“Bring your whole self to work.” A phrase that we want to follow and encourage, but what does it really mean? Bringing your whole self to work is bringing every component of what makes you “you” to the workplace. It emphasizes the ideas of inclusion and humility. It allows for our co-workers (and ourselves) to not be afraid of taking risks, speaking up, asking for help, etc., while it creates a happy and comfortable work environment. When we hide parts of ourselves as part of our “work persona”, our engagement, productivity, and well-being in the office becomes compromised.
With mental health awareness month in our midst, it is time to ask ourselves, how much do we really know about our co-workers? We see and come into contact with them every day, yet we know next to nothing about their personal lives. We often forget the psychological aspect of coming into work, do they feel included? Are they well-represented? Are they able to work efficiently in this environment? These are the questions that often go right past our heads in day to day life. However, we have the opportunity to change that and create an inclusive, diverse, and well-functioning work environment! While this may seem like a daunting task, it is much
simpler than you think, and we can get you started. Here are some ways to encourage and allow your team to bring their whole selves to work.
ENCOURAGE AUTHENTICITY
Stepping into an office full of people can be very intimidating for someone who doesn’t feel a sense of belonging. Fear of judgement can be detrimental to someone’s work performance and ability. How can we combat this? Often times, marginalized people hide parts of themselves in the workplace, let’s begin here. Creating new ideas and approaches is something that cannot be done well if your team members hide their true selves. A diverse and inclusive work culture encourages employees to be themselves. Let your team know that they are completely welcome and appreciated in this environment. If your employees feel as if they are not heard or empowered, they won’t be able to bring their whole self to work. How do you expect them to remain loyal and perform well? When the team is urged to have more authenticity, they are more inclined to be truly happy in the workplace and devote their time to doing work. After asking for authenticity, appreciate it as well. Demonstrate to your team that their genuineness does not go unnoticed!
EXHIBIT VULNERABILITY AS THE LEADER
Your employees look to you for guidance in the workplace, demonstrate to them that everyone is just human, and that mistakes will arise. In doing so, they will feel a lot more at ease. This also celebrates mistakes as a resource for new learning opportunities. In times like these, sharing our struggles with each other is extremely important and can go a long way; help others come to terms with their struggles by showing that you are okay with yours. Vulnerability is crucial because it is a proof of life, proof that not everything has to be perfect. While sharing your struggles, be sure to also share your success stories in order to create balance and motivation! Success stories can be very inspirational to your team and encourage better work ethics around the office. Encourage your team to make mistakes but emphasize the importance of learning from it and pushing through.
MAINTAIN A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
While this is a great start, it is important to remember that you must maintain this connection with your employees. They can only successfully pretend for so long; it is important to ensure genuine positive responses from them. In order to do so, check in with them often and encourage more communication and expression. Creating a diverse and inclusive office environment is not something that can be done in one step. It is important to give your team validation and reassurance every now and then to preserve this healthy, well-functioning inclusive environment. As they say, Rome was not a built in a day, take your time navigating through this transition. Brief weekly emails or team meetings can go a long way; keep up with those encouragements and the positive attitude and you’ll be there in no time!
These “Bring Your Whole Self to Work” ideas will not only encourage a more comfortable and happier team, but they can also improve the performance of your company. Racially diverse teams outperform non-diverse teams by 35%, research at MIT concluded that some things these diverse teams had in common were showing sensitivity and giving everyone equal opportunity. According to Glassdoor, 57% of employees want their company to do more to increase diversity and 67% of job seekers say that the diversity of a company is crucial to evaluating job offers. So, what are you waiting for?
Yum Yum Morale offers extensive solutions to create an inclusive and diverse workplace, there is no greater place to start than right here!
For more content about Diversity & Inclusion, head over to our blog to see posts like “Hosting a Virtual Fitness Challenge for Your Team”.