Management Principle 3
Engage in authentic, inclusive communication
Inclusive communication is both accessible and recognisable for as many people as possible. In other words, an inclusive organisation tailors its internal and external communication (internal emails, presentations, newsletters, social media, etc.) to reflect the similarities that connect people. And it is important that the communication is always authentic. Don’t present the SME as being more diverse or inclusive than it really is.
Tips for authentic, inclusive communication
- Use ‘inclusive language’ and emphasise what is shared.
- Base communication as much as possible on the goals and successes people share.
- Use clear, plain language and avoid culturally coloured metaphors as far as possible.
- Display the (life philosophy) diversity of your team on the company website and in newsletters, brochures, presentations, and so on.
- Pay attention to differences, in a sensitive way – celebrate Christmas as well as Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (the Sugar Festival).
More tips?
Download the publication or attend the webinar for more tips.
A case in point
Fruit Vanhellemont communicates honestly and inclusively
‘We recruit and select new people for their talents and for their worth as individuals, regardless of nationality, race, colour, etc. We’ve been doing this for more than 15 years and as a result have a diverse workforce. This diversity is clearly visible in both our internal and external communication. ‘
Our onboarding brochure is also very simple and accessible. It contains mostly pictures with short, clear explanations, in plain language.’
Hanan Challouki
Inclusive communication specialist, founder of Inclusified and author of ‘Inclusive Communication’.
Tools to boost inclusive communication
These freely accessible, online tools (in Dutch) help you determine your organisation’s current level of diversity and/or inclusion:
