Inclusion Now: The Workforce Is Fluid, And We Are Ready For It! 

The professional world is changing, and we see dynamism getting the importance it should. Inclusion Now by Interweave Consulting brought a conversation on this recently.

As someone on the journey of building a diverse platform, I often see leaders actively broadening the meaning of diversity to pave the way for inclusion. I see individuals who use dialogue to emphasize the acceptance of their identity and leave a mark. I also see allies who cheer them on.

What is truly remarkable is that this outlook extends to every field that resonates with the professional tag, including the corporate world.

How do we let the fluid workforce live up to its potential? Are we even ready for it?

Inclusion Now and the fluid workplace

We deep-dived into this at the Inclusion Now sessions hosted by Interweave Consulting. 

Using the theme of Towards a fluid future, Interweave Consulting’s event ‘Inclusion Now’ told leaders that as we etch the letters D, E& I into our cultures, we must also examine our readiness to nurture the change.

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Image source: Interweave Consulting, LinkedIn

As Vihaan Peethambar, Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Goldman Sachs, put it, “Normal is the biggest myth,” especially when individuals move away from the conventional definitions attached to terms of gender, ability, or even the mode of working. When we are hellbent on being the gatekeepers of yesterday’s norms, we crumple the aspirations of the new normal.

Shefali Sharma Garg, Co-Chief Talent Officer- Publicis Sapient, rightly points out, “We want more than flexibility today.” Yes, we want to be seen and acknowledged for our talent and trusted for our skills. Like-minded leaders like you and I can fuel the fluid workplace. With technology and better reach, we have the tools and resources to give the diverse workplace a chance to thrive. Most importantly, our ability to communicate transparently and be more open to feedback helps us uphold flexibility and freedom in our company.

What does it mean to embrace diversity?

Keynote speaker T M Krishna, Musician, Author, and Activist, raised an important point, “Diversity enriches any field of activity.”  When we actively converse about our readiness to build the infrastructure, policies, and principles for a diverse work culture, we can move away from the dystopian doom of the work culture.

He asks us, “What does it mean to embrace diversity?” I believe the answer lies in moving away from our biases. It lies in moving away from personal gains and exchanging ideas on how the employment market can collaborate with diversity advocates to make the workplace richer in skill. Embracing diversity equates with recognizing quality over quantity, a crucial principle we abide by at Women’s Web. It means engaging with those labeled as ‘outliers’ to understand how the employment market can integrate them into the system with respect.

Anju Jayaram and Rashmi Mamgain from Women’s Web at the event.

It was empowering to watch leaders on the panel use similar thought processes to act as catalysts of diversity and inclusion. As the co-founder of a platform that explores women’s reality across social standings, I was honored to be a part of Interweave Consulting’s event that voiced the definition of diversity across sectors. Gladly, the fluid workforce is not just the future, it is the present, and we are ready for it!

Images source: LinkedIn

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