Diversity and inclusion have become a critical topic in the corporate world, particularly in the IT industry. In India, where the society is conservative, companies are striving to create more inclusive workplaces by shifting mindsets. However, creating employee resource groups (ERGs) for people with disabilities, LGBTQ+, and women's empowerment has proven challenging for many companies.

ERG groups are an essential tool in creating inclusive workplaces. ERGs should focus on networking, learning, hiring, and outreach, with impact metrics in place to track their success. The ERG assessment model is a framework for understanding an individual's motivational needs. The model suggests that people have three types of needs that must be met in order to feel motivated and satisfied: existence needs, relatedness needs, and growth needs. By understanding what motivates individuals, organizations can design work environments that support the satisfaction of different types of needs.

In terms of women's empowerment, many female leaders are reluctant to take on such roles due to the belief that they obtained the position due to reservation. Corporate companies are striving to increase the number of women in leadership positions, and many programs are run to support it. In modest countries like India, many women do not even apply for leadership positions. To increase the number of women in leadership positions, companies need to encourage female candidates to come forward and speak about their aspirations.

When it comes to people with disabilities and their inclusion in the workplace, it is a challenge right from the infrastructure. Many offices in India do not have a barrier-free environment where these people can move around with their wheelchairs. Companies like Rampmycity in Bangalore support organizations with site maturity audits and sensitization sessions for leaders. There are visible and invisible disabilities that many of us are not aware of. When you hire a person with a disability, you also need to work on the insurance policy because in India, they are not generally covered.

One thing that stands out in all the discussions is that the mindset of acceptance needs to start from the top. Leaders need to take the initiative and drive acceptance across the organization. Additionally, we cannot expect people to "come out" so easily, especially when we are shackled with a society that is still largely unaccepting, skeptical, or even critical of the community.

Despite India being a conservative country, it is doing better than many other countries in terms of diversity and inclusion in corporate organizations. Recently, the Indian court heard arguments on the changing legal landscape on LGBTQ+ rights and the evolution of the right to choose one's partner. Many believe that the decision will come in favour of the LGBTQ+ community. Companies like Pride Circle are working with corporates to make the workplace more inclusive. When these changes reach the level of society, it increases acceptance and makes it the new normal.

Creating inclusive workplaces is not an easy task, but it is essential to ensure that everyone feels valued and respected. By understanding the ERG assessment model and focusing on the needs of different groups, companies can create more inclusive workplaces. However, it is essential to remember that this mindset of acceptance needs to start from the top, and leaders need to take the initiative and drive acceptance across the organization