{"id":9442,"date":"2019-05-14T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T09:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/?p=9442"},"modified":"2021-05-24T07:33:01","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T06:33:01","slug":"10-inclusive-behaviours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/cross-industry\/2019\/05\/14\/10-inclusive-behaviours\/","title":{"rendered":"10 inclusive behaviours"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BernardoIn the fourth industrial revolution, we need people with a combination of both digital and soft skills in order to help businesses innovate. In fact, the skills shortage is one of the top emerging risks faced by organisations<\/a>, according to a recent Gartner report. One way to meet these shortages and grow your talent pool is to have a diverse workforce.<\/p>\n

According to McKinsey & Co<\/a>, companies that are more diverse and inclusive drive value creation and performance in four key areas:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A diverse and inclusive workplace is central to attracting, developing, and retaining talent. Diverse organisations have broader talent pools to successfully compete in this changing world.<\/li>\n
  2. Diverse groups make faster, better quality decisions, which in turn, pushes better business performance.<\/li>\n
  3. Inclusive and diverse teams are more creative and innovative. They can give a better customer insight into diverse customer markets, serving the community better and increasing value.<\/li>\n
  4. It improves employee satisfaction, collaboration, and loyalty, creating an environment that’s more attractive to high performers.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    At Microsoft, we\u2019ve been taking part in this journey to become more diverse and inclusive\u2014not only to grow our talent pool, but also to be more innovative and creative, and build a better future for all. An important part of this is creating an open culture and ensuring everyone feels like they belong and contributes with their authentic self.<\/p>\n

    Here are 10 behaviours we\u2019ve identified from our own journey that will help you create a more inclusive workplace.<\/p>\n

    1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Include and seek input from people across a wide variety of backgrounds<\/h2>\n

    At Microsoft, we design products and services for all human experiences and needs so we need to hear from a wide variety of people. You may too. Or perhaps you want to improve customer relationships. Cognitively diverse teams solve problems 60 percent faster.<\/a> So, whatever work you do, having a diverse input will give you a better, more well-rounded result, at a much faster rate.<\/p>\n

    You will cater to a broader set of customers if you build your product or service with diverse input. Not only will this increase profitability, but it will also boost innovation<\/a>. Your employees will be empowered and excited to be part of a positive, supportive environment.<\/p>\n

    Tip: take advantage of <\/strong>employee resource groups<\/strong><\/a> when starting a new project and include them from the early stages.<\/strong>
    \n\"Woman<\/p>\n

    2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Listen carefully to the person speaking until they feel understood<\/h2>\n

    Listening is an active process you undertake to make sure you understand what the speaker is saying. It\u2019s also important to respond appropriately to what they\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n

    Remain impartial as you listen. Remember that a natural part of speaking includes pauses, so leave any questions, clarifications, or comments until the speaker has finished. Use verbal and non-verbal cues to show you\u2019re actively listening.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t forget to leverage technology. Both Skype and PowerPoint<\/a> now feature live captions and subtitles. This will make it easier for those who are hard of hearing, in a noisy office, or speak another language to actively listen or be heard.<\/p>\n

    Tip: active listening is a skill that can be learnt. Remember:<\/strong><\/p>\n