5 everyday managerial habits that can make the workplace more inclusive
Because inclusion isn’t just about what you say. It’s about what you intentionally do, every day.
Creating an inclusive team culture doesn’t only require a new policy or a diversity strategy document on your desk. It starts with your daily habits as a manager: the small, repeatable actions that shape how your team feels, performs, and connects.
Here are five habits you can start practising today:
1. Invite different voices into discussions
It’s easy to hear from the same confident contributors in every meeting. But what about those who think quietly, those who speak English as an additional language or those who have been shut down before and keep silent because they do not feel safe to share their thoughts and ideas?
Try saying this to your team/s:
‘Thank you to those, who have shared their thoughts so far. We haven’t heard from everyone yet. [Name], would you like to share a thought on [the specific matter] we are discussing? It is important that I get as many perspectives on the subject as possible. We are a team after all and I want to ensure that we can all feed into this conversation.’
Even just making the invitation signals psychological safety. If they are not ready to share, give them an option to feedback to you by email directly post meeting with their thoughts. Know that not everyone can think on the spot. Plus, psychological safety takes time to re/build.
To align, by psychological safety, I mean ‘the belief that I can speak up, ask questions, share ideas or admit mistakes without fear of repercussions in the form of punishment or ridicule.’
2. Check how you give praise and recognition
We often praise what we notice and we tend to notice what is visible or familiar. That means quieter, behind-the-scenes contributors (often women, introverts or racially marginalised team members) can go unnoticed.
Inclusive praise means being intentional about:
What you praise: don’t just celebrate big wins - notice effort, creativity, learning, emotional labour and teamwork.
Who you praise: scan the room - whose work regularly goes unnoticed or unspoken?
How you praise: not everyone enjoys a loud shoutout. Some may prefer 1:1 acknowledgement. Ask what lands well.
Try to make your praise intentionally inclusive:
Keep a simple running list (weekly or monthly) of contributions across your team. Use it during team meetings or 1:1s to ensure you are not just praising the same people in the same way. Celebrate collaboration, not just competition.
And remember: consistent recognition fosters safety and trust. When people feel seen, they show up more fully.
3. Notice who you trust with stretch tasks
Stretch tasks - the juicy projects, external exposure, leadership moments - are often the stepping stones to progression. But who gets them isn’t always about capability. It’s often about comfort.
We subconsciously offer opportunities to those we already trust, those who work like us or those we know will ‘get it done quickly and well’. But if we always pick the same people, we unintentionally gatekeep growth and reinforce existing inequalities, while fostering a sense of exclusion rather than inclusion.
This means talented team members who are newer, quieter or come from underrepresented backgrounds can get stuck doing essential but invisible work, while others accelerate.
Try this:
Next time you are allocating a high-visibility task, pause and ask yourself:
Who hasn’t had this kind of opportunity yet and could grow from it?
What support might they need to succeed? How can I delegate to them efficiently?
Am I confusing ‘readiness’ with ‘familiarity’?
Additional tip: Stretch = support + risk. Offering an opportunity with a check-in plan shows belief in someone’s potential and builds their confidence over time.
4. Ask questions instead of assuming
We all carry assumptions - about how people work, what they need or how they want to be supported.
Inclusion starts when we replace assumptions with curiosity.
Try asking these questions to your team members in 1-2-1s:
‘What would support look like for you right now?’
‘Is there anything I am missing or could do differently as your manager?’
5. Model being open to feedback
Inclusion thrives in teams where people feel they can speak up yet that won’t happen if managers can’t model it first.
Try this:
At the end of a meeting or project, ask:
‘What’s one thing I could have done better as your manager?’
And receive the answer with gratitude, not defensiveness.
Final thoughts
Remember “inclusion is not a ‘nice to have’ - it’s how we respect, retain and unlock the potential of every person we lead.”
You don’t need to have all the answers. But your everyday habits, how you lead meetings, delegate tasks, give praise and invite voices, are what shape an inclusive culture over time.
Inclusion isn’t a one-off. It’s a practice. Start where you are.
