A:My observation has been that the first signs of organisations needing a cultural reset, or at least a major health check is when a cluster of seemingly minor red flags appear. Employee engagement surveys come around once a year and by that time it's too late because the negative trends are already in place.

I find it tends to start with an increase in absenteeism and sick leave, followed by a spike in resignations. You might see increased visits to confidential counsellors if organisations have them, and a visible lack of cooperation between leaders who adopt silo thinking. It's only at that point that there might be negative customer feedback. Then comes the employee engagement survey.

A:Two decades ago, DEI didn't really exist as we know it today. It was centred on adherence to legal requirements around Discrimination, Exclusion and Intimidation. It was “anti” and about what NOT to do. Back then, inclusive workplace cultures tended to be top-down driven, focused on consistency and stability, fitting in (sameness) and shared office-based perks.

Today, DEI is more positive thinking focusing on celebrating difference, with cultural co-ownership, referencing psychological safety, integrating the new business models of hybrid and remote working, and of course tech. I am not sure that employees feel greater psychosocial safety today. The pace of change has accelerated, bringing with it higher levels of insecurity.

A:The systemic biases which are most resistant to change are the ones that are deeply embedded in our cultures, and therefore in our institutions. So maybe all of them! We thought we were making great progress with gender bias, but there has been pushback in many geographies, and this has crept back into the workplace. Ageism in rampant and the newly arrived bias on the block is “youngism” where GEN Z are complaining about reverse ageism. Racism is still a strong sticking point, and we are also seeing a regression on LGBTQ rights.

A:The most overlooked aspect of hiring for cultural fit is that it fosters “group-think.” Most hiring managers are resistant to change and the idea of hiring outside the box. Managing diverse teams can be challenging initially, so they look for the same type of person they know and trust, with degrees or qualifications from familiar institutions. They may not look for any type of diversity in age, gender or race. It takes intention to manage inclusively and that sounds like a lot of work to many.

A:It varies depending on the topic, but most of the work I do is around behavioural change. People don't mind change, if it means they don't have to change. Because they are completely fine. Right? So, this might mean tackling resistance, a basic neurological response which tends to be rooted in fear and manifesting itself in two ways.

- The first is they feel they are going to lose out in some way: status, money, future opportunities, relationships.
- The second is self-limiting beliefs around fear of failure: make fools of themselves, alienate their peers.

Either way the status quo prevails.

A:Creating psychological safety, where individuals feel safe to take interpersonal risks without fear of embarrassment or punishment, is foundational for trust, innovation, and inclusion. It is deeply connected to psychosocial safety something that many leaders overlook. Employees will not want to speak up if their working environment feels physically unsafe, it is organisationally chaotic, impacting their work life balance and role autonomy, and toxic workplace practices are tolerated.

When these key building blocks are in place they build the foundation for inclusive dialogue, where learning from mistakes is normal and diverse voices are heard. Leaders become role models so that constructive feedback and dialogue are part of the daily routine of the workplace.

A:Organisational leaders can't transform what they can't name, so understanding what the real issues are for the employees is the only place to start. It's not about what leaders think employee should want, or their own ideas. Involve all employees in defining what culture means to them as co-ownership is critical. Set-up listening tours and be open about the feedback and accept it with humility. Publish the findings no matter how uncomfortable and make public leadership commitments that are realistic. Allocating a budget and people who can see the project through is critical. Values without budget tend to be high risk to maintain

Above all willing to be held accountable for what the future should look like.