When I think of “Inclusion and Diversity”, I automatically think about creating a diverse and inclusive workforce environment: providing all employees with learning and development opportunities, ensuring employees with disabilities have the right tools and resources and educating all employees on how to work with people with disabilities, sending out regular communications on techniques for how to strengthen inclusion and diversity in the workplace and so forth.

Reading this article from UTalkMarketing.com this morning over a cup of coffee made me question my own definition of “Inclusion and Diversity.” I came to the conclusion that my view on this subject was far too narrow – I was focussing on it from a purely internal perspective and needed to think outside of the box and include an external perspective too. Inclusion and Diversity isn’t just about making your diverse workforce feel included; it’s also about ensuring that your customers feel included AND that their voices and their business needs lie at the heart of your business.

The author of this article, Chris Beswick, argues that businesses need to develop a relationship with their customers, look at the world from their perspective and appreciate the problems they face and the things they aspire to. Instead of focussing on their own products and services, businesses need to put greater focus on their customers’ problems and tensions – it’s not “what you do”, i.e. what you sell; what you provide, but rather “how you do it”, i.e. how you fuel innovation and differentiation.

Yet Beswick argues that true customer-centricity is only possible if you first become people-centric. In his words the only way you can provide an exceptional end-to-end customer experience is to ensure that everyone in your organisation understands how to collaborate on solving your customers’ problems.

How do you extend Inclusion and Diversity to your customers? Share your thoughts below.

Do you have an Inclusion and Diversity story to share? Please send it to idblog@cisco.com.

To read the full article click here

Tags: business, business problems, Chris Beswick, Customer-centric, customers, employees, environment, Inclusion and Diversity, innovation, people-centric, Utalk Marketing, Voice, workforce

“I can’t emphasise enough just how important – and real – diversity is at Bank of America. Everything we do in the company supports one of our core values: inclusive meritocracy. For us, diversity is all about inclusion. It is not just about gender. It’s not just about ethnicity. Here, diversity and inclusion mean respecting and valuing all nationalities, cultures, religions, sexual orientation, economic and social backgrounds and disabilities. By working with our differences, we can develop innovative products for our customers and a unique environment for our associates.” Geri Thomas, global diversity and inclusion executive from the Bank of America Read More »

Tags: Bank of America, culture, customers, diversity, ethnicity, Geri Thomas, immigration, Inclusion and Diversity, migrants, minorities, products, values, women, workforce

As I was driving into work this morning, I was listening to the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4. An interesting discussion came up around the UK government’s plans to an extra 75,000 adult apprenticeships over the next four years. Karen Brady, former managing director of Birmingham City Football Club and one of the judges on Lord Sugar’s television series The Apprentice, was being interviewed on whether she thought this was a good idea and how this could be achieved.

As someone who didn’t go to university and went straight into the workforce, Karen thinks apprentices are a “brilliant idea” as they create opportunities for young people, who want to increase and develop their skill set, to enter the workplace. As anyone of any age can apply for apprentices, they also provide older people with the chance for a career-change and to learn new skills. Apprentices are clearly in high demand – last year over 33,000 people applied for 200 apprentices at BT.

Could increase the number of apprentices be a way for a company to demonstrate Inclusion and Diversity? Share your thoughts below.

To listen to the interview with Karen Brady click here

Tags: apprentice, apprenticeship, BBC Radio 4, BT, government, Inclusion and Diversity, Karen Brady, Today, Today programme

“The diversity of the workforce at the London Olympics will be “unprecedented” and will be part of the lasting legacy left by the games”, Stephen Frost, head of diversity and inclusion at Locog (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Read More »

Tags: 2012, diversity, games, Inclusion and Diversity, LOCOG, London Olympics, Recruitment, Stephen Frost, strategy, volunteers

“In today’s thriving multi-cultural environment, the need to manage diversity is one recognised by many companies, but something achieved by far fewer.” Read More »

Tags: Adaption, Awareness, Change, Commitment, diversity, Diversity & Cultural Awareness Profile, Empathy, I&D, inclusion, Inclusion and Diversity, Jon Warner, Persistence, Tolerance, Understanding