Every body has a story to tell UPDATED DEFINITIONS

Everybody has a story to tell

Despite many diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, most organizations still aren’t addressing all the barriers that hinder underrepresented groups from reaching their full potential. Watch 16 brave individuals from across industries and geographies share their journeys to inspire communities and organizations to become more inclusive.

What are the headwinds faced by underrepresented talent?

In their shoes

The headwinds I've faced

stand by me

How I got where I am

Don't just talk, do

How organizations can make a difference

A significant proportion of the workplace feel excluded

Less than half

Over a third

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Name

Diverse talent tell their stories

An inclusive culture doesn’t just happen. It requires sustained effort from organizations and individuals. In our video series, individuals from various ethnicities, age groups, gender and walks of life, share their experiences of injustice and exclusion as well as accounts of when colleagues and leaders inspired them to feel like they belong. They also share actions that both employees and organizations can take to make the workplace more inclusive for all.

Exclusion in the workplace

Name

Lauren

This tea lover believes that to brew truly inclusive organizations we must show empathy and care.

Hear their stories

Is there a future where work works for everyone? Listen to individuals who represent a broad range of diversity reflect on their workplace experiences and vision for the future.

Mike

CEO, dad of four, and red wine connoisseur, Mike knows the bitter taste of exclusion and is changing the disability conversation through his work with Purple.

Sulal

Sulal believes we must live by a simple teaching from Mahatma Gandhi, "be the change you wish to see in the world".

Sharon

An engineer and a kid at heart, Sharon knows that building equitable workplaces is no child's play. Organizations must be courageous.

Sharni

As a woman of Aboriginal heritage, Sharni believes that gaining a better understanding about our differences and commonalities is the key.

Silvio

He was told he would not prosper because he was poor and he was black. He now thrives as a senior director of a global pharma company.

What is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)?

Find out more about Korn Ferry's DE&I solutions

Learn More

Everyone experiences headwinds, but for underrepresented groups, those barriers are amplified.

Stop

actions of exclusion

Start

actions of inclusion

Unconscious biases

Unconscious biases are the blind spots that distort our attitudes, actions and decisions concerning those who are different from us.

Micro-inequities

Micro-inequities are day-to-day exchanges that transmit a sense of subordination from one individual to others based on any number of social identities, including race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, nationality, religion, and disability.

Micro-affirmations

Micro-affirmations are small gestures of inclusion, caring, and listening that enable everyone to succeed through equal opportunity and treatment. These are grounded in an environment marked by generosity, credit-giving, support, and respect for all—the culture of an inclusive organization.

Inclusive Leadership

Leaders can be inclusive by cultivating a specific set of skills and experiences that foster collaboration and cultural agility.

4 steps to building a diverse and inclusive organization

Structural Inclusion

Organizations can be inclusive by re-examining and reshaping their talent processes to ensure they’re fair and equitable for the entire employee population.

Behavioral Inclusion

Individuals can be inclusive by recognizing long-held unconscious bias and working to mitigate it.

Change Management

Executives can help organizations be inclusive by making sure the changes stick over time.

Diversity and inclusion are inextricably linked. Organizations without diversity cannot be inclusive. Without inclusion, diverse organizations cannot thrive.

Wherever you are on your journey right now, this guide will help you address root causes, drive lasting change, and make diversity, equity and inclusion a true lever for competitive advantage.

Click on the diagram to find out more

Take our quiz to find out

How inclusive are you?

Take the Quiz

Your guide to building a diverse and inclusive organization

What is inclusion?

Equity

Diversity

Diversity is “the mix”. It encompasses the full range of human differences and similarities, including physical, cognitive, relational, occupational, societal and value-related.

Recognition that not everyone has equal access to opportunity, advancement, support and reward. Addressing structural and behavioral inequities to ensure the promise of equality is fulfilled for all.

Inclusion is “making the mix work" by involving and valuing people as individuals, respecting their differences, and leveraging the wealth of knowledge, insights and perspectives in an open, trusting, and diverse workplace. Inclusion can be behavioral (mindsets, skillsets and relationships) or structural (structures, processes, practices and algorithms).

Inclusion

What is equity?

What is diversity?

Stories from under-represented groups in the workplace

We have identified the four key areas involved in building an inclusive organization.

What you can do to create a more inclusive workplace

Hover to explore

Anne-Marie

Having a child with complex health needs refocused Anne-Marie’s commitment to fight for equity and inclusion in the workplace for all.

Anne

Some disabilities may be completely hidden unless the person tells you. Anne shares how invisible disabilities can lead to self-imposed exclusion.

Passionate about the environment and social issues, Mo believes that everyone must be at the table when companies are designing the future.

Steve

As an employer brand consultant, Steve has a warning to companies that don’t show commitment to inclusion: candidates will shun you.

Jordana

This talkative lover of music and sunny beaches was left out because of her accent. But inspiring leaders saw her potential.

Minori

When you’re a female senior leader in Japan, you have no choice but step out of your comfort zone. Luckily change is coming.

David

His boss asked him not to come out of the closet. David envisages a future with more diversity in leadership positions.

Source:

A hiring manager dismisses the resume of an applicant without a college degree, even after recruiters have deemed the applicant suitable.

For example:

Men monopolizing speaking time and constantly interrupting their female colleagues.

For example:

Making assumptions about qualifications or abilities that are distinct from work output.

Using outdated language to refer to a racial or ethnic group.

Acknowledging excellence demonstrated by colleagues without bias.

Providing direct reports equal access to development opportunities.

Affirming emotional reactions and validating the experiences of different individuals.

For example:

Video series

Get in touch

Javonté

Inspired by his grandmother’s dreams, this globetrotter is climbing the proverbial mountain. Javonté believes that sometimes difference can help you get to the top.

Silvia

She likes hiking along rough paths and rock scrambles. But it was in the workplace that Silvia found her toughest obstacles.

Blake

Bias has made him feel small. But through courage and vulnerability he realized mentorship and support can come from everywhere.

Sharni

As a woman of Aboriginal heritage, Sharni believes that gaining a better understanding about our differences and commonalities is the key.

Lauren

This tea lover believes that to brew truly inclusive organizations we must show empathy and care.

Sulal

Sulal believes we must live by a simple teaching from Mahatma Gandhi, "be the change you wish to see in the world".

Lyn

This Filipino female leader in Japan has felt invisible and excluded by language. Yet, Lyn has been a voice for change.

Anne

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Steve

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Silvia

She likes hiking along rough paths and rock scrambles. But it was in the workplace that Silvia found her toughest obstacles.

Blake

Bias has made him feel small. But through courage and vulnerability he realized mentorship and support can come from everywhere.

Silvia

She likes hiking along rough paths and rock scrambles. But it was in the workplace that Silvia found her toughest obstacles.

See more stories

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Here are 30 everyday actions of inclusion that you can take

Start now

Defining terms

Hover to explore

Equity

is the fulfilment of the promise. It is the removal of behavioral and structural barriers in fulfilling the promise.

Equality

is the promise. It is equal access to opportunity, advancement, support and reward for all.

Inclusion

is making the 'mix' work. It unlocks the power of diversity. ........ Behavioral inclusion inclusive mindsets, skillsets, and relationships. ........ Structural inclusion equitable and transparent structures, practices, policies, and algorithms.

Inclusion

Diversity

is the 'mix'. It encompasses the full range of human differences and similarities. Both identity-based and cognitive.

Diversity

Equality

is the promise. It is equal access to opportunity, advancement, support and reward for all.

Blake

Bias has made him feel small. But through courage and vulnerability he realized mentorship and support can come from everywhere.

Blake

Bias has made him feel small. But through courage and vulnerability he realized mentorship and support can come from everywhere.