Author: Kirsten Mosey
At Lunaria, we prioritize and practice moving diversity and inclusion beyond hiring and HR practices through practices like social inclusion. Social inclusion is the process which actively improves participation in the workplace.
The concept moves beyond connections to create safe spaces for employees and encourages community while respecting personal differences.
It can dramatically improve employee happiness and productivity. Connections at work have been proven to increase employee engagement and decrease stress. A study by McKinsy Global Institute shows that productivity improves by 25% in organizations with connected employees.
One of the most personable ways to practice social inclusion is pretty simple: be inclusive, and social! As an HR manager is important to encourage employees to ensure those around them are engaged in the workplace socially.
As your team works from home due to COVID-19, you can still be social and proactively include team members in your social activities while physically distancing! Here are our tips to get you started:
Build colleague maps with one another.
Based on the concept of “love maps” by Drs.John and Julie Gottman, colleague mapping helps to provide a deeper understanding of both the personal and professional life of those around you. In the time of COVID-19, building these maps can be as simple as spending the first few minutes of a Zoom call asking an open-ended question for the whole team to answer. Check out this blog post by the Gottman Institute to learn more.
Schedule a Zoom call that is not work-related
Try playing an online game (check out apps like Houseparty, or Jackbox Games for virtual game nights), do a team building exercise, or enjoy a virtual cup of coffee together. If your workplace regularly has set routines and social breaks, try making them virtual. For example, instead of the weekly drinks at the pub after work on a Friday evening, do a virtual happy hour with homemade beverages!
Follow the “caremongering” trend
Created by a community in Toronto, caremongering is the “antithesis in name and spirit to fearmongering,” which encourages people to replace fear with community care and positivity. Caremongering has seen entire communities create Facebook groups focused on advice, tips, donations, and practical help requests during COVID-19. Consider creating a workplace caremongering channel on Slack, or set aside time in a weekly meeting to help those in your organization who may need practical support during this time.