Manager Tips: Foster an Environment of Inclusivity

Cultivating a culture of equity and inclusion where all team members can thrive is critical to the success and well-being of your teams. Teams with higher diversity tend to perform at a higher level through increased levels of innovation, better decision making, faster problem-solving and greater creativity, particularly when they feel psychological safety and are operating in an inclusive work environment.

Here are five ways to build more inclusive and equitable work environments:

1. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s important to be color brave and acknowledge that employees have different experiences and opportunities based on their backgrounds. Have the difficult conversations by asking employees what their experiences have been working at AECOM and what you can do to create a more equitable and inclusive work environment.
2. Be an advocate for non-dominant groups, such as women, minorities, people with disabilities and those with intersectional identities, by giving them leadership visibility, acknowledging their achievements and regularly highlighting career development/growth opportunities that exist within AECOM in team meetings and during one-on-ones.
3. Be a sponsor – give your diverse team members stretch assignments and provide coaching along the way.
4. Use inclusive language – avoid masculine references like “guys”, understand and use the appropriate gender and non-gendered pronouns in the workplace, use “partner” instead of assuming the gender of someone’s spouse/domestic partner and get familiar with these D&I terms.
5. Understand microaggressions, everyday occurrences – whether verbal or non-verbal – that communicate derogatory or negative messages about a person based on their group status. They are often unintentional but can have a significant effect on the receivers’ mental health, overall well-being and feelings of inclusion in an organization. Talk to your teams about microaggressions so that they can recognize them when they arise and emphasize zero tolerance for derogatory language and inappropriate behaviors.