Give to Gain: How managing with inclusion bears results

Inclusion is sometimes spoken about as something we “give” to others. Time, flexibility, patience, understanding, opportunity. 

But the more I work in this space, the more I believe inclusion isn’t simply something we give away. It is something that gives back. 

When we manage with inclusion in mind, we do not just create fairer workplaces. We create stronger teams, better decisions, more confident colleagues and improved outcomes for customers. We build cultures where people feel able to contribute, challenge, learn and grow. That is where the real results begin. 

At L&C, our approach to inclusion is rooted in a simple belief: people do their best work when they feel they belong, and customers receive better support when the people helping them feel supported too. 

Inclusion is not an add on. 

Managing inclusively isn’t about lowering expectations or avoiding difficult conversations. It is about understanding that people may need different things in order to succeed, and that fairness isn’t always about treating everyone exactly the same. 

It means asking better questions.  It means listening before assuming.  It means designing processes, communications and working environments that more people can access from the start. 

For me, inclusive leadership is practical. It shows up in the day-to-day decisions managers make about how meetings are run, how feedback is given, how opportunities are shared, how flexibility is considered and how people are supported through different life stages. 

It also means recognising that inclusion and performance are not opposing ideas. They are deeply connected. When people feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to share ideas, speak up early, admit mistakes, ask for help and innovate. That makes teams stronger. 

Thinking with an inclusive design mindset 

One of the most important shifts we’ve made at L&C is thinking about inclusion through an inclusive design lens. 

Inclusive design asks…. who might this not work for? 

That question changes everything. 

It stops us designing for the “average” colleague or customer and instead encourages us to think about real people, real circumstances and real barriers. 

For example, when reviewing customer journeys, we’ve considered how someone with a visual impairment might interact with our website, emails or documentation. We’ve looked at whether our language is clear, whether our systems allow people to disclose support needs safely, and whether our processes make it easier for colleagues to respond with empathy and consistency. 

We also listen to feedback internally and externally. Last year we changed language in our customer journey after feedback shared that a question asking “how many children?” could feel difficult or insensitive for some customers. By changing it to “how many financial dependants do you currently have?”, we made the question clearer, more inclusive and more relevant to the process. That may seem like a minor change, but inclusive design often lives in the detail. Small barriers can have a significant impact. Removing them improves the experience for many, not just a few. 

Supporting vulnerable customers starts with supporting colleagues 

Customer vulnerability is a key part of our inclusion work. In financial services, vulnerability is not rare or separate from everyday life. It can affect any of us at any time through health, bereavement, caring responsibilities, financial difficulty, disability, neurodivergence or major life events. 

At L&C, we have worked to embed vulnerability awareness across the business, not as a tick-box exercise, but as part of delivering good customer outcomes. 

This matters because inclusive customer support cannot rely on one caring colleague remembering the right thing to do. It needs systems, training and culture working together. 

But to support customers well, colleagues also need to feel supported themselves. That is why we have focused strongly on colleague vulnerability too. By opening up conversations around mental health, caring responsibilities, neurodiversity, menopause and wellbeing, we help create a culture where empathy becomes normal rather than exceptional. 

Creating spaces where people can belong 

Our colleague network, We Belong, has been central to building inclusion into everyday life at L&C. It brings together conversations and action across inclusion, vulnerability, wellbeing, sustainability and community. 

We Belong is not just a group for people who already feel confident speaking up. It has an open approach, allowing colleagues to join, listen, learn or contribute in a way that feels right for them. That matters because belonging cannot be forced, it must be invited. 

Through We Belong and our wider people initiatives, we’ve created space for lived experience storytelling, inclusive learning, colleague feedback and practical action. We’ve introduced bitesize learning on topics such as inclusive language, cultural awareness and different experiences of identity and belonging. 

We have also worked to make company events more inclusive, with quiet spaces, event champions, wellbeing support and simple tools to help colleagues communicate their social comfort levels. Again, these are practical changes. They help more people feel able to take part. 

Inclusion through life stages 

Another area where inclusive management makes a real difference is recognising that people’s lives do not follow a straight line or pause when they come to work. 

Our Life Cycles work has helped us look at different stages and experiences colleagues may go through, including caring responsibilities and menopause. Through Caring Out Loud, we have encouraged more open conversations about caring, flexibility and the support people may need. 

We have refreshed menopause guidance, shared lived experiences and introduced HRT medication reimbursement as part of our benefits. This is not about treating one group as an  exception. It is about recognising that people’s needs change and good management responds with understanding and practical support. 

When people feel they do not have to hide parts of their lives, they can bring more energy and focus to their work. 

Giving people voice creates better decisions 

Inclusive management also means giving people meaningful ways to contribute. 

At L&C, our “No Such Thing As A Bad Idea” approach encourages colleagues to share suggestions, challenge how we do things and spot opportunities for improvement. This has helped create a culture where ideas do not only come from senior rooms or formal project groups. That is important because the people closest to the work often see the barriers first. They know where a process feels clunky, where customers may struggle, or where colleagues need more support. 

Inclusion then also becomes a route to innovation. 

The business case is human 

There is often a lot of conversation about the business case for inclusion. I understand why. Organisations need to see impact. But for me, the strongest business case is also the most human one. 

When colleagues feel respected, they are more engaged.  When they feel safe, they speak up.  When they feel supported, they stay and grow.  When they feel included, they help customers feel included too. 

At L&C, we have seen the value of this through stronger engagement, colleague ideas, customer experience improvements and growing recognition for our work across inclusion, wellbeing, vulnerability and sustainability. 

But the results are not just in awards or metrics. They’re in the colleague who feels able to ask for flexibility before reaching breaking point. The customer who feels comfortable disclosing a support need. The manager who learns to lead with more empathy. The team that makes better decisions because more voices were heard. 

Give to Gain 

The theme “Give to Gain” captures something powerful. 

When we give people trust, we gain commitment.  When we give people flexibility, we gain loyalty.  When we give people voice, we gain insight.  When we give people belonging, we gain stronger teams.  When we give customers inclusive support, we gain better outcomes. 

Managing with inclusion in mind is strategic, practical and essential. 

It asks leaders to think beyond policy and into lived experience. It asks managers to notice barriers before they become exclusion. It asks organisations to design for real people, not perfect circumstances. 

And when we get it right, everyone gains. Inclusion is not just about helping people fit into the workplace we already have. It is about shaping workplaces, services and industries where more people can thrive.