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Workplace programmes

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS AND CREATING INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE PROGRAMME

We’ll help your organisation become more inclusive and diverse. We do this, in part, by conducting a complete review of its formal and informal processes and systems to unpick any systemic biases it may have.

Bias exists within all individuals and organisations. Our programme identifies and addresses measures you can take to build inclusivity, creating a competitive and cultural advantage.

What does the programme consist of?

Each programme can be tailored to suit your needs. Some organisations prefer a rounded approach that includes measures and audits. This is a good place to start if you haven’t done anything before.

If you’re further along and have already reviewed practices to be more inclusive, you may want to start at a different point. A big part of inclusive cultures is management development.

At Laughology, we support managers to develop skills to be consciously inclusive. The diagram below shows a complete methodology for diversity and inclusion culture change. We offer a bespoke service - you may want some or all of the methodology - and we can work on a programme that suits you.

Diversity can be embedded in your organisation’s culture

True diversity is not just about attending a workshop, ticking a box and raising awareness. It’s a cultural shift. Truly inclusive workplaces start and end with inclusion.

We help organisations to become diverse by conducting a complete review of their formal and informal processes and systems to unpick the systemic biases they have.

The ability to recognise unconscious bias within your personal ways of working, as well as in your organisation as a whole, helps you be more inclusive. It builds a culture that reaps the benefits that inclusive workplaces enjoy. You can read our unconscious bias blog to find out more about the difference between unconscious bias and inclusion?

What does a programme look like?

Define needs and capture data 

A good starting point is a diversity audit, identifying areas of strength or
improvement within an organisation.

You may already have data we can use, or we can work with you to review your ESG (Economic, Social and Governance) practices. 

This helps paint a picture of opportunities for quick wins, as well as changes that can be made for greater inclusivity.

It can also be helpful to survey the wider organisation to understand how inclusive people feel the organisation is currently.

Analyse review and communicate outcomes

All this information is then collated to help identify areas of development in
particular departments and across levels. 

It also provides a way to benchmark your organisation within its sector. 
We can define your needs and review any of your practices, such as recruitment and appraisals, where unconscious bias tends to influence decisions.  

Communication of outcomes is important to get buy-in. We can support you on how to do this and share all findings to make this easy. Communication should include what you plan to do, what you expect to see and why this is important.

Implementation phase

  • Whole organisation awareness

    This starts with awareness sessions for the whole organisation. These give individuals an understanding of the issues and how they relate to your business and practices.

  • Manager development 

    The key to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace is manager development. We recommend a three-module strategy for managers delivered through a series of workshops. 

    • The first module covers understanding and awareness of unconscious bias.
    • The second is a review of managerial processes and systems where unconscious bias may influence decisions. 
    • The final module is growth mindset, which is vital to help managers understand how to develop different people from diverse backgrounds.

  • Leadership masterclass

    The programme should also include an awareness session for leaders, which can be delivered alongside management sessions.

  • Sustainability

    We will also develop a toolkit to support managers which can include custom cheat sheets and check lists to be used during interviews and appraisals. 

    We support the working group to revise any structures or guidance within the organisation and how they support managers in any new processes needed. The working group will also have a train-the-trainer element, allowing the programme to be sustainable within the organisation. 

How long will it take?

General and leadership awareness sessions are 90 minutes; however, they can be extended to two hours to allow for deeper discussion.  

The managerial element of the programme consists of three half-day sessions. These can be delivered online or face-to-face. We recommend ten days to two weeks between sessions for managers to action learning. 

The programme generally runs between six to 12 months and we will conduct a survey at the beginning and end of 12 months to monitor and record progress.

If you only want to deliver the wider organisation awareness sessions and the manager session the programme would be shorter dependant on how many people you would like to take part.

How many people can go through it?

The programme is for your whole organisation and, for larger organisations, can be delivered in groups. We recommend a maximum of 20 people per management session.  The wider group awareness sessions are flexible and can have 15-150 in each session dependant on interactions and discussions you require and want.

What measures will we see?

We will conduct a baseline survey at the beginning of the programme and another at the end to measure progress. We also recommend a six-monthly pulse survey for managers, if you already have engagement survey’s we recommend questions are built into this.

How do we make this sustainable?

Working groups will be equipped with the skills and tools to continue the programme and embed it as part of your culture. It will be integrated into inductions, appraisals and values.

Inclusion champions should be set up to continue the ongoing work and be there as sounding boards for decision-making and conscious inclusion.

Brands and organisations we work with:

Ask us a question

You can call us on 0844 800 1701, or use this form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.