Disability Inclusion MOOC for HR Managers
Module 11 – Assessment Tools and Benchmarks (Good Practices and Business Cases)
At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Understand inclusion assessment tools and metrics.
- Understand benchmarking practices and report inclusion progress.
- Learn about tools for measuring employee engagement and satisfaction.
- Analyse data to inform strategic decisions.
- Use assessment results to drive continuous improvement.
Theory
“Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their business statistically outperform their peers”
Josh Bersin Talent Management Author
1. Why inclusiveness matters in the workplace
- Enhances innovation & creativity
- Strengthens employee engagement
- Improves team performance
- Reflects the fundamental principles of equality and fairness
- Drives business success
- Fosters a sense of belonging
- Drives sustainable growth
'Inclusion is not just about fairness…it is a strategic advantage that unlocks the potential of our people, drives creativity and leads to sustainable success.'
“Inclusion in the workplace goes beyond simply hiring people from different backgrounds. It’s about creating an environment where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued, where they can bring their whole selves to work and contribute their best. While diversity opens the door, inclusion is what makes people stay and thrive.”
Dimensions of workplace inclusiveness
- Sense of belonging
- Everyone is heard
- Mutual respect
- Fair treatment and equal opportunities
- Psychological safety
- Equal access
The value of workplace inclusiveness
- Business advantage with measurable impact
- Diverse teams with unique perspectives leading to fresh ideas and solutions
- Inclusive organisations outperform their peers in profitability and productivity
- Better understanding of customer needs
- Customer connection
- Inclusion attracts skilled professionals
- Inclusive policies strengthen brand reputation
Inclusion: a strategic advantage in business strategy
- Builds long-term resilience and trust
- Transparent communication
- Stakeholder confidence
- Organisational culture
- Adaptability
- Sustainable business performance built on equity
2. Measuring inclusion in the workplace
Before we can improve inclusion, we need to understand it.
But what does it really mean to measure inclusion in the workplace?
Why measuring inclusion matters?
- Tracks progress over time, monitoring the impact of inclusion policies and initiatives.
- Reveals barriers and gaps in employee experiences.
- Informs strategic decisions towards the cultivation of an inclusive culture.
- Enhances transparency and trust by showing commitment and decision-making through data.
- Transforms intention into action, ensuring that inclusion efforts are meaningful and measurable.
- Strengthens accountability by holding leaders and teams responsible for creating inclusive environments.
- Supports legal and ethical compliance with equality and diversity standards.
Indicative Quantitative Existing Measures
Tool | Description | Access | Link |
Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Climate Scale | Developed by Nouran Sakr and Leanne Son Hing is available online through the University of Guelph. The scale is designed to measure employees’ perceptions of their organization’s commitment to and treatment of historically marginalized employees. | Open access | |
Perceived inclusion climate for leader diversity (PICLD) scale | Developed to measure employees’ perceptions of an organization’s inclusive climate. | Open access | |
Measuring Psychological Safety | Scale to demonstrate that team psychological safety. | Open access |
Tool | Description | Access | Link |
Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Climate Scale | Developed by Nouran Sakr and Leanne Son Hing is available online through the University of Guelph. The scale is designed to measure employees’ perceptions of their organization’s commitment to and treatment of historically marginalized employees. | Open access | |
Perceived inclusion climate for leader diversity (PICLD) scale | Developed to measure employees’ perceptions of an organization’s inclusive climate. | Open access | |
Measuring Psychological Safety | Scale to demonstrate that team psychological safety. | Open access |
Tool | Description | Access | Link |
Work Group Inclusion Scale | Measures belongingness and uniqueness. | Licensed / Contact for access | |
Deloitte Inclusive Leadership Assessment | Evaluates inclusive leadership behaviors. | Contact for access | |
Workplace Belongingness Scale (WBS) | Measures employees’ sense of belonging. | Open access | |
Organizational Diversity and Inclusion Scale (ODIS) | Measures perceived discrimination, inclusive/discriminatory attitudes toward minority groups (e.g., women, people with disabilities, youth workers). | Licensed / Contact for access |
Tool | Description | Access | Link |
Work Group Inclusion Scale | Measures belongingness and uniqueness. | Licensed / Contact for access | |
Deloitte Inclusive Leadership Assessment | Evaluates inclusive leadership behaviors. | Contact for access | |
Workplace Belongingness Scale (WBS) | Measures employees’ sense of belonging. | Open access | |
Organizational Diversity and Inclusion Scale (ODIS) | Measures perceived discrimination, inclusive/discriminatory attitudes toward minority groups (e.g., women, people with disabilities, youth workers). | Licensed / Contact for access |
Tool | Description | Access | Link |
Belongingness at Work Scale | Developed by Jena & Pradhan, 2018 to assesses sense of identification and acceptance. | Open access | |
Perceived Organizational / Workgroup Inclusion Scale | Developed by Chung et al., 2020 to assess fairness, belongingness, value in uniqueness. | Contact for access | |
Workplace Inclusion Questionnaire (WIQ) | Examine attitudes among employees and managers to include people with various health problems into their work group. | Contact for access |
Tool | Description | Access | Link |
Belongingness at Work Scale | Developed by Jena & Pradhan, 2018 to assesses sense of identification and acceptance. | Open access | |
Perceived Organizational / Workgroup Inclusion Scale | Developed by Chung et al., 2020 to assess fairness, belongingness, value in uniqueness. | Contact for access | |
Workplace Inclusion Questionnaire (WIQ) | Examine attitudes among employees and managers to include people with various health problems into their work group. | Contact for access |
Indicative Qualitative Methods
- Focus Groups
- Interviews
- Experience Diaries
- Observations
Indicative topics for qualitative measurement
- Policies for promoting inclusion
- Support for all types of disabilities
- Sense of belonging and faireness
- Inclusion in leadership and decision-making
- Accessibility and accommodations
- Training for employees
- Policy monitoring for inclusion
Indicative questions (1)
- Are you aware of the company’s policies on disability inclusion and accommodations?
- How effective do you feel the organization’s inclusion policies are in daily practice?
- Could you share an example where a policy helped or failed to support inclusivity?
- How effectively does HR or management communicate support for employees with disabilities?
- What improvements would you suggest for disability-related policies or procedures?
Indicative questions (2)
- Do you feel that your physical or digital workspace is accessible and meets your needs?
- Have you experienced any barriers when accessing facilities, technologies, or information?
- Do you feel respected and valued by colleagues and leaders regardless of your disability?
- How comfortable are you disclosing your disability or asking for accommodations?
Indicative questions (3)
- Have you encountered stereotypes or biases in the workplace?
- Do you feel you have equal opportunities for promotion and career growth?
- How does the organization seek feedback from employees with disabilities?
- Are changes made after accessibility issues are raised?
4. Choosing the right tool
- Define your purpose
- Consider methodology
- Evaluate access & feasibility of the tool
- Ensure validity & reliability
- Consider cultural context
- Match the tools to your audience
- Check for bias and inclusivity
- Consider ethical dimensions
Choosing assessment tools using Decision Matrix
- Implementation of systematic assessment practices.
- A decision matrix is a practical way to choose the right assessment tool.
- It allows you to compare options systematically based on weighted criteria.
- A table that lists tools/options in rows and criteria in columns.
- Each tool is scored against each criterion (e.g., 1–5).
- Some criteria can be weighted based on importance.
- Total scores help identify which tool best fits your needs.
Decision Matrix Example
Tool | Time & Effort | Ease of Use | Ease of Analysis | Total Score |
Quantitative (Surveys, Metrics) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
Qualitative (Interviews, Focus Groups, Observation) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
Mixed Methods | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
Tips for using a Decision Matrix
- Define clear criteria.
- Make sure criteria reflect your organization’s priorities.
- Weight criteria if needed.
- Use a consistent scoring scale.
- Be objective and evidence-based.
- List ItemInclude stakeholders.
- Use color coding (green = strong, red = weak).
- Review and refine.
- Update the matrix if priorities change or new tools become available.
- Keep it simple.
Ethical considerations in inclusion assessment
How Inclusive Is Your Workplace?
- Everyone on my team feels safe speaking up. (Agree/Disagree)
- Diverse voices shape our decisions (Agree/Disagree)
5. Benchmarking practices in workplace inclusion
Benchmarking is the process of comparing your organization’s inclusivity performance against internal goals or external standards.
It helps identify strengths, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
Types of inclusion benchmarking
Process of benchmarking workplace inclusivity
- Define what inclusion means for your organization.
- Measure using reliable tools.
- Compare results internally and externally.
- Translate findings into action plans.
- Refine and update goals and improvement plans.
- Use ISO Standards for Benchmarking.
ISO standards for workplace inclusivity
- ISO standards provide internationally recognized benchmarks for inclusive organizations, helping them to:
- Build structured, evidence-based inclusion practices.
- Align diversity and inclusion efforts with global best practices.
- Ensure accountability, transparency, and measurable progress.
- Integrate inclusivity into HR, leadership, and operational systems.
ISO standards | Description | Link |
ISO 30415:2021 | Human resource management — Diversity and inclusion | |
ISO 17069:2020 | Accessible design — Consideration and assistive products for accessible meeting | |
ISO 26000:2010 | Guidance on social responsibility | |
ISO 45003:2021 | Occupational health and safety management — Psychological health and safety at work |
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” Bessel A. van der Kolk
Decision Tree Exercise
Scenario Setup:
Your organization wants to understand why some teams hesitate to speak up during meetings and improve psychological safety. The goal is to identify barriers and recommend interventions. Let’s walk through the decisions you will need to make.
Practical Activity – Workplace Application Task
Activity 1: Inclusive Meeting Design
Prompt:
Inclusive practices start in everyday interactions. This activity asks you to review how meetings or team interactions can be made more inclusive.
Task Instructions:
Think about the last few team meetings or collaborative sessions you attended. Identify one aspect that could be adjusted to make participation fairer and more inclusive.
Reflective questions:
- How could meeting structure, facilitation, or communication be changed to ensure everyone can contribute?
- What changes could you implement in practice (e.g., rotating meeting facilitators, providing materials in advance, using inclusive language)?
Estimated Time to Complete: 10 minutes
Write your responses in a personal notes app or on a piece of paper.
Activity 2: Inclusive Design for Vision Accessibility
Prompt:
Visual barriers are often overlooked but can strongly affect access and inclusion. This activity will help you reflect on how people with vision impairments might experience your workplace or its processes.
Task Instructions:
Think about a typical workday in your organization, from entering the building to accessing information.
Reflective questions:
- Where might someone with low vision or blindness face challenges? (e.g., signage, digital tools, printed-only materials).
- Identify one adjustment or improvement that could make your workplace more accessible (e.g., larger fonts, screen reader–friendly documents, high-contrast visuals, verbal instructions).
- What would be a realistic first step toward making this change and who would you involve?
Estimated Time to Complete: 10 minutes
Write your responses in a personal notes app or on a piece of paper.
Case Study
Case Study – Reflection
Now that you’ve read the case study, take a moment to reflect on the following:
- Which practices from the doValue case study could be applied or adapted in your own organization to improve accessibility and inclusion?
- Think of a situation in your workplace where a small change could make a significant difference for employees with diverse needs. What would that change be, and how would you implement it?
Estimated Time: 5–7 minutes
Write your reflections in your notes or learning journal.
Further Resources
Title | Type | Link | Why it‘s Useful |
Deloitte – Inclusion Maturity Model | Diagnostic Tool / Report | Assists organizations in assessing their stage of inclusion maturity from compliance to leadership-driven culture. | |
Harvard Business Review – How to Measure Inclusion in the Workplace by Lauren Romansky, Mia Garrod, Katie Brown and Kartik Deo | Article | Provides accessible, research-based advice on designing inclusion metrics and interpreting data effectively. | |
European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) – Gender Equality Index | Public Data Benchmark | Offers EU-level benchmarks for comparing gender equality progress and inclusion outcomes. |
Sources and References
- Harvard Business Review. (2022, June). How to measure inclusion in the workplace. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2022/06/how-to-measure-inclusion-in-the-workplace
- Chung, B. G., Ehrhart, K. H., Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Dean, M. A., & Kedharnath, U. (2020). Work group inclusion: Test of a scale and model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 118, 103372
- European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). (2024). Gender equality index. https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index
- International Organization for Standardization. (2021). ISO 30415:2021 – Human resource management: Diversity and inclusion. https://www.iso.org/standard/77506.html
- Jena, L. K., & Pradhan, S. (2018). Workplace belongingness scale: Development and validation. Journal of Contemporary Management Research, 12(2), 1–23.
- Nguyen, L. A., Evan, R., Chaudhuri, S., Hagen, M., & Williams, D. (2024). Inclusion in the workplace: an integrative literature review. European Journal of Training and Development, 48(3/4), 334-356.
- O’Keefe, M., Salunkhe, S., Lister, C., Johnson, C., & Edmonds, T. (2020). Quantitative and qualitative measures to assess organizational inclusion: A systematic review. Journal of business diversity, 20(5).
- Rezai, M., Kolne, K., Bui, S., & Lindsay, S. (2020). Measures of workplace inclusion: a systematic review using the COSMIN methodology. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 30(3), 420-454.
- Rezai, M., Lindsay, S., Ahmed, H., & Vijayakumar, A. (2023). Workplace inclusion: A scoping review of the qualitative literature. Work, 75(1), 59-73.
- Romansky, L., Garrod, M., Brown, K., & Deo, K. (2021). How to measure inclusion in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 27, 1-7.
- Romford J. (2024). Understanding The Deloitte DEI Maturity Model – A 2024 Comprehensive Guide. https://agilityportal.io/blog/dei-maturity-model
- Sveinsdottir, V., Johnsen, T. L., Fyhn, T., Opsahl, J., Tveito, T. H., Indahl, A., … & Reme, S. E. (2022). Development of the workplace inclusion questionnaire (WIQ). Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 50(3), 371-380.
End Of Module
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.