DEI tip of the day: 120 practical inclusion tips for work

Put the goal of the meeting in the invite, so people know what they're being asked to weigh in on.

Before you close a discussion, ask: “Who haven't we heard from yet?”

Give everyone two minutes of silent writing before open discussion, so the quickest talkers don't set the direction.

Rotate who runs the weekly meeting, including people who rarely volunteer.

Rotate note-taking and scheduling so the same people don't always do the office chores.

When someone is interrupted, bring it back: “I'd like to hear the rest of Maya's point.”

Take questions in writing too, for people who think best after the meeting.

Leave five minutes at the end for questions instead of running to the last second.

Skip inside jokes and old nicknames in big meetings. They tell newer people they're outside the circle.

Share slides before the meeting so people who read at their own pace or use a screen reader can follow along.

Start on time even when a senior leader is late. It shows everyone's time counts the same.

Ask for disagreement directly: “What would make this plan fail?”

Keep lunchtime free of required meetings so everyone gets a real break.

End with a written recap of decisions and owners, so anyone who missed a moment doesn't miss the outcome.

In hybrid meetings, ask the remote people first, before the room's conversation takes over.

Say “everyone,” “team” or “folks” instead of “guys” when you address a group.

Swap idioms that don't travel, like sports metaphors, for plain words when you work across countries.

Use the words people use for themselves. If you're not sure, listen first or ask privately.

Replace “crazy” and “insane” with what you mean: “a busy week” or “a surprising result.”

Spell out an acronym the first time you use it in a document or meeting.

Never compliment someone on how well they speak English. Comment on their ideas instead.

Say “parents and caregivers” when you mean anyone with family duties.

Describe the role, not the person: “chair” instead of “chairman,” “staffed” instead of “manned.”

Write “they” when you mean an unknown person in a job post or a process doc.

Retire “it was just a joke.” If someone was hurt, apologize briefly and do better.

Ask about someone's “partner” or “family” in small talk rather than assuming who they live with.

Write short sentences in plain words. It helps people reading in a second language, and everyone else too.

When someone corrects a word you used, a short “Thanks, I'll use that” beats a long apology.

Ask “What questions do you have?” instead of “Any questions?” It signals that questions are expected.

Check a calendar of cultural and religious holidays before you set big deadlines or launch dates.

Put the time in two or three time zones in every invite to a global team.

Record big meetings so people in other time zones can catch up the same day.

Ask new teammates which holidays matter to them, and add those dates to the team calendar.

Set a no-meetings window for the hours when one time zone is always outside its working day.

Rotate recurring meeting times, so the same time zone isn't always stuck with the early or late slot.

If you work late, use schedule send so your hours don't become everyone's expectation.

Offer two time slots for company-wide events, so one region isn't always left out.

Plan social events at different times of day, not only after work, so caregivers can join.

Give at least a week's notice for anything outside normal working hours.

Check school holiday dates before you plan an offsite. Parents will thank you.

When a deadline lands on someone's holiday, move the deadline, not the holiday.

Share a map of everyone's working hours, so people know when to expect a reply.

Add alt text to images in slides and docs: one sentence on what matters in the picture.

Use more than color to carry meaning. Add labels or patterns to charts.

Add one line to every invite: “Is there anything that would make this easier for you to attend?”

Describe visuals out loud when you present: “This chart shows sales rising every quarter.”

Choose venues with step-free access, and say so in the invite.

Use link text that says where it goes, like “the travel policy,” instead of “click here.”

Keep slide text large and short. If people have to squint, it's too small.

After you ask a question, wait a few seconds before moving on, so people using captions or an interpreter can catch up.

Let people keep their camera off without asking why.

Turn background music off during talks. It makes speech harder to follow.

Offer a quiet room at big events for anyone who needs a break from the noise.

Turn on captions for recorded videos, and fix names and terms in the transcript.

Avoid flashing animations and fast slide transitions.

Ask about access needs once, privately, and remember the answer so people don't have to repeat it.

If you're not sure how to say someone's name, ask once, then practice it.

Don't shorten or change someone's name unless they ask you to.

Add a pronunciation note to your own email signature or profile. It makes it normal for everyone.

Say your own name slowly when you meet new people. It invites them to do the same.

Spell names correctly in emails and docs. Copy and paste if you need to.

Never call a name “unusual,” “exotic” or “hard.”

Share your pronouns in introductions if you're comfortable, and never require anyone else to.

If you get a name or pronoun wrong, correct yourself in a few words and keep going.

Use the name a person goes by, not the one on their paperwork.

Practice a new teammate's name out loud before you introduce them on their first day.

Split job posts into must-haves and nice-to-haves, so a long wish list doesn't put off qualified people.

Drop a degree requirement when the job doesn't actually need one.

Include more than one perspective on the interview panel where you can.

Decide what a good answer looks like for each interview question before the first interview.

Write your interview feedback before you talk to other interviewers, so the first opinion doesn't set everyone's.

Ask every candidate the same thing: “Is there anything that would help you do your best in this interview?”

Tell candidates the interview format in advance, including who they'll meet and for how long.

Give every new hire a buddy who isn't their manager.

Send new hires a who's who: names, roles and what to ask each person about.

Write down the unwritten rules: when to use chat or email, what “urgent” means, how decisions get made.

Invite new hires to a team social in their first two weeks, and have someone save them a seat.

Ask new hires after 30 days what confused them, and fix it for the next person.

Retire “culture fit.” Ask what each candidate would add to the team instead.

Cut jargon and phrases like “work hard, play hard” from job posts. They narrow who applies.

Thank the person who did the work by name, not just the team lead.

Look back at who got recognized last quarter. If it's always the same people, look wider.

Recognize behind-the-scenes work: documentation, mentoring and fixing broken processes.

Ask people how they like to be thanked. Not everyone wants the spotlight.

Rotate who presents the team's work to leadership, so the same person isn't always the face of it.

Let peers give shout-outs too, not only managers.

Put credit in writing, where it can reach people's managers and reviews.

Celebrate wins in channels everyone can see, including part-time and remote staff.

Make sure awards include people in support roles, not just the ones closest to customers.

Use the same criteria for every nomination, so recognition isn't about who is loudest.

Recognize the effort and learning on hard projects, not only the ones that went to plan.

Choose rewards everyone can enjoy: skip alcohol, and check dietary needs before food.

Give remote people the same news at the same time as the office. Post it in writing.

Have everyone join hybrid meetings from their own laptop, so remote people aren't watching a room.

Name a remote advocate in hybrid meetings to watch the chat and raise hands.

Plan social time that works online, not only office lunches.

Read the call chat out loud before you move on, so side questions get answered.

Send treats or kits to remote people when the office gets food.

Rotate who travels for in-person meetings, so the same people aren't always the ones on the road.

Brainstorm in a shared doc, so remote people can add ideas at the same speed as the room.

Check in one-on-one with remote teammates more often than you think you need to.

Share photos and notes from office events in a channel everyone can see.

Accept written updates in place of a daily call where you can.

Judge the work, not who is online the most.

Agree on response times, so nobody feels they have to be always on.

Greet remote people by name at the start of a meeting, not just the room.

Ask each new report how they prefer to get feedback, then give it that way, even when it isn't your own style.

Give feedback on work and behavior, never on personality.

Hand out high-visibility projects by rotation, and keep track of who gets them.

Ask in one-on-ones: “Is anything getting in the way of your best work?”

Explain how decisions about promotions and assignments are made.

Admit your own mistakes in front of the team. It makes it safer for others to admit theirs.

Notice who stays quiet, and ask for their view privately before the next meeting.

Respect people's commitments outside work without asking them to justify them.

When someone raises a concern, thank them first, then follow up within a week.

Learn what each person cares about beyond their job title.

Use the same review questions and the same standard of evidence for everyone on the team.

Post openings for projects and committees where everyone can see them.

Take your time off, and stay off messages while you're away.

In a conflict, talk about the behavior and its effect, not about who is right.