Holiday season is coming and everyone is included.

Inclusion is a hot topic for HR managers and business owners, but perhaps never more so than at the end of the year as employees begin celebrating holidays. We’ve pulled together informative resources about why inclusion is so important in today’s workplace, how we got here and how to make sure everyone on your team has a voice, feels safe, seen and respected. Some of the honorary months may have passed but preparing ahead for 2025 will keep your business on top of this important initiative. Read below to get started.

Whether you are a small business or a medium-size company, one thing is certain, your employees are your biggest asset and you want to provide them with all the necessary tools to help them succeed. From providing training to making workplace accommodations your goal as a leader is to lead with empathy and create an inclusive workplace.

Both equality and equity are important to the workplace but are not interchangeable. Equity is the means by which individuals are treated fairly based on each individual’s needs; by contrast equality is providing the same treatment to all. Equality provides the same resources to all and pays little attention to the fairness of desired outcomes; while the practice of equity requires more foresight, and intentional allocation of resources tailored to individual needs to reach desired outcomes.

Whether you’re just getting started on your inclusivity journey for your business, a seasoned professional, or somewhere in between, it never hurts to learn new strategies for hiring and engaging a more diverse group of workers. In the McKinsey report mentioned above, an inclusive work environment increases retention by 47% and inter-team collaboration and support by 90%. So, if you’re ready to improve your business overall, here are 10 tips to make your hybrid work environment more inclusive.

1. Invest in a remote-forward workspace
Employees who work remotely still want to feel included in the wins and losses of the company just as much as in-office workers.

2. Don’t settle into any definition of flexibility
Being flexible for 1 work type but not another can hurt the retention rates you worked so hard to achieve. The beauty of a flexible work environment is that you create trust between your workforce and your management to decide how and when to work while still ensuring the business is flowing in a positive direction.

3. Train legacy management on how to operate in a hybrid environment 
As the market has opened up and new employees are streaming in, it’s important to teach management how to engage remote workers that are working from different time zones. Lead by driving management to create connections across all types of teams.
4. Lead by example
Once you have your management teams trained on supporting a hybrid work environment, ensure they are leading the rest of the company on these practices as well. Strengthening company culture is only possible when the entire business is on board.

Managing a global team can be exciting. After all, having employees scattered across the globe can mean your organization and its reputation are growing. It can also open up countless new doors and even take your company to the next level. Word about your business can spread. You can get access to professionals who can in turn connect you with new opportunities. The possibilities for growth and expansion increase. It is equally important to remember that with global teams comes the potential for cultural differences. Small businesses that have just started hiring overseas (or even in different hemispheres) may not know how to navigate this aspect of management. For example, they may not be aware of culture-specific customs that impact an employee's availability. It's vital that you take these things into account. You do not want your managerial style to be misinterpreted, nor do you want to offend or disrespect employees from diverse backgrounds. That begs the question: What can you do to respect cultural differences when managing a global team?