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Where is your company on the Inclusion Continuum?

 

The enterprise-wide Workplace Inclusion System designed by Indigenous Works helps companies climb the seven-stage Inclusion Continuum by diagnosing the organizational competencies needed to achieve increased engagements and relationships with Indigenous people, businesses and communities. See below for descriptions of each stage to determine where your company is on the Inclusion Continuum?

Inclusion continuum diagram

 

Stage 1 – Indifference

Inclusion is not on the radar screen

  • Denial forms the basis of workplace diversity.
  • Here, employee morale is never a priority.
  • Here, discrimination and harassment go unchallenged (under human rights legislation, such companies are disappearing).

Stage 2 – Intimidation

Inclusion as forced compliance

  • This company acts wholly from fear.
  • The minimal legal requirement is the high bar.
  • All important actions are reactive rather than proactive.
  • Legal obligation becomes the surest guide to Indigenous inclusion.

Stage 3 – Image

Inclusion as public relations

  • This company prizes HR – so long as it serves PR.
  • What value exists in Indigenous employees – how can they be showcased?
  • Wholly reactive, but to the carrot rather than the stick.
  • External perceptions become the surest guide to Indigenous inclusion.

Stage 4 – Initiation

Inclusion as a business imperative

  • A change agent has been roused by the values of inclusion.
  • That person presents other managers with a business case for inclusion.
  • A nucleus of manager demand drives executives to move the effort forward.
  • The organization begins a self-assessment: how can it become more inclusive?

Stage 5 – Incubation

Inclusion nurtured as a core competency

  • The highest executives commit to the path of inclusion.
  • Inclusion is regarded as a ‘core competency’, necessary for organizational growth.
  • The business case for Indigenous inclusion is translated into policies and practices.
  • The company organizes training and others efforts to grow an inclusive culture.

Stage 6 – Integration

Inclusion as a catalyst for growth

  • The company’s goals are permanently integrated with its inclusion goals.
  • Employees have high morale and show a high degree of engagement.
  • Long-term strategies drive internal and external Indigenous relations.
  • The organization vigorously promotes inclusion to other organizations.

Stage 7 – Inclusion

Inclusion is fully embraced as the cultural norm

  • This highly productive workplace is dedicated to continuous improvement.
  • The corporate culture is one of unflagging commitment to inclusion.
  • This is the company of choice for the very best Indigenous talent.
     

Climb the Inclusion Continuum

Our experts will work with you to develop sustainable and effective strategies, behaviours and pratices that further inclusion throughout your organization with specific emphasis to improve workplace systems in: Leadership, Human Resources, Communications/Marketing, Procurement, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Contact us - to meet with our experts to start building or refining your company-wide Indigenous workplace inclusion strategies and initatives—and to climb the Inclusion Continuum.