility and inclusion from the outset, not as an afterthought.

• Continuously engage diverse user groups to ensure your solutions truly reflect the intersectional experiences of all users.

  
  

Inclusion in leadership

• Make intersectional awareness a non-negotiable part of leadership development programmes.

• Foster psychological safety through open dialogue, acknowledging biases, and encouraging vulnerability.

  
  

Start where you are, but start.

Real change doesn’t happen overnight, and perfection isn't the goal. It’s about making meaningful, continuous progress. Small steps taken consistently can profoundly shift an organisational culture over time.

Reflective questions for leaders:

• What are you already doing well when it comes to inclusive leadership?

• Where could your team better embrace intersectionality?

Opening these conversations isn't just necessary, it's transformative.

Inclusion must become the default way we do business, driven by every leader, integrated into every decision.

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