Session Focus: Embracing Gender Diversity: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion and Well-being

In a powerful and deeply personal session, Iris shared her journey of transitioning as a transgender woman at Komatsu amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her story powerfully illustrated the transformative impact that cultivating a culture of inclusion and psychological safety can have on individuals and organizations.

Psychological safety is something that we can all talk about and that opens the door to us being able to learn, develop our skills, and contribute in a meaningful way.

Through her experiences, Iris drove home three critical takeaways:

1. Creating a psychologically safe environment where employees can bring their full authentic selves is critical for allowing them to contribute all their skills and reach their full potential.

2. Leading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts requires taking a strategic, business-aligned approach while also being prepared to navigate complex situations impacting marginalized groups with empathy and creativity.

3. Increasing awareness through training, developing inclusive policies and benefits, and finding creative solutions are important for holistically supporting and leveraging diverse talent.

Iris's vulnerability in sharing her personal transition story, coupled with her strategic mindset as a talent leader, provided a powerful case study. Her approach highlighted how fostering an inclusive culture goes hand-in-hand with skills-based talent development and enables organizations to tap into the fullest capabilities of their workforce.

This session was a testament to the pivotal role psychological safety plays in creating a true culture of belonging - one where all employees feel empowered to show up authentically, develop their skills, and positively impact the business.