Diversity and inclusion is non-negotiable for CMM – here’s what I’ve learned so far

Blog by Martin Shittu, Marketing Assistant

Diversity and Inclusivity are far more than HR buzz words. It is now widely recognised that having a diverse and inclusive workforce is absolutely crucial to business success. In fact, research shows that inclusive teams perform up to 30% better in high-diversity environments. This is partly due to the fact that it gives employers access to a much wider talent pool – but it has also been proven that diversity and inclusion results in an increased sense of belonging, better employee engagement, and higher levels of trust. It benefits everyone from the CEO down.

Moving to CMM, I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the initiatives I had championed in previous roles were already in place. They had gone even further in some areas, one example being their “Mental Health First Aider” programme. Many companies are able to identify issues, but I am always glad to see when real actionable change is made to solve them. For instance, when it comes to poor mental health, most people now understand that problems can be internal and invisible, but it can be difficult to know what to do to help. CMM has taken positive steps forward by providing training, which equips key members of staff with the tools to recognise key indicators for poor mental health and the skills to provide emotional support where required.

With all of this in mind, I want to take a look at what I have learned in my short time at CMM and explore what current employees feel about diversity and inclusion in the business.

Diversity at CMM

CMM’s culture of inclusion and diversity is a central part of how the business operates, it’s certainly not just an afterthought. The skills and creative potential of people from different backgrounds are very much valued, an aspect that I do think many other organisations have failed to understand. Several steps are taken to ensure this, but a key part of creating its diverse workforce and client base is CMM’s no-tolerance approach towards any form of discrimination. Another way that CMM ensures diversity in its workplace is through the policies that are implemented. This makes the working environment fair and just. CMM aims to remove unfair and discriminatory practices, but also, encourages full contribution from its diverse community.

Discussions with several members of the CMM community gave a general consensus that diversity is about accepting and respecting the differences that people have in the organisation. Acknowledging that each employee brings different pieces to solve the puzzle and to provide CMM’s products. Providing different options for employees to work allows there to be choices for employees to work productively and yet, feel included in making an impact to the success of CMM. At CMM there are so many ‘pieces to its puzzle’, however, representation at all levels is key in making the workforce a diverse and inclusive.

Inclusion at CMM

CMM takes the view that each and every employee plays a vital role in providing a quality service to all customers and this helps to create an inclusive working environment. The managers are brilliant because they really do make us feel included and that we are part of something much bigger. An anti-bullying culture maintains everyone’s dignity and means staff feel confident in their work, which creates an inclusive environment. Promoting equal opportunities at CMM also allows staff to feel like they have all contributed towards CMM’s success. For many businesses, inclusivity is key to improved business performance and CMM have a working environment where employees can ask for help or advice from anyone, throughout the company there is an approach to openness and teamwork.

Simply feeling included – whether it be in the decisions that are made, social events etc, has a massive impact on all employees. It may not feel like much, but when employees are not included, this is where common issues are born that make employees think twice about staying with a business. The CMM community believes in the importance of all employees being recognised regardless of their role. Being treated fairly is a key theme that was explained, and understanding that the little things go a long way when working with employees at CMM. Having emotional intelligence to recognise how people will react, positively/negatively to situations makes it a safe space which results in employees not feeling like a minority.

Importance of Diversity and Inclusion at CMM

At CMM, we have a policy against direct or indirect discrimination, this can be for an array of factors but it is there to protect employees. There is an increasing need for this and CMM want to make employees comfortable and therefore, it is very important that employees have an understanding of co-workers and for all customers. Above all, CMM have a responsibility of incorporating equality in its workspaces because of The Equality Act 2010. The aim of this Policy is to remove unfair and discriminatory practices within the CMM community and to encourage full contribution. CMM understand that Diversity and inclusivity makes CMM whole and we champion it for the benefit of all staff, employees, and customers.

Diversity and Inclusion is important because it makes employees feel like a part of the bigger picture and employees understand that this makes the workplace culture better. Every employee has a story to tell and it’s these individual stories that make up the workplace culture. You can view diversity and inclusion as a piece of artwork, it is very much the individual colours and differences that make the final end product. Recognising what employees bring to work, being transparent, and fair, underpins a diverse and inclusive workforce.