Robert Ordever explores why top-down diversity, equity and inclusion strategies often fall short. He argues that truly inclusive cultures are built from the ground up, through team behaviours, emotional intelligence and authentic recognition—turning DE&I from a corporate initiative into an experience that helps everyone feel valued, heard and respected.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives fail when organisations adopt a purely top-down approach. Often concentrating on attracting a range of diverse employees from varying backgrounds, these organisations throw employees together with an expectation of tolerance.
A thriving, inclusive workplace culture starts at the team level
But this approach in isolation creates more problems than it solves, often leading to conflict rather than unity. A thriving, inclusive workplace culture starts at the team level where the right behaviours are nurtured and role-modelled by colleagues and managers alike. This is when the magic truly happens, leading to strong, high-performing cultures.
DE&I: Well-intentioned but poorly executed
Inclusion doesn’t flourish by focusing on board-level diversity and inclusion initiatives that are drip-fed through the organisation. Instead, it flourishes when it’s purposefully practiced and supported at the team level. It needs to be a skill that colleagues witness, practice and build together day by day. This was revealed in O.C. Tanner’s 2026 Global Culture Report, which asserts that when trust and belonging is nurtured within teams, this engenders strong feelings of being part of an inclusive team.
When employees feel that their team is inclusive, the business outcomes go above and beyond simply improving the everyday lived experience of employees. The research shows that when employees feel included, engaged employees are 15 times’ more likely, and a financially healthy organisation is eight times more likely. This is why it’s crucial for organisations to get it right.
DE&I starts with teams
Inclusion won’t happen without the right behaviours being modelled and championed at a team level. And this requires leaders and managers to focus on nurturing the key elements of emotional intelligence, respect, learning, voice and team goals, so that employees feel understood, respected and able to comfortably express their opinions. All of this must happen within a collaborative team environment with mutual goals and a shared purpose.
When employees are encouraged to feedback honestly, have open discussions, experiment without fear of making mistakes and respect each other’s boundaries, all while feeling connected to a common purpose, this is when inclusivity is taken to a whole new level. In fact, when employees feel they’re part of an inclusive team, our research shows that the odds that they perceive their organisation as inclusive increase by an incredible 12 times!
The key is to build inclusive behaviours into the everyday employee experience to ensure everyone feels valued, respected and considered. Role-modelling and good communication are the first steps to achieving this, but success only really comes when this is combined with effective recognition.
The supportive role of recognition
Inclusive behaviours should be constantly reinforced in the form of recognition, as when “the right” inclusive behaviours are constantly emphasised and celebrated, employees are more likely to replicate them, again and again. When an employee gives honest but respectful feedback, they should be recognised. When employees demonstrate great collaboration, they should be recognised. When an employee thoughtfully considers their colleagues’ geographical, religious and/or cultural needs, they should be called out and praised. Recognition also inherently makes individuals feel important, seen and valued which, in turn, strengthens feelings of belonging.
For recognition to have the biggest impact, it must be authentically delivered in a way that’s tailored to the individual and meaningful. Where possible, an employee should be praised and rewarded in front of colleagues and managers to ensure the crucial ‘ripple effect’ takes place so what “good” looks like is clear to all.
Ultimately, being part of a culture which regularly and authentically appreciates and recognises all types of employees for their efforts, behaviours and achievements, is the perfect way to celebrate what makes people different while also praising the important factors that unite them. This is the very foundation of an inclusive culture.
Helping inclusion to thrive naturally
True inclusion doesn’t begin in the boardroom, it begins within teams. While top-down DE&I strategies may set intentions, lasting change is created through everyday actions, behaviours, and relationships at the team level. When leaders and colleagues actively model, champion and celebrate inclusive behaviours that nurture emotional intelligence, respect, learning, voice and team goals, inclusion naturally becomes part of workplace culture rather than a corporate initiative, ensuring everyone feels heard, visible and valued.
Robert Ordever is European Managing Director at O.C. Tanner
