In recent years, the labour market has undergone a revolution. Nowadays, particularly in sectors based on trust and innovation, such as finance and banking, employees are looking for more than just a salary. They want a place where they can be themselves. This is why creating an inclusive culture is no longer just a bonus, but a business and legal requirement.
In this article, we explore how to transform DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) rhetoric into a genuine competitive advantage and prepare for the upcoming changes to the Labour Code.
Inclusivity – what exactly does this mean?
Inclusivity is an organisational culture in which every team member feels respected, engaged and appreciated.
Imagine an environment where your background, gender, religion or sexual orientation do not influence how your work is judged. The only thing that matters is what you contribute to a project.
How does this work in practice?
- Universal respect: Everyone is treated as an individual, regardless of their personal characteristics
- Systemic action: Inclusivity is not a one-off initiative, but rather a series of well-considered procedures, from recruitment to promotion
- Elimination of barriers: Prejudices are actively removed and discrimination (even unconscious) is combated
Diversity and inclusivity – getting these terms clear in your business
A common misconception when it comes to DEI is that these terms are synonyms. However, although we use these terms interchangeably, they represent two distinct yet related concepts.
The simplest definition? Diversity is a fact: who is at the table? Inclusivity is an action: do these people have a voice, and is that voice heard?
Key differences:
- Diversity refers to numbers and statistics. It concerns the differences between team members, such as age, gender, experience and physical ability. A team may be diverse, but unable to communicate with each other
- Inclusivity is how we treat these differences, the degree to which we encourage diverse talent to remain and share their knowledge
It is worth remembering that inclusivity without diversity is barely noticeable. However, diversity without inclusivity can cause problems. In fact, it can lead to conflict and staff turnover among those who feel alienated.
Why is it worth it? The business dimension of diversity
What benefits do companies committed to inclusivity gain?
- Innovation: different perspectives lead to different ideas for solving the same problems. Monoculture tends to stifle creativity
- Better Customer Experience: a team that reflects society’s structure can better understand its clients’ diverse needs and can adapt its communication accordingly
- Talent Magnet: the best specialists choose companies where they feel safe and can be themselves
Challenges and barriers – why is this sometimes difficult?
Creating an inclusive workplace requires careful planning, a clear strategy and consistent implementation. It is definitely a marathon with specific checkpoints requiring summaries and, sometimes, adjustments to direction. This is because, along the way, organisations encounter barriers that often have their roots deep in the human psyche. However, these are worth facing.
What are these problems?
- Stereotypes and prejudices: often unconscious ‘mental shortcuts’ that cause us to judge people based on their group rather than their competencies
- Resistance to change: ‘we’ve always done it this way’ is a phrase that hinders the development of an inclusive culture
- Lack of commitment from leaders: if the board and managers do not lead by example, no grassroots initiative will survive
- Communication errors: the fear of saying ‘the wrong thing’ can prevent open discussion about employees’ needs
The key to overcoming these barriers lies in education and conscious management.
New obligations from 2025
Inclusivity is not just a matter of good will on the part of employers. It is increasingly becoming a strict legal requirement imposed by the European Union. The most significant upcoming change is the amendment to the Labour Code resulting from EU Directive 2023/970.
From 24 December 2025, regulations on equal pay and pay transparency will come into force. The aim is to eliminate the gender pay gap and financial discrimination.
What do you need to prepare for?
- Salary transparency: employers will be required to disclose information about salaries and remuneration policies
- Prohibition on asking about salary history during the recruitment process: you will not be able to ask candidates how much they earned at their previous company (although you can still ask about their financial expectations)
- Recruitment neutrality: recruitment processes must be conducted in a completely non-discriminatory manner
- Reporting: large organisations will be required to account for differences in pay between men and women doing the same job
This is a revolution that will force companies to reorganise their pay scales and create transparent promotion paths.
Read more about the directive and the new obligations here https://www.kochanski.pl/nowe-zasady-przejrzystosci-wynagrodzen-juz-w-kodeksie-pracy/
Inclusivity is a strategy
Building an inclusive workplace is a strategic process. This involves auditing the current culture, training leaders, and most importantly, being open to other people. In return, however, we get an organisation that is more resilient to crises, more innovative, and compliant with upcoming legal regulations.
How can we help?
- We can review your organisation’s recruitment processes and the forms you use
- We can prepare the information that needs to be given to candidates during the recruitment process, helping you to fulfil your legal obligations while avoiding the unnecessary disclosure of important trade secrets
- We can also support you in preparing your company for any further changes planned to implement the Directive
Any questions? Contact us
