I saw a post by MIT Sloan Management Review that had me thinking about how efforts to make the workplace accepting and inclusive have evolved through the years. And the one thing I keep landing on is that, with or without a label or buzzword attached, most organizations have naturally gravitated towards creating more open cultures, and one that fosters a place of belonging for employees.
It’s imperfect. Always has been and always will be, because that is the nature of human behavior. We can celebrate that we have come a long way and acknowledge that we still have so much work to do. But the organizations that have listened to what the data shows about inclusive cultures are the ones that will continue to innovate, attract top talent, and be market leaders.
Diversity of people, thought, and perspective will become more and more imperative in the age of AI. In a time when AI is meeting and surpassing specific human skillsets, the human advantage will be innovation based on lived experience. In a time when competitive edge matters more than ever, now is the time to double down on inclusivity and belonging, not abandon it.