Can technology help create an inclusive work culture?

Words by Lou Bachenheimer

An inclusive workplace is where everyone feels like they belong and their voices are heard. This can be a challenge in any workplace, especially for HR management.

We all know the importance of relationships and communication. Still, HR managers often spend too much time on repetitive tasks like checking emails, reading applications, ensuring their companies comply with regulatory checklists, and so on.  

Intelligent Automation (IA) can take some of this work off employees’ plates, freeing them to engage in critical and creative thinking while allowing HR managers to focus on fostering inclusivity, diversity, and a more productive workforce. IA can put the “human” back into human resources—and the workplace as a whole. 

The Benefits of an Inclusive Culture  

Culture may be hard to define, but people know it when they feel it. They know when they’re part of it and when they’re not, leading to toxicity in the workplace.  

According to McKinsey, companies emphasising diversity and pushing for an inclusive work culture outperform competitors by 35 per cent. The consulting firm also found having a robust and proactive stance on diversity and inclusivity improves employee performance and job satisfaction. This satisfaction, in turn, can lead to revenue growth and improved profitability year-over-year.  

A recent Harvard Business Review of academic studies on identity in the workplace found that “employees who identify in ways that do not conform to the norms used to define and categorize them at work are more likely to feel marginalised, and even threatened.”

The review found organisational policies running counter to an employee’s demographic identity often make employees feel their autonomy is constrained.

Such sentiment can lead to decreased motivation, engagement, performance, and overall satisfaction. “Further, to younger generations of workers, who are more likely to view self-fashioned identities as the ‘norm,’ a traditional organizational approach can make a company appear out of touch,” the review continues.  

The bottom line is when employees feel valued and safe enough to bring their authentic selves to work; they are likely to be happier and more productive. They are also more likely to feel valued and respected by coworkers, encouraging a positive work environment and improved workplace relationships. The environment then fosters workplace partnerships and increased job performance.  

How Does Intelligent Automation Fit In? 

First, let’s define what we mean by Intelligent Automation (IA). Intelligent Automation combines technologies such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), artificial intelligence/machine learning, intelligent document processing, and many more to emulate a human workforce. IA allows almost any repetitive task to be automated and assigned to a “digital worker,” who can use the same user interfaces as human employees.  

IA can help create an inclusive workplace culture by streamlining processes and freeing time for employees to focus on their work. For example, using IA to automate the onboarding process for new employees can save time for both the employees and the HR department.

The automated onboarding process can also help ensure all new employees receive the same information and have the same experience, which can help create a sense of more cohesive work culture. In addition, automating processes such as onboarding helps HR focus more on the “human” side of Human Resources.