Building fundamental habits of inclusion is essential for creating better workplaces.
Bristol Myers Squibb focuses on both diversity and inclusion to reach more patients and transform lives.
Inclusion is an intentional action that happens in everyday conversations and interactions, and storytelling plays a key role in creating a more inclusive culture.
Deep dives
The Importance of Inclusion in the Workplace
Inclusion is crucial for creating a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. It is important to actively include others to avoid accidentally excluding them. Building fundamental habits of inclusion is essential to create better workplaces. The neuroscience of inclusion is explored in this episode, highlighting areas where we often go wrong and how science can help us connect people more effectively.
The Power of Diversity and Inclusion at Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers Squibb has prioritized building a diverse workforce and a broadly inclusive culture. They have introduced a groundbreaking employee research group model and various leadership development programs to achieve this. The business case for diversity is clear within the company, as they strive to address healthcare disparities and health equity. The organization focuses on both diversity and inclusion to reach more patients and transform lives.
Habits as the Key to Inclusion
Bristol Myers Squibb follows a 'habit by the numbers' approach to inclusion. They identified the right habits through extensive interviews and research, leading to the development of three core habits: encouraging every voice, exploring new ideas, and eliminating barriers. These habits are supported by actionable steps and grounded in scientific research. Measuring inclusion adoption rates and maintaining certification as verified inclusion partners are crucial for creating a sustainable inclusive culture.
Common Mistakes in Inclusion Strategies
Many organizations make the mistake of focusing on specific audiences rather than ensuring inclusion is for everyone. Solving bias alone is not enough to achieve inclusion. It is important to actively include others and be aware of the impact of unconscious biases. Inclusion should be a systemic priority, focusing on priorities, habits, and systems, rather than just implementing training programs. Inclusion is an ongoing journey that requires active participation from everyone.
The Science of Inclusion and the Power of Stories
Inclusion is an intentional action that happens in everyday conversations and interactions. It is about finding common ground and focusing on similarities rather than differences. Storytelling plays a key role in creating a more inclusive culture, as personal stories can bring humanity back into the workplace. Stories help individuals understand their own privilege and fosters empathy and alignment among diverse teams.
