Building an Inclusive Organization - by Stephen Frost & Raafi-Karim Alidina (Paperback)

About the Book

Remove unconscious bias from business processes and create an environment of real inclusion where employees feel valued, able to be themselves and perform to their full potential while boosting company profits.

Book Synopsis

FINALIST: Business Book Awards 2020 - An Exceptional Book That Promotes Diversity Category
LONGLISTED: CMI Management Book of the Year 2020 - Society Transformed Category

A diverse workforce is a business imperative. Without it, companies are made up of employees who come from the same background and have the same skills and, therefore, the same blind spots. A diverse workforce brings together different strengths, a variety of experiences, a huge breadth of knowledge and a wealth of creative problem-solving techniques. However, in order to leverage the benefits of this diverse workforce, businesses must be inclusive. Inclusion ensures that employees feel supported, are treated fairly and are therefore happier, more engaged and more productive. Building an Inclusive Organization is a practical guide to creating an environment of real inclusion. It explains how to remove unconscious bias from company processes including recruitment and selection, how to make the case for diversity and inclusion to all stakeholders and how to embed inclusion into an organization's culture and overall business strategy.

Packed with case studies from organizations including KPMG, Uber, Salesforce, Harvard University and the UK National Health Service (NHS), Building an Inclusive Organization shows how to implement robust processes and policies to foster diversity and inclusion in organizations of any size, and in all sectors, including the creative industry, finance, tech, and academia and foundations. Guidance and advice is also provided on how to use 'nudges' to change behaviours and overcome bias, how to achieve transparency and accountability, and how to measure, review and evaluate inclusion.

Review Quotes

"Being inclusive and embracing diversity are ideals that many of us passionately subscribe to, but translating that belief system to actions that lead to inclusion is actually trickier that we would all like to admit. Building an Inclusive Organization raises a healthy dose of self-awareness. But more importantly, this book helps us think logically and practically about minimising the impact of both conscious and unconscious bias, in a very effective but simple way; it encourages small but impactful interventions. I absolutely recommend it!"-- "Amy Moore, Director of Awards, US-UK Fulbright Commission"

"Frost and Alidina have set out a holistic, step-by-step guide on how to build an inclusive organization. It is a must read for diversity and inclusion practitioners, leaders and future leaders who want to understand how they can ensure that they can make a difference."-- "Simon Fillery, former Head of Inclusion, Bank of England"

"Frost and Alidina know the research and they understand how organizations work, from the boardroom and c-suite to mid-level management to frontline employees. This book will help organizational leaders think about what they can do personally and strategically to seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges of inclusion in today's diverse workplaces."-- "Hannah Riley Bowles, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management, and Co-Director of the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School"

"Stephen Frost has been a wise companion and guide on Wellcome's still-unfinished journey towards becoming a more inclusive organization. His low-key but practical approach has helped to make diversity and inclusion a natural part of the decision-making process. My leadership team colleagues and I have learnt volumes about the impact of our behaviour and the benefits of thinking differently. We have a long way still to go, and I hope that our steps and missteps featured in this book will help others to make progress more swiftly."-- "Mark Henderson, Director of Communications, Wellcome Trust"

"Steve and Raafi have written a book that not only makes a powerful case for why we need to build inclusive organizations, but tells us how to do so in very practical ways. Running Fulbright founded on the premise of fostering mutual cultural understanding between peoples worldwide, it is essential we embrace these ideas and this gives me and my board a clear road map to a more inclusive future."-- "Penny Egan, Executive Director, US-UK Fulbright Commission"

"The authors of this terrific book are kind enough to say that the senior people in Wellcome 'get it'-that we get the importance of diversity and inclusion both in achieving our mission and in how we achieve it. Before I met Steve and Raafi, I barely realised there was so much I did have to get, but working with them over the last 18 months has transformed the way Wellcome thinks and the way I think. This book sets out the authors' message persuasively and clearly, and will be essential reading for the largest funder or university as well as for the newly-fledged lab head."-- "Jim Smith, Director of Science, Wellcome Trust"

"This book describes D&I the way it should be and is an unexpectedly gripping read, from the first case study to the last. It contains valuable guidance around how to be creative and brave, yet ultimately practical."-- "Cindy Godwin, Global Leader - Diversity, Inclusion and Social Responsibility, AlixPartners"

"This book gives clear tangibles on how to take action, and how to deliver in a way that is effective and most importantly sustainable. It provides multiple pathways to an inclusive organization and a solid framework for getting there. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to make a confident step in developing a more inclusive organization and culture."-- "Claire Camara, HR Director, Co-op"

"This book is a must have guide for HR professionals working with inclusion & diversity. It gives you concrete advice on how you work with behavioural change as well as all the HR systems. All together an inspiring book that helps you drive the I&D agenda and create sustainable change."-- "Stine Fehmerling, Head of D&I, Coloplast"

"This book is excellent. It is a roadmap for the next iteration of what D&I should look like. It is clear, concise, practical and full of useful takeaways at the end of each chapter. If you work in an organization, at any level, and you care about what you do, you should read this book."-- "Linzi McDonald, Pro Bono and Responsible Business Manager, Kingsley Napley"

"This book provides a step-by-step approach for both leaders, HR professionals, and D&I officers on how to understand and lead organizational change towards more diversity and inclusion. There is lots of practical advice, grounded in good theory, both on inclusive leadership behaviours as well as on systems and structures. This makes the book a must-read for any CEO, business owner, or HR professional working with this agenda."-- "Kristian Villumsen, CEO, Coloplast"

"This book, by two real thought leaders in the field, provides a comprehensive, well-researched, and highly accessible guide to leaders and managers, as well as HR practitioners, on how to create genuine inclusion from top to bottom. The lessons everyone can learn will help drive more sustainable and responsible business, but also opportunity and fairer access to work for all which is good for wider society."-- "Peter Cheese, Chief Executive, CIPD"

"This is the go-to book for inclusion 3.0 and how to truly have a culture of respecting and embracing difference in a positive way. This book will get you one step closer to organizational change and improve the 3 C's: our companies, cultures and colleagues."-- "John Athanasiou, Director of People, HarperCollinsPublishers"

"What I like most about Building an Inclusive Organization is that it goes beyond just their case studies and translates lessons from those into action. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to make their organization more inclusive."-- "Rebekah Martin, Head of Reward and Diversity, AstraZeneca"

"While inclusion's significance is imperative, its implementation is not always obvious. Frost and Alidina provide the skills to accomplish this and, much more importantly, the practical, financial, and humanitarian reasons why it should be embraced. Building an Inclusive Organization is a call to action and a veritable survival guide for organizations and businesses seeking to remain relevant in the decades to come. This book is a master class for diversity and inclusion."-- "Brooke Ellison, Assistant Professor of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Stony Brook University"

"Working with Stephen on some of the ideas that he articulates in this fascinating and important book has genuinely changed the way I think. But more importantly it has changed what I do. It's the most compelling thing that I've experienced about inclusion and diversity, both as an employer and a television producer."-- "Diederick Santer, CEO, Kudos"

About the Author

Stephen Frost is the CEO and Founder of Included, and works with clients worldwide to embed inclusion into their decision making. He teaches at various business schools and was formerly Head of Diversity and Inclusion for the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. He is also the author of The Inclusion Imperative and co-author of Inclusive Talent Management (both published by Kogan Page).

Raafi-Karim Alidina is a Consultant, Data and Product Lead at Included, where he draws on his background and research in behavioural insights to design and implement interventions to improve equality, diversity, and create inclusive cultures in organizations.