Observing with empathy, asking the right questions and listening will go a long way to charting out how to give meaningful support.

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are aspirational ideals that have permeated conversations of work life and good employment.

Yet, there is still room for improvement when it comes to putting these aspirations into practice, if a survey on diversity issues commissioned by The Straits Times and release in August is anything to go by.

In this episode, ST journalist Tay Hong Yi finds out how employers and employees both have their part to play in making workplaces more inclusive in meaningful ways without patronising those who benefit.

His guests are:

Ms Winifred Ling, a couples therapist and relationship coach who has lived with an invisible disability for close to two decades

Ms Hsu Yi Peng, a young leader who helmed an initiative to provide students with diverse needs internship opportunities at her company, HSBC, on top of her day job as a product specialist.