What Inclusive Workplaces Are Doing Differently & Why It’s Equating to Bigger Success

1. Recruiting With Intention and Equity

Companies like Accenture have revamped their hiring processes to reduce bias and expand opportunity. Through targeted partnerships with organizations like HBCUs and women-in-tech groups, Accenture has achieved over 50% diverse hiring for entry-level roles globally in recent years.

Job listings are also being rewritten using gender-neutral and inclusive language. A 2020 Harvard Business Review study showed that gendered language in job ads could reduce applications from women by up to 40%.

2. Creating Equitable Paths to Leadership

When PwC realized that Black and Latinx employees were underrepresented in leadership roles, they created an acceleration program focused on mentorship, sponsorship, and strategic exposure. The result? A 27% increase in leadership promotions among underrepresented groups over five years.

At one regional bank in Illinois, a mid-level Latina employee named Rosa shared in a company case study how a structured leadership development program helped her move from customer service to management. “For the first time,” she said, “someone saw my potential and invested in it.”

3. Investing in Inclusive Leadership

Google’s “Unbiasing” initiative, rolled out across all levels of management, teaches employees how unconscious bias shows up in hiring, performance reviews, and team dynamics. After implementation, teams reported a 17% increase in perceived fairness across internal evaluations.

Managers are being held accountable for creating equitable team environments. One software company now includes “inclusion impact” in every manager’s annual performance review, alongside traditional KPIs.

4. Empowering Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

ERGs are no longer seen as “extra credit.” Companies like Adobe, with its ten robust ERGs and real budgetary support, are leveraging these groups to drive product insights, community partnerships, and internal education.

One such ERG, AccessAdobe (focused on disability inclusion), was instrumental in pushing for more accessible UX design. That input led to features that improved user experience for all customers—boosting satisfaction scores by 15% in accessibility categories.

5. Embedding Inclusion Into the Everyday Culture

Inclusive companies go beyond workshops. They infuse belonging into day-to-day operations: from inclusive calendar practices (honoring global holidays) to flexible benefits (supporting families of all structures).

At LinkedIn, employees receive training in inclusive communication and equitable feedback.

They also implemented an “InDays” program—monthly time for teams to pause and focus on culture-building. According to internal surveys, 80% of employees say the initiative improved their connection to their team.

What It Looks Like When Inclusion Works

When employees feel included, they stay longer, perform better, and advocate for your brand.

A 2022 Deloitte report found that employees who feel included are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged and 4.5 times more likely to stay at their company for five or more years.

Take the example of Omar, a first-generation college graduate and engineer at a Fortune 500 company. “I almost left within my first year,” he recalls. “But a mentor from our multicultural ERG made all the difference. Now I’m leading a team.”

These stories—and thousands more like them—prove that inclusion isn’t just HR strategy. It’s leadership in action.

Inclusion Is a Long Game

Inclusive workplaces aren’t built overnight. They are the product of intentional hiring, equitable advancement, empowered leadership, and sustained listening.

But the payoff is worth it. Companies that do this work are not just better places to work—they’re better positioned to lead.

Inclusion is how the best teams are built. And the future of work belongs to organizations willing to build it, brick by inclusive brick.