In today’s workplace, diversity and inclusion (DEI) are more than just buzzwords – they are strategic imperatives. Research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones in profitability and innovation.
However, simply hiring a diverse workforce is not enough; true inclusion means ensuring that all those diverse voices are actually heard, respected, and integrated into daily collaboration.
This is where network analysis offers fresh insight.
By mapping how employees interact, share information, and form professional relationships, organizations can uncover whether they are merely diverse in numbers or genuinely inclusive in practice.
In this blog, we explore why inclusion is the missing piece in many DEI strategies, how organizational network analysis (ONA) can measure and drive inclusion, key metrics to watch, and challenges to overcome.
Most leaders understand the business case for diversity – for example, companies with high racial and ethnic diversity are nearly 40% more profitable than less diverse peers.
Diverse teams bring a variety of perspectives that fuel innovation and better represent a broad customer base. But diversity alone isn’t sufficient.
From a performance standpoint, inclusion is critical because it allows organizations to recoup their investment in diversity. If new hires from underrepresented groups feel isolated or unheard, they may disengage or leave, undermining the company’s diversity efforts. Conversely, when people trust that they can speak up and be heard, teams become more innovative.
Inclusive teams leverage diversity of thought – different ideas, experiences, and viewpoints – which sparks creative problem-solving and “why didn’t we think of this sooner?” breakthroughs. In short, diversity gives you the ingredients, but inclusion is the recipe that makes the meal.
How do you know if your workplace is truly inclusive? Many companies rely on traditional HR metrics:
While these metrics are useful for tracking representation and equity, they don’t tell the whole story.
This is where organizational network analysis (ONA) comes in. ONA is a technique that maps real-life relationships and communication patterns within an organization – essentially, who connects with whom.
Even with strong intentions and clear benefits, leading a diverse team can present real challenges. These obstacles, if not addressed early, can affect collaboration and performance. Some of the most common challenges include:
Diversity only brings value when everyone has the confidence to contribute. In some cases, employees from certain backgrounds or junior positions may hesitate to speak up, especially if they feel their input will not be valued. This silence prevents teams from benefiting from a full range of ideas and perspectives. Building a culture that encourages open dialogue and inclusive participation is key.
Recognizing these challenges is the first step toward addressing them. When organizations establish clear communication norms, reduce bias, and create spaces for all team members to be heard, diversity becomes a true strength rather than a source of friction. These efforts form the foundation for driving meaningful and lasting inclusion.
Network analysis gives leaders a clearer view of how inclusion works in everyday collaboration. Instead of relying on surveys or assumptions, it uses real communication and interaction patterns to show how people connect, share ideas, and access opportunities. Here’s what it can uncover:
It identifies employees or teams with few connections to the wider organization. High isolation rates, especially among specific demographics or remote workers, can indicate disengagement or inclusion challenges.
By combining these insights, organizations can build an Inclusion Scorecard. Platforms like Worklytics even summarize this into an Inclusion Index, showing which teams are well connected and balanced, and where improvement is needed. This turns inclusion from a vague concept into a measurable, trackable part of organizational health, helping leaders take action based on evidence rather than intuition.
A powerful way to strengthen inclusion is by using Worklytics, a people analytics platform that applies organizational network analysis (ONA) to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Rather than relying only on surveys or annual reports, Worklytics helps leaders understand how inclusion actually happens across daily collaboration in real time.
Worklytics securely gathers collaboration data from tools such as email, calendars, chat, and meetings, and connects it with HR information like role, department, and tenure. This creates a live, privacy-protected view of how connected your workforce truly is. All data is anonymized and aggregated, focusing on trends at the team and organizational level rather than individuals.
Through real-time dashboards, leaders can visualize inclusion within everyday work. They can identify which teams collaborate widely, which are isolated, and whether certain groups are being left out of critical meetings or discussions. For example, a manager might discover that remote employees have fewer interactions with leadership than on-site staff and act immediately to close that gap.
1. Inclusion and Isolation Insights
Worklytics measures how inclusive a team’s network is by analyzing the diversity of its connections. It highlights groups or individuals who appear disconnected and provides benchmarking against industry data. This helps organizations see where they stand and where improvements are needed.
2. The Inclusion Index
The platform combines multiple indicators of inclusion into a single Inclusion Index score. This makes it easy to track progress over time and across departments. Rising scores show inclusion initiatives are working, while declines signal areas needing attention. By turning inclusion into a measurable value, Worklytics keeps DEI progress visible and accountable.
3. Diagnostic Insights
Worklytics uncovers the reasons behind low inclusion scores. It may reveal that underrepresented employees have fewer one-on-one meetings with managers or less speaking time in team discussions. These insights allow leaders to act on specific barriers through mentorship programs, manager coaching, or more inclusive meeting practices.
4. Identify Bottlenecks & Organizational Silos
Organizations can measure whether their inclusion efforts are making a difference. After launching programs like mentorship, allyship, or leadership training, Worklytics shows if collaboration across levels and demographics has improved. This continuous feedback loop ensures every initiative produces measurable outcomes.
5. Holistic People Analytics
Inclusion affects performance, engagement, and retention. Worklytics connects inclusion metrics to broader indicators such as productivity and well-being, helping leaders demonstrate how inclusive teams drive tangible business results. This reinforces that inclusion is not just ethical—it is essential to organizational success.
6. Enable Data-Driven Dashboards & Reporting
Quickly create dashboards and reports that reveal patterns within collaborative networks using real-time ONA data and derived metrics. Continuously refresh visuals as networks evolve to monitor the effects of organizational design changes and interventions. Accelerate change management efforts with clear, data-driven insights that highlight impact areas, uncover weaknesses, and enable timely action without relying on annual survey cycles.
Worklytics acts as a DEI analytics partner that turns data into action. It removes guesswork by giving leaders a clear, evidence-based view of how inclusion actually functions across the organization. With privacy-first analytics and intuitive visual dashboards, leaders can pinpoint where inclusion is thriving and where attention is needed.
By using Worklytics to drive inclusion, companies can identify risks early such as isolated teams or unequal access to leadership and resolve them before they impact performance. The result is a workplace where collaboration, fairness, and opportunity grow together, powered by data, not assumptions. Start building your inclusive workplace with Worklytics today.
Key Takeaway: Diversity can give you a competitive edge, but only if you harness it through inclusion. Traditional metrics might miss the subtleties of who is truly included in your organization’s day-to-day life. Network analysis fills that gap by revealing the real patterns of collaboration and communication. Armed with these insights – and with tools like Worklytics providing continuous analytics and guidance – companies can make data-driven decisions to cultivate inclusion. Over time, those decisions translate into stronger teams, better ideas, and a workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. That’s the power of driving diversity and inclusion through network analysis: it turns good intentions into measurable reality, ensuring that no one is left on the sidelines.
