Being an inclusive company simply means not discriminating against a customer, vendor, employee or potential hire based on their gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion or nationality. More so, it means that you support all your employees in whichever way they live their lives, and make sure your entire team does as well. When companies aren’t inclusive, it shows, and can easily be weaponized against them.
Do you know the cost of intolerance? It’s a high price.
If your company is one that values camaraderie, community projects can create time for teamwork outside the office with your entire staff. Those who may not interact with each other often may have the chance to learn more about one another, creating bonds that might not have existed otherwise. Working towards a common goal, especially one that is focused on helping others, is a great way to break down social barriers and help your employees connect with each other on a deeper level.
Having a shared emotional experience can be a powerful tool, especially when it’s a positive one. When we experience empathy and kindness, whether it’s directly experienced or witnessed, it affects us. We carry the experience with us, and it can help shape how we view and interact with the world. Where an employee may have had little patience before, perhaps now they can give more grace to others because of what they experienced together.
Participating in acts of service also sends a clear signal to your staff that your company values the lives of others, and more than that, wants to make the effort to ensure that others needs are met. Company culture is greatly impacted when community work is of great importance. Your employees will feel good about working for a company that serves others in such a powerful way.
It’s not just the participation, but the simple act of picking a cause, that can start to bring a company staff together. When they are all tasked with choosing how their company will give back, it makes them feel more invested in what they are doing. When they choose a project to do together, they become invested not just in the project, but in each other.