Navigating Commemoration Days: A Path to Inclusion

In a recent team meeting, my colleagues and I met to plan how to observe World Mental Health Day on October 10th, coincidentally coinciding with World Homeless Day. October in the UK also marks Black History Month and numerous other identity-related and health-related global awareness campaigns.
This convergence prompted me to ponder how organisations decide which commemoration days to embrace amid the multitude available in a single month. According to the UK's inclusion calendar designed by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD), October has 20 days dedicated to celebrating various identities and five dedicated to specific causes. The question arises: Which should we celebrate, and how can we genuinely champion inclusion?  

For those unfamiliar with the purpose behind commemorating these days and months, it serves multiple roles:  

• Awareness and Education: These events offer invaluable opportunities to raise awareness about critical issues and provide education to the broader community. For instance, World Mental Health Day reduces the stigma surrounding mental health, while Black History Month educates about the history and ongoing challenges the Black community faces.  
• Promotion of Understanding: Celebrating these occasions fosters understanding and empathy, enabling individuals to comprehend the unique challenges faced by the identities being celebrated. This comprehension often leads to greater compassion and support.  
• Advocacy and Action: These events are powerful platforms for advocacy and action, inspiring individuals, organisations, and governments to address the highlighted issues. For example, World Mental Health Day may spark discussions on improving mental healthcare systems or workplace understanding.  
• Community Building: Celebrations like Black History Month strengthen community among those celebrated and their allies. They provide a space for sharing stories, celebrating achievements, and nurturing a sense of belonging and pride.  
• Recognition and Respect: Commemoration events acknowledge individuals' and communities' diverse experiences and identities, emphasising the importance of treating everyone with respect and dignity.  
• Historical and Cultural Significance: Events like Black History Month trace their roots to civil rights movements and the need to acknowledge and celebrate Black contributions to society, reminding us of their historical struggles and achievements.  
• Policy and Systemic Change: These events often catalyse policy changes and systemic improvements, drawing attention to areas where change is needed and encouraging governments and institutions to act, whether in healthcare, education, or social justice. 

Considering the significance of commemorations in raising awareness, promoting understanding, fostering community, and driving positive change, they undoubtedly contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate world. Yet, the challenge persists: How does an organisation select which to observe?  

While vacationing in Spain, I was enlightened by our host, who described the abundance of local holidays dedicated to various saints, each applicable only to specific regions. This discussion sparked the notion that perhaps the solution to our commemoration conundrum lies in customising celebrations at the local level within teams, aligning them with themes related to the organisation's equity and inclusion goals celebrated at the organisational level.  
  
What does this mean in practice? For example, Monster Inc. Ltd has set goals of increasing gender diversity in leadership and ethnic diversity in its workforce. At the organisational level, Monster Inc Ltd could prioritise dates relevant to gender and ethnic identities. Meanwhile, at the team level, the remaining commemorations can be chosen based on the team's composition.  

Here, the line manager plays a pivotal role in understanding what matters most to the team members and making appropriate accommodations. This concept reminds me of a valuable practice I learned at a conference a few years ago. A colleague from Boston University introduced the idea of "recognition profiles" to support personalised recognition. Using a simple Microsoft form, teams can capture team members' preferred ways of recognition, from types of praise they appreciate to the forms of recognition that motivate them, their passions, and even their preferred activities, food, and beverages. An additional question can inquire about commemorating or recognising specific identities related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.  

The line manager can then aggregate these responses to facilitate team-level celebrations. Of course, such an endeavour would require the support of the HR team, who could provide the inclusion calendar to managers or share relevant resources, such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) inclusion calendar Inclusion Calendar 2023 | CIPD, if the organisation holds a membership. This approach enables organisations to cater to individuals' varying needs while simultaneously supporting organisational goals.  
​
In summary, the path to a more inclusive workplace involves recognising and commemorating what aligns with the organisation's equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging goals while also acknowledging and respecting what matters most to individuals at the team level. By striking this balance, organisations can foster a sense of unity, respect, and inclusivity that benefits all. ​
​

---