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The Workplace Health Insights series brings you the latest healthcare trends, interviews with medical experts and specialist insight from Bupa: all designed to keep you and your organisation one step ahead.
For the latest insights on the importance of diversity and inclusion on health and wellbeing, take a look here.
Dividends from diversity
Business leaders are increasingly aware of how crucial clear strategies around diversity and inclusion are for employee wellbeing.
But understanding the differences between equality, equity and inclusion is key to this.
Equality is treating everyone the same, giving them the same stool to stand on regardless of their height.
Equity is providing solutions that create the same experience, giving stools of different heights, so everyone gets the support they need for their height.
And inclusion is taking down the fence blocking the view.
Five steps to get it right
Catherine Goddard, founder of Compelling Culture, believes a common pitfall is focusing on diversity and understating the importance of inclusion.
She suggests five steps to ensure work practices are truly fit for purpose, including asking what would make people feel included and getting to know people who are not like you.
However, she highlights the most important step is to start a conversation.
In health and wellness individuals may have specific needs while some groups are at higher risk of specific conditions.
For instance, people from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are more likely to develop type-2 diabetes at a younger age, and studies show LGBT people are at increased risk of mental health problems.
And when considering screening programmes, it is important to have awareness of transgender people or those with gender dysphoria.
Many employers see healthy, happy and engaged staff as a high priority simply because it’s the right thing to do, but they also have a health and safety responsibility to protect their teams.
This article has been abbreviated by Health & Protection. The full article can be found as part of the Workplace Health Insights series from Bupa, on the importance of diversity and inclusion on health and wellbeing, take a look here.
For more detail on this topic you can also watch Bupa’s Everybody Health; Inclusivity in the workplace event.