Is Your Workplace an Exclusive Club? If not, maybe it should be

What?? A diversity and inclusion expert promoting exclusion in the workplace??? Has she gone over to the dark side?

There are still a lot of stressed out people going to work everyday. Some of them may be entering your workplace. They’re worried about the economy, health care, and their family. They are anxious about the future, and sometimes feel alone. They wonder if they’ll have a job, and are afraid to make mistakes, so they become afraid to take risks and their genius hides behind a thin smile.

In today’s economy, with so many employees feeling so uncertain, and solo in their silo, you can create an environment where people feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves or their “job.”

With all the research validating the fact that “engaged employees are happy employees, and happy employees are more productive and make their customers happy,” (duh) you have the opportunity to engage your employees for little or no financial investment.

Employees will flourish if they have a sense of belonging to a community, or the “exclusive club,” where they are appreciated for the talents, skills and experience. Whether they are at work for four, eight or ten hours, if they feel secure, trusted and an essential part of your organization, they will be more focused, willing to share ideas and resources, and make your customers feel that they are part of the exclusive club called “your business.”

In fact, even if people don’t particularly like what they do, they can still feel good about coming to work, and even move into another position that they do like.

The more included employees feel, the more they’ll be engaged and we know the rest. As they make your customers feel more included and taken care of by your “exclusive club,” the more they’ll want to return and bring their friends, families and colleagues to share the experience.

Start by creating a culture of community with your leadership team and hold everyone accountable for implementing the culture by getting to know employees at every level. Become more accessible, less critical, and enlist the whole organization to become part of the change.

Give formal and informal recognition of good work, excellent customer feedback, and innovative ideas. Find out how your employees like to be rewarded.

Create more opportunities for employees from different work functions to interact with each other, and empower them to help each other, and learn from each other. If you don’t have one, develop a newsletter that features employees, and managers so people can be seen as more than the job they do.

By developing a culture of community, you’ll get more done, be more focused and your employees will be more focused on their work each moment of the day. They’ll feel good about coming to work and be less stressed and home, and your customers will be made to feel personally served and included in the exclusive club called “your business.”