"Inclusion is not something you do on the side"

This is according to Saniye Çelik, Professor of Diversity & Inclusion at Leiden University. According to her, it all starts with the leaders and managers who say: we think this is important and we are going to do something about it. "Inclusion is reflected in all mutual communication. It's about how you interact with people and how you interact with each other. Every individual in a team plays a role in this. The focus is on issues such as: how do you interact with each other, how do you give each other space and how do you give each other the feeling of being heard. This is easier said than done."
Reflection on the state of inclusion is the magic word here, according to Çelik. "Take your time for this. It should also be normal for this to become a permanent part of, for example, an MT meeting and it should also be regularly on the agenda at other meetings. As a result, it automatically enters the work flow and you no longer have to think about it separately."

Training word choices and daring to do so

Many know that it is the tone that makes the music. This is often more difficult in discussions, which is why, according to the professor, it is good to train word choices. "For example, I avoid saying: 'I don't agree with that'. This quickly comes across as something disapproving or offensive. For example, you can say, "I see it this way." So think about how you can have a conversation with each other in a good way. If you reflect for seven minutes a day, that's a good training that makes you better and better at having constructive conversations." In addition, daring is important. "You have to be willing to give up something, because if you want inclusion for the other person, you often have to sacrifice something yourself."

Make inclusion prominent

Where things also regularly go wrong? Adding inclusion instead of making it part of your business. "Often, managers see inclusion as something social rather than part of the business. This is not true; The well-being of employees leads to fewer sick days and fewer people leaving your company. It's simply about the well-being of your people and your care for your internal organisation. Make sure you have a vision on this. What do you want to work on internally and externally as an insurer? For your people and for your customer groups. This is essential to make progress."

'It doesn't matter if your name is Hans or Hassan'

Many insurers talk a lot about customer loyalty, but what is the best way to organise this? "What you see is that many organisations say that they want to be a reflection of their customers, so that customers feel connected to your organisation or service. If people recognise themselves in someone else, they also have more trust in that person and therefore in your company. This happens, for example, in healthcare. This recognition is reflected in visible characteristics (such as skin colour or other external characteristics), but also in invisible characteristics such as a certain perspective. The most important thing is that you have people in-house who can connect with your customer group, who have skills to reach specific groups. This is not so much about whether your name is Hans or Hassan, but more importantly: intercultural sensitivity. Can you connect with people from different cultures? So, as a manager, pay close attention to who you put in which position and which skills are best used in which place."
When developing new products and services, it is important to include people in the process who bring a different perspective. So make sure that you look at a new product to be imported with different 'glasses'. At municipalities, for example, there are co-creation sessions where people from other backgrounds and ages watch."

Focus

Inclusion is a large and complex subject and for that reason is often tackled far too grandly, according to the professor. "Many organisations want to work on everything and then end up doing nothing. I see organisations that proudly tell what they do, but in reality they can't see the wood for the trees. In short: focus is essential. I regularly see companies doing all kinds of activities and fun sessions. This is important for awareness, but the goal is often forgotten. Create a multi-year plan and work step by step to achieve an inclusive organisational culture. Sometimes the focus is on the composition of the staff, sometimes the communication is important to give a boost to inclusivity in approach and services. Also important: make it a theme for everyone, not just employees who are different from most of their colleagues. Realize that it will never be everyone's topic, but do include everyone in organisational development as much as possible. If people believe in it themselves, they will propagate it. If, as a manager, you say, 'I don't like this', then you're not in the right place."

AI and help from inclusion experts

Furthermore, Çelik reports that in times of artificial intelligence (AI), attention to people is becoming more important than ever. "AI, artificial intelligence, has many advantages, but it does require agility from organisations and people. This requires employees to have a new competence, namely the flexibility to move with the times. We are also becoming (even) more dependent on systems and working methods, which in turn brings with it a new work dynamic."

Finally, she argues that insurers absolutely need to get started (further) with inclusion, but that they don't need to know everything. "Make sure you bring in or involve experts. Who can help you further or spar with you. You don't have to do it alone, and accept that you don't know certain things (yet). Searching is part of learning, so keep doing that."