Inclusive Behaviour Frameworks

We have been working with leaders at Warwick since 2018, engaging in conversations about diversity and inclusion with peers and leaders from other sectors to enable senior staff to explore their role as leaders in developing inclusive cultures by challenging discriminatory behaviours, supporting diverse talent development, and embedding inclusive practice in day-to-day work.

From this work we've developed inclusive behaviour frameworks:

Always be an ally and safely be an active bystander

"I am always an ally and safely an active bystander".

Actions of inclusive colleagues and leaders:

Building psychological safety by being aware of and challenging micro-incivilities.
Being visibly committed through articulation and action.
Advocating for inclusion and well being by supporting networks and task groups.
Using positive micro-affirmations.
Using inclusive communication.

Respect and understand individuality

"I am respectful of and understand individuality".

Actions of inclusive colleagues and leaders:

Being self-aware and understanding my own biases.
Listening to others with empathy.
Being cognisant of body language and facial expressions.
Being humble and seeking feedback on my communication style.
Being a reciprocal mentee.
Nurturing a culture of respectful challenge and safety to make mistakes.

Nurture diversity and inclusion

"I nurture inclusive relationships and diverse talent".

Actions of inclusive colleagues and leaders:

Understanding the diversity of my team and implications for ways of working.
Being approachable and supportive to colleagues.
Demonstrating empathy when colleagues need support.
Supporting colleagues to reach goals.
Offering advice, guidance, and inspiration when it is needed.
Having diverse networks.

Understand benefits of diversity and embed inclusion

"I understand the benefits of diversity and embed inclusion into my work".

Actions of inclusive colleagues and leaders:

Including diversity and inclusion actions and targets into my objectives.
Articulating diversity and inclusion as part of my vision and values.
Supporting a culture of intelligent working for the team.
Providing transparency of systems and processes.
Making communications, systems, processes, and tools accessible.

Extending from our leadership development sessions, departments have taken their own steps to improve inclusion for their staff and students - Jane Coleman, Chief Operating Officer at WMG said:

“Our mandatory ‘Challenging Inappropriate Behaviours’ training is already a game changer. I’m starting to hear colleagues discussing it and encouraging other staff to attend. And the fact that it’s mandatory is important, because we all know that often with equality training the people who really need to be there don’t attend. We are committed have all of our 800+ staff complete the training by the summer.

It’s about empowering everybody and making sure everybody knows inclusion is their responsibility. Of course, leaders and HR have a critical role, but this is all of our responsibility, we are not powerless in this. We want you to challenge when things aren’t right, we expect you to challenge, and we will support you to challenge.”

Read more from Jane in this interview on WMG's inclusion work, the positive impacts it is having, and why this is important to the department.

Our Dignity Principles set out our expectations of how we behave as a community - as individuals and as an institution.

These principles facilitate an environment with the ability to voice ideas at its core, a place in which staff and students operate with mutual respect, with the confidence that equality of opportunity is accessible to all. These principles underpin our desire to give students and staff the best experience possible whilst studying and working here.