The CIPD’s inclusion health checker is a useful tool to help organisations build inclusive workplaces, where people feel that they belong within their team and the organisation, and feel valued, accepted at work, and can be themselves without having to conform, hide or change themselves.

Participants fill in a simple seven-question survey around organisational values, people management practices and employee behaviours, which prompts tailored recommendations to improve inclusion in the workplace.

Inclusive organisations have practices and processes in place to break down barriers to inclusion, and to value difference, which will help them to understand their employees and their customers, and make better decisions, all of which are vital for businesses to thrive and innovate.

The health checker tool works whether an organisation is in the early stages of building an inclusive workplace and management capability, policies and practices, or is already performing well and looking to build on good practice.

The CIPD also recommends making use of existing data such as culture and engagement surveys, which may touch on practices relating to inclusion, or consider creating a bespoke employee survey or running focus groups or employee feedback sessions to fully understand inclusion across the organisation.

Lee Ann Panglea, Head of CIPD Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “People professionals are in a unique position to champion the importance and benefits of an inclusive culture, and I would urge everyone to try our inclusion heath checker tool, which will recommend ways to forward inclusion in your organisation, whatever stage you are at.”

Access the tool and read the CIPD report ‘Building inclusive workplaces’ and the factsheet Diversity and inclusion in the workplace.