Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: What They Mean and How to Build Them
August 2, 2026 · Diversity · 5 min read
Diversity and inclusion are related, but they are not the same thing. Diversity describes who is represented in an organisation and the range of backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives present. Inclusion describes whether people can participate, contribute and progress without unnecessary barriers.
An organisation can be diverse in composition without being inclusive in practice. That is why a credible approach needs to examine both representation and the systems that shape recruitment, work, development, voice and progression.
What equality, diversity and inclusion mean at work
CIPD’s 2026 workplace EDI guidance describes equality, diversity and inclusion as part of creating workplaces where people can feel safe, experience belonging and contribute fully. It recommends embedding EDI into business priorities, people processes, leadership behaviours and governance rather than treating it as a standalone campaign.
Source: CIPD, Equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, February 2026
Equality
Equality concerns fair opportunity and treatment. This does not always mean treating every person identically. Removing a barrier or making an appropriate adjustment can be necessary to create genuinely fair access.
Diversity
Diversity concerns difference and representation across the workforce. Depending on context, this may include nationality, ethnicity, sex, age, disability, religion, language, socioeconomic background, professional discipline, experience and other characteristics.
Inclusion
Inclusion concerns whether people can participate meaningfully, have their work evaluated fairly, raise concerns, access opportunity and contribute without avoidable exclusion.
Do not reduce inclusion to a profitability statistic
Workplace diversity is frequently promoted using headline claims such as “diverse companies are X% more profitable” or “inclusive teams are twice as innovative”. Those figures often come from observational research, consultancy datasets or measures that do not establish that diversity alone caused the business outcome.
This page therefore should not promise a universal profitability or innovation multiplier. The operational case for inclusion is stronger when it is tied to real organisational questions: fair access to talent, retention, decision processes, employee voice, compliance, customer understanding and effective use of workforce capability.
A recognised framework treats D&I as a governance and management issue
ISO 30415:2021 provides guidance on diversity and inclusion for organisations of different sizes and sectors. The standard covers governance, leadership, workforce responsibilities, recommended actions and measures, while recognising that implementation has to reflect organisational context.
Source: ISO 30415:2021, Human resource management — Diversity and inclusion
That framing is useful because it moves D&I away from one-off events and toward the employment lifecycle and the way organisational decisions are made.
Start with the employment lifecycle
A practical review should examine how barriers can appear at different stages:
| Stage | Questions to examine |
|---|---|
| Workforce planning | Which groups or capabilities are underrepresented, and why? |
| Recruitment | Are job requirements necessary? Are sourcing and selection methods accessible and job-relevant? |
| Onboarding | Do new employees receive the information, tools and support needed to participate? |
| Work allocation | Who receives visible assignments, customer exposure and stretch opportunities? |
| Performance | Are criteria clear and applied consistently? |
| Development | Who receives mentoring, sponsorship, training and promotion opportunities? |
| Voice | Can employees raise concerns or challenge decisions safely? |
| Exit | Are there patterns in turnover, grievance or progression that need investigation? |
Use job-related criteria
The ILO’s business guidance on non-discrimination states that workers and job seekers should be treated equally regardless of attributes unrelated to their ability to do the job. It emphasises equality of opportunity and treatment across recruitment, employment, training, advancement and other employment practices.
Source: ILO Helpdesk, Business, non-discrimination and equality, 2024
That principle has a practical management implication: define what the role genuinely requires, then assess people against those requirements rather than against familiarity, similarity or informal cultural expectations.
Inclusion requires accessible ways to work
Different employees may encounter barriers in communication, physical environments, technology, schedules or work design. Some improvements can be made universally, while others require individual adjustments.
The ILO’s workplace-adjustment guidance describes reasonable adjustments as changes to job content, equipment, working time or work organisation intended to create equal opportunity for workers who need them.
Source: ILO, Promoting diversity and inclusion through workplace adjustments
Measure what is actually happening
A useful D&I dashboard should not depend on one composite score. Measures need to match the organisation’s context and legal ability to collect demographic data.
Possible measures include:
- representation at relevant levels;
- applicant and hiring patterns;
- promotion and development access;
- retention and turnover patterns;
- pay or reward analysis where legally and methodologically appropriate;
- employee experience and voice;
- accessibility or adjustment requests;
- grievance and complaint themes.
Small groups and sensitive personal data need careful privacy handling. A statistical difference is a signal to investigate, not automatic proof of discrimination.
Gulf and African workplaces need local context
MATSH works across highly diverse labour markets. GCC workplaces can bring together employees from many national, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, while African markets vary substantially in law, demographics and organisational practice.
That makes imported templates risky when they assume one legal system or one set of identity categories. The general principles of fair opportunity, job-related decisions, accessible work and respectful participation can travel across contexts, but legal duties and data-collection rules must be checked in each jurisdiction.
A practical inclusion review
- Define the workforce or business problem.
- Review the employment lifecycle for barriers.
- Use job-related criteria and transparent decision rules.
- Check whether work design and communication create avoidable barriers.
- Create safe routes for employee voice and concerns.
- Use data carefully to identify patterns.
- Assign accountability for changes.
- Review outcomes rather than measuring activity alone.
Diversity is about who is present. Inclusion is about whether the organisation’s systems allow that workforce to participate and progress. Sustainable improvement therefore depends more on everyday management and people processes than on slogans or one-off awareness events.
Related MATSH guides
- Gender Bias in the Workplace
- DEI Training: What It Can Change, What It Cannot, and How to Design It Well
- Neuroinclusive Workplaces in MENA
Sources
Need In-House Training?
We run all our courses as private programmes for organisations across the GCC and Africa.
Request In-House →