The Tough Challenge of Achieving Inclusion in the Workplace

Every individual is born and grows up carrying a range of intersecting identities, from educational background to life experiences. The term is intersectionality. This diversity shapes the journeys and perspectives of people, including when they enter the professional world. In realising a supportive working environment, Wita Krisanti, Executive Director of the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE), said that understanding this diversity of identities forms the foundation for implementing DEI policies—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. ‘Why is DEI important to pay attention to? Imagine a workplace or community where everyone is the same. The outcomes would be mediocre. But if people are diverse, we can drive innovation to its fullest,’ Krisanti said during a session titled ‘Intersectionality: Navigating the Various Layers of Barriers in Professional Life’, organised by Uniqlo on 4 March 2026. Each person also differs in terms of education, the values they carry, mental health, economic status, viewpoints, religion and belief, marital status, family, and life experiences. ‘The visible aspects of diversity are like the tip of the iceberg. The rest, many things that are not yet visible, can be understood through ongoing communication. Further introduction,’ Krisanti explained. For inclusion, this is when every person who is different feels ‘present’, is included, and becomes part of a workplace, community, or group. Data shows that implementing DEI is not merely a trend, but a driver of business success. Companies with gender-diverse leadership have been shown to be 28 per cent more likely to achieve superior financial performance, and can record profits up to 50 per cent higher. Not only in terms of figures, inclusivity is also a key to resilience and creativity. Inclusive organisations are 1.7 times more advanced in innovation and are 2.5 times more resilient when facing crises than conventional firms. ‘Actually, our ancestors were very visionary. ’Bhinneka Tunggal Ika’ means diverse but one. Indonesia is very diverse. Unfortunately, our PR is still lacking. There is still a gap in female labour-force participation, for example,’ Krisanti said. Data shows that female labour-force participation only reaches around 54–55 per cent, far behind men who have reached 84–85 per cent.