Inclusion should include us all. But often, it doesn’t. Some people believe inclusion has nothing to do with them. Others say it’s not their job, as if inclusion is only for certain groups. Some even choose to step away from it entirely. But inclusion should not be a luxury in the workplace. It is essential for more people to feel they belong at work.
True leaders do more than deliver results. They create space for others to grow. Good leadership means helping every person thrive, regardless of who they are or what they need. Great leaders lift their teams. They support continuous learning through honest feedback and skills development. And they set the tone for everyone else.
Team members can follow that lead. They can choose to support each other and learn from one another. Or they can choose to doubt and undermine. That choice shapes the culture of a business and the ability of its people to be successful.
Inclusion is about building workplaces where people feel seen, valued and heard. Where every voice matters. Where no one has to shrink themselves to fit in. No one should hold back their ideas simply because they are in the minority.
If Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is being ‘reinvented,’ then belonging must become the future of successful workplaces. That means inclusion must involve every one of us. We all have a role to play in helping our teams thrive because when people thrive, businesses do too.
At the 2025 event “Inclusion Includes you,” these fintech leaders shared what inclusion means to them and how it drives both people and performance forward.
Belonging Goes Beyond Demographics
Creating a sense of belonging for all staff is key to meaningful equity and inclusion at work. Leaders must design and communicate workplace policies clearly from the start.
Eugénie Colonna d’lstria is an Investor at Finch Capital. She shared how inclusion efforts are often reduced to hiring targets for specific demographics. This is a strategy known as quotas. While quotas are a good starting point, they need proper support. She warns, “Quotas can help accelerate change, but without cultural shifts, they can cause doubt, resentment, and even exclusion.”
If inclusion is a numbers game alone, people can have their accomplishments diminished. Others are more likely to undermine or question their worth. When teams welcome, encourage, and value diversity of thought, skillset, and career path, people start to feel they belong. This requires policies that are not just written, but lived and understood by everyone.
That also means redefining what leadership looks and sounds like. Eugenie explained, “There shouldn’t be one mould for leadership. Assertiveness isn’t masculinity. Performance isn’t loudness. Leadership can and should look different.”
Belonging Starts Sooner Than You Think
Leaders can miss out on including everyone in their team when their progression plans overlook these differences. Belonging doesn’t exist without inclusion every day and over time. Oge Opara-Nadi is the VP of Engineering at Hey Savi. She says, “Succession planning starts too late.” By the time you’re choosing a future leader, the decision’s already shaped by “recency bias.”
Inclusive career progression means investing in your team early and fairly. It means spotting potential that doesn’t always look like what has come before. It also requires recognising that people can share the same space, but bring very different life experiences.
“We may coexist in the same space,” Oge said, “but our experiences are fundamentally different.” Those differences should not be a challenge to manage, but instead, a strength to build from. They bring fresh perspectives, new ways of thinking, and creative solutions to complex problems. Successful teams are creating the conditions for those differences to be seen, respected, and heard.
Belonging And AI
It is our differences that prepare the workplace to evolve, adapt, and respond with agility. AI is a powerful example of this shift and is becoming part of every workplace. The fear of AI replacing jobs is starting to fade. Instead, people are now focused on making sure they are not replaced by someone using AI more effectively than they are.
Ashlea Atigolo is Managing Partner, Advisory Board member and Founder of multiple AI businesses. She is leading the call for better, more human-centred technology. She wants more from today’s AI, and more from the people who create it. Her career is dedicated to building AI tools. She is passionate about including more voices in shaping what AI becomes. “If we expect AI to understand our finances, our health, our lives,” she asked, “shouldn’t we make sure it understands our humanity?”
Ashlea uses the example of when she tested an AI tool using the phrase: “I lost my job and I’m worried about money.” The response was technically accurate and advised, “Rearrange your portfolio.” The lack of empathy confirmed for her what was missing. AI will not become inclusive on its own. It learns from the people who build it. And those people must reflect the society they serve.
“We created AI. It’s up to us to teach it empathy,” Ashlea said. She connects this back to the workplace, reminding us that empathy must start with each other. “If we want empathy from our machines, we have to start showing it to each other.”
Belonging Means Conformity Shifts To Innovation
At work, whether at a desk, in a meeting, online or in person, everyone has experienced a moment when they choose not to speak up. Often, it feels safer not to challenge the room. Oge says, “that safety is an illusion.” She encourages those she works with to “ask yourself, do we have enough diversity in the room to challenge our assumptions?” especially if everyone agrees too quickly.
Oge warns that ‘groupthink’ may feel comfortable, but it comes at a high cost. When everyone looks the same, thinks the same, or stays quiet out of fear, businesses end up creating products and cultures that only serve a limited part of society.
Lynda Clarke, Fintech COO, shares concrete examples of when this conformity has damaged businesses. She spoke of early health apps that ignored menstrual tracking, car safety tests designed for male crash dummies, and voice assistants that couldn’t recognise women’s voices. Each of these cases led to exclusion, public backlash, lost revenue and missed opportunity. “Blind spots hurt businesses,” Lynda said. She called on leaders to prioritise genuine diversity of thought and to build environments where people feel safe enough to speak up. Without psychological safety, there can be no real inclusion. As Lynda explained, “People overestimate their own knowledge in a room and ignore others’ perspectives.” That creates an atmosphere where people begin to question their own value and stop sharing their ideas.
She went on to share a powerful example from Lego. For many years, the brand focused almost entirely on boys. When they brought in female product developers and marketers, they unlocked a massive, previously ignored audience: young girls. The result was the creation of “Lego Friends,” now one of their global bestsellers. “We need to create cultures where challenge is welcomed, not punished,” Lynda said. When people feel safe to speak, businesses grow stronger, smarter, and more inclusive.
Inclusion done right creates belonging. Belonging fuels performance, trust, and innovation. It encourages people to stay, to grow, and to contribute fully at work. When companies step into inclusion, they open the door for better ideas, stronger teams, and fairer workplaces. They create cultures where more people can thrive, not just a few who happen to fit the mould. The future of work demands more than surface-level diversity. It needs real cultural change, everyday allyship, and a shared commitment to belonging.
Because inclusion includes me.
Inclusion includes you.
And inclusion includes all of us.