Employers worldwide seek to create high-performing work cultures where employees feel included and empowered to contribute. Yet despite sophisticated programs and practices, many are falling short when it comes to achieving workplace inclusion.
Why are so many companies stuck, especially with so much at stake?
In this report, we surveyed employees working in multinational organizations with operations in China. The findings demonstrate a key reason for this stalled progress: a tendency to overlook the “people side” of change. Building inclusive workplace cultures requires far more than a strong business case, the “right” program, or even the most sophisticated assessment tools or metrics.
To create high-performing work cultures, business leaders must pay attention to the people side—how employees connect to company values, its social impact on the broader community, the workplace role models employees are exposed to, and employees’ willingness and ability to participate in culture change efforts.
This study suggests some key ways global leaders, change agents, and influencers can do just this and enjoy greater success in building the inclusive work cultures that are so critical to business performance.
Research Partners: AT&T Inc.; Bloomberg; BMO Financial Group; The Boston Consulting Group; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Chevron Corporation; Credit Suisse; Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; Dell Inc.; Desjardins Group; Deutsche Bank AG; EY; General Motors Company; Halliburton; Hewlett-Packard Company; IBM Corporation; KeyBank; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; McDonald’s Corporation; Novo Nordisk; Sodexo; State Street Corporation; Symantec; UPS; Verizon
How to cite this product: Travis, Dnika J. and Alixandra Pollack.Think People, Not Programs to Build Inclusive Workplaces. New York: Catalyst, July 7, 2015.