What Makes Inclusion in the Workplace More Than Just a Trend
Many companies today talk about building diverse teams. However, hiring people from different backgrounds is just the first step. The bigger question is what happens after that.
Do employees feel respected? Do they feel heard? Are they given the same chances to grow? These things matter more than we often realize.
When people feel left out, it affects how they work. It also affects how long they stay. That means inclusion in the workplace is not just about fairness. It has a direct impact on business results.
Paolo Gaudiano has spent years studying this. He is the Founder and Chief Scientist of Aleria, a company that helps organizations use data to improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He also wrote the book Measuring Inclusion and gave a TED Talk on the same topic.
With a background in aerospace engineering and neuroscience, Paolo brings a unique way of thinking. He moved from teaching to business, using his skills to understand how daily actions shape workplace culture. His work focuses on real experiences, not just broad ideas or checklists.
In this article, you’ll learn what inclusion looks like at work. You’ll also see how it affects performance, why early choices matter, and what leaders can do to create lasting change using clear, simple steps.
A Cross-Cultural Start in Inclusion in the Workplace
Growing up in Italy, Paulo wasn’t exposed to much racial diversity. But he traveled often with his family and saw many cultures. This helped him see the world from different points of view.
When he moved to the U.S. at 16, he quickly noticed how race and identity played a bigger role. That contrast stayed with him.
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The Shift from Academia to Entrepreneurship
Paulo studied the brain and built models to understand how simple parts work together for complex tasks. Later, he applied the same idea to people in companies.
How do small everyday actions shape a workplace? That question led him to leave his job as a professor and join a startup. He liked the fast pace and problem-solving it offered.
Founding Alleria with a Three-Pronged Strategy
Instead of choosing one path, Paulo built three things at once:
- A for-profit company for business work
- A nonprofit to access funding
- An academic group to stay connected to research
Each part helped support the others.
Inclusion Measured, Not Assumed
Paulo noticed most diversity work focused only on numbers. He thought that wasn’t enough. So, he built a tool to track real experiences instead of asking broad questions.
For example, did someone get left out of a meeting? Did support take too long to help them? These small details show the real picture. By looking at facts and not just feelings, he brought a clear way to improve how people feel at work.
How Inclusion in the Workplace Affects Company Performance
Inclusion isn’t just a social issue, it’s a business one, too. When people feel left out, it doesn’t just hurt them. It hurts the company’s results. Small daily issues, like one group waiting longer for IT help, add up over time. If that group is mostly women or people of color, it points to a deeper problem. And that problem costs money.
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The Real Costs of Poor Inclusion in the Workplace
1. Lower performance means lost productivity
When people don’t feel valued, they stop giving their best. Their energy drops. Their work slows down. You get fewer results, more errors, and weaker ideas. That directly lowers the value your team brings in.
2. Higher turnover means higher costs
Unhappy employees leave. Replacing them isn’t cheap. You lose time, money, and often team morale. Hiring someone new can cost as much as a full year’s salary. That hurts any business.
Say one group of employees rates their work satisfaction at 90% and another at 70%. That gap hits your revenue and your staff costs. You’re getting less output from one side and paying more to replace them.
Why Correlation Isn’t Enough
Many claim that more diversity means better results. But most of those claims rely on broad patterns. They don’t prove what causes what. Just because two things happen together doesn’t mean one caused the other.
Instead, look inside your own company. Use clear data. Find which groups feel left out. Track how that affects their work and if they leave faster. Then, you’ll know where money is slipping through the cracks.
Start Early, Think Long-Term
Startups often skip this. They hire fast without thinking ahead. But early hires shape future culture. One extra voice with a different view can save costly mistakes later. Inclusion done right brings better work, fewer exits, and more stable growth.
Rethinking Hiring Through Inclusion in the Workplace
Many companies use checklists or scores to judge candidates. But that approach often misses what matters. A person’s success depends not only on their skills but also on the work environment.
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Skills Aren’t Everything
Strong traits like grit or determination look good on paper. But people don’t work in isolation. Someone might sell well but also create stress for their team. In the end, the team suffers, and so does the company.
So, it’s important to ask:
- Will this person support the team?
- Does the job suit how they work best?
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
There’s no single perfect candidate for every job. People perform differently based on the setting. Someone might fail in one role but thrive in another.
In one study, young job seekers were matched with jobs based on their daily needs and habits, not just test scores. The results showed that better matches led to better outcomes. It’s not about labeling people. It’s about finding the right fit.
Why People Drive Inclusion in the Workplace Results
Most companies spend more on people than anything else. Yet leaders often treat staff as a risk or a burden. That thinking leads to short-term fixes, like cutting jobs to save money.
Instead, think of people the way you think about money:
- Diversity is your balance sheet.
- Inclusion is your cash flow.
- Merit is your long-term value.
This way, you don’t just fill roles. You build a strong and balanced team that lasts. Investing in people and treating them as your greatest asset will improve work, culture, and results.
What Leaders Miss About Inclusion in the Workplace
Many leaders want strong teams, but their hiring choices don’t always reflect that. Some chase big-name hires, hoping for quick wins. Others overlook people with real potential because they lack a fancy resume. These decisions often cost more than they help.
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Inclusion in the Workplace Should Be Practical
Inclusion isn’t only about fairness. It affects how well a business runs. For example, you’re losing money if women leave your company more often than men. Replacing them takes time, costs more, and weakens team stability.
Some suggest women or people of color should just “toughen up.” However, data shows they face real challenges, especially in tech and finance. Women and people with disabilities consistently report worse treatment than others. That’s not just unfair, it’s avoidable.
When the System Makes It Harder, Talent Works Harder
If two people start in the same place, but one faces more blocks, that person often ends up stronger. Data proves it. A woman or person of color in a top role likely had to work harder to get there. Their success isn’t luck. It’s an effort.
Think in Terms of Assets, Not Just People
You manage money with care. Do the same for people. Break it down like this:
- Diversity shows who’s on your team today.
- Inclusion shows how people feel at work every day.
- Merit shows how people grow and contribute over time.
- Retention shows where and why people leave.
- Promotion data reveals fairness in growth.
- Daily treatment shapes morale and results.
Track these. Don’t guess. Build a system that helps people do well—and when they do, so does your company.
Conclusion
Inclusion in the workplace is not just the right thing to do. It also makes clear business sense. When people feel left out or ignored, their work slows down. They give less, care less, and may leave.
That costs companies both time and money. On the other hand, when people feel included, they stay longer and do better work. Tracking real work experiences gives better answers than just looking at hiring numbers.
Simple things like missed meetings or slow support reveal deeper issues. These details help leaders understand what’s working and what’s not. Moreover, your company grows stronger when you treat people as your most important asset.
Hiring with care, listening often, and fixing unfair patterns lead to better results. You don’t need complex systems to start. You just need clear data and real action.
That said, inclusion is not about big talk or quick fixes. It’s about building habits that help everyone do their best. When people feel supported, your team becomes more stable, creative, and productive. Every leader should care about that.
FAQs
What does inclusion in the workplace look like daily?
Everyone gets a fair chance to speak, grow, and feel part of the team. No one feels ignored or left behind.
Who is responsible for driving inclusion in the workplace?
Leaders set the tone, but everyone plays a part. It’s a shared effort from top to bottom.
Can small companies also focus on inclusion in the workplace?
Yes, and they should. Small teams feel gaps faster. Starting early builds a better culture as the company grows.
How does inclusion in the workplace affect mental health?
When people feel included, they feel safer and more supported. This lowers stress and improves well-being.
What’s the difference between diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
Diversity is about who’s on the team. Inclusion is about how they are treated once they’re there.
