An example I like to use: I attended a quality conference-and requested interpreters and a specific diet. They provided the service, but they went beyond this. They actually reached out to me months ahead of their next conference/event to see if I wished to attend so they can book the interpreters and food in advance! This is truly inclusive and I felt valued.

Marginalized isn't a feeling - it's a verb. If people have been pushed to the margins, we can't correct it by just trying to push them to the center again. We have to acknowledge what has been done to push people to the margins and collaborate with them to make it so no one must exist in the margins.

To ensure employees feel included and valued at company events, actively seek their input on event planning and activities. Create diverse and inclusive environments by offering varied activities that cater to different interests. Encourage participation from all employees and recognise achievements or contributions. Provide opportunities for everyone to engage and voice their perspectives. Additionally, ensure that events are accessible and respectful of all cultural and personal preferences.

The feeling of employee marginalization and exclusion is an organizational culture issue. We, as event planners, can work with departments, managers, and individual contributors to ensure company events are inclusive. Many good ideas have been presented in this thread, such as honoring food choices due to diet or religious beliefs and not holding events on religious holidays. But this may be considered a band aid to a larger cultural issue if leadership isn't on board. The Executives and the C-Suite hold the keys to company wide buy-in into inclusion and diversity efforts. Change can happen at the worker level, but if there is no buy-in from the higher ups, the change cannot be sustained beyond the events themselves.

This is how marginalization begins. After an all-staff meeting announcing some whiz-bang improvement, one of my people approached me to say that the library shelvers, felt left out. I was taken aback: they'd been at the meeting, what more did they want? My guardian angel must have been doing overtime, because I instead asked her to say more. As she explained how the whiz bang added a task to their load, I had to agree: they'd been left out. To be fair, I'd been left out too. The improvement was not a local decision, and would be rolled out system-wide. But it affected the librarians, not circulation. So how important was it? I know better now.

To ensure employees feel included and valued at company events, it’s crucial to go beyond surface-level inclusion. Employees may feel marginalized if: - Food options don’t accommodate dietary restrictions or cultural needs. - Activities require physical abilities not shared by all. - Presentations lack captioning or sign language interpretation, excluding those with hearing impairments. - Venues aren’t accessible, making it hard for employees with mobility challenges to participate. By proactively addressing diverse needs, you send a clear message that everyone is valued, fostering a truly inclusive environment for all.

This is a great question and something that happened at our annual event, where our diverse employees felt like they were the minority and did not always connect with the larger group. To understand this dynamic more, we surveyed our diverse employees to get their thoughts. Based on this information, we created an event within the event to bring all of our diverse employees together. Now, non-diverse employees were welcome, yet at the same time, the diverse employees had a venue to network and get to know other folks who looked like them across the system. They did not feel like the only.

Es fundamental comprender que la inclusión va más allá de enviar una invitación. Se trata de crear un ambiente donde todos sientan que sus voces y presencias son necesarias y apreciadas. Para lograrlo: 1. Conoce sus intereses y preocupaciones. Pregúntales cómo se sienten respecto a los eventos y qué cambiarían. 2. No todos disfrutan de las mismas actividades. Ofrece opciones variadas para que cada uno encuentre su lugar. 3. Destaca y valora las diferentes perspectivas y talentos dentro de tu equipo. La inclusión no es un concepto abstracto; es una acción diaria que empieza por ser conscientes de nuestras decisiones y cómo afectan a los demás. Cuando todos se sienten parte de algo más grande, el compromiso y la motivación florecen.

Pour que vos employés se sentent inclus et valorisés lors des événements, assurez-vous de - prendre en compte leurs retours et leurs besoins spécifiques. - Organisez des activités variées qui favorisent les échanges et la participation de tous. - Montrez l'exemple en valorisant publiquement leurs contributions. - Enfin, ajustez constamment vos approches pour créer un environnement où chacun se sent respecté et impliqué.