Empathy as defined by the Oxford Dictionary is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” Inclusion starts with empathy because without it I would just be trying to educate you and it doesn’t matter how much knowledge you have on a subject; it is difficult to feel any passion and desire to implement change without first feeling empathy for that person. It is at this stage that we listen to the lived experiences of those people and how they feel in situations and about how they feel when trying to access your service or product.

Listening to the lived experience develops empathy and is the first step to education. Education also includes knowing what options are available to you, what legislation is applicable, what funding or costs you can consider etc.

Once you know what to do and how to do it, you need to implement it. So, for example if you have empathised with a person with a physical disability about how difficult they find it accessing your building because of a lack of information before they attend the premises and a inaccessible entrance to the door you can then educate yourself on what transport options are available to your premises, what parking facilities there are, what pavement and ramp access there is etc. Then you would implement any changes that need to be made such as widening a doorway, adding in a ramp, having a lower doorbell that can be reached by a person in a wheelchair, changing the height of the reception desk etc.

Once those things have been done you need to communicate to potential clients how they can access your services. Updating your website with travel and access information, sharing videos on socials of how you get into the building, photos of other clients with a physical disability using your service (with permission to share). That way any person from that group could search for you and see the answers to problems they often encounter and minimise any anxiety about attending. It is also important that any staff answering phones or email enquiries understand this subject so that they can adequately answer any questions.

Finally, you regularly evaluate how those clients feel about the service you offer by getting feedback. Then the cycle starts again. You empathise with the feelings and experience of that person, fill any gaps in your knowledge, implement any changes you need to make, communicate to clients, and ask for feedback.

We must recognise unconscious bias that makes us act towards marginalised groups in a certain way. We will feel uncomfortable feelings when we get things wrong. We must have difficult conversations to learn. And we must commit to continually evolving. But it will be worth it.

From a profit and business growth perspective it will be worth it because it is proven that businesses that are inclusive are likely to have a 35% increase in profit. Once a client has found a safe and/or accessible business like yours they will stay loyal, spend more, and tell everyone they know about you. And it will improve mental health and wellbeing of the communities you serve. Exclusion is a huge contributor to poor mental health and low self-esteem.