We’ve been through a lot in the last few years, and many folks may not feel like this is the best time to talk about investing in inclusion. But having worked with both employees and managers, I think this is exactly the right time to talk about it.
Specifically, let's talk about workplace adjustments (also known as accommodations). I've spent years helping teams understand strategic arbitrage, and adjustments are one of those aspects where a company gets a large return from a small investment.
When an employee makes a request for an accommodation, perk, adjustment, or benefit that you haven’t considered, it’s natural to think “everyone will want it.” It’s easy to imagine the cash balance in your corporate account shrinking because of the one time you said “Yes” to giving someone noise cancelling headphones or a standing desk.
One leader I spoke to recently mentioned the CEO preferring to let someone go rather than give them a $500 per year subscription to an AI copilot, or meet other requests in the back-to-work proposal following a serious burnout.
Many businesses hesitate to implement accommodations, thinking they're saving money. The truth is more nuanced, and the cost of doing nothing needs to be factored into the decision.
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