Building inclusion at work with employee benefits: a 2026 guide for HR leaders

Inclusion at work isn’t just a compliance box or corporate talking point. It’s a commitment to seeing every employee as a full person. When employees feel they belong, they’re more engaged, innovative, and loyal. Research backs this up: employees in high-belonging organizations show a 56% increase in job performance, 50% lower turnover risk, and 75% reduction in sick days.

The business impact is clear too. Companies with diverse leadership teams drive 19% higher innovation revenue and outperform peers by 25% on profitability. For HR leaders, that means DEI isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smarter way to build a resilient culture and a sustainable business. Inclusive benefits make that vision real by ensuring every employee, regardless of identity, family structure, or life stage, can access care and feel supported at work.

What does DEI mean in the workplace?

DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In the workplace, it means ensuring that people of all backgrounds, across race, gender, age, disability, identity, and life stage, have fair access to opportunities, benefits, and a sense of belonging. When HR leaders ask “what does DEI mean in the workplace?”, they’re really asking how to build systems that don’t simply tolerate difference but actively support and celebrate it.

Inclusivity in the workplace definition

Inclusivity in the workplace refers to designing systems, policies, and benefits that allow every employee to participate fully and feel valued. It’s the active practice of removing physical, cultural, and financial barriers that prevent equitable access to care and support. For example, when benefits are designed only around “traditional families,” other workers feel excluded and unable to use the full value of their benefits. A thoughtful inclusive-benefits strategy asks: Do all employees feel included? Are there hidden barriers? That is inclusion at work.

Why employee benefits are core to inclusion at work

When HR leaders set out to embed inclusion at work, benefits are one of the most powerful tools they have. Benefits are not simply perks. They signal what the organization values. A plan that works well for all employees sends the message: “You matter. We’ve thought about you.” Conversely, a one-size-fits-all plan that only fits the majority sends the opposite message.

Here are ways inclusive benefits support inclusion at work:

• Covering gender-affirming care and inclusive family-building options signals support for LGBTQIA+ employees and non-traditional families.
• Providing parental leave and caregiving support to all caregivers—adoptive, foster, non-biological—helps recognize the wide range of employee life-situations.
• Ensuring accessible healthcare and wellness programs for employees with disabilities.
• Offering culturally competent mental health support and provider networks that reflect employees’ identities.
• Designing financial wellness programs that meet employees at their income levels and life stages, rather than assuming “standard” circumstances.

In each case, the benefit isn’t just the benefit—it’s the signal: “Your full self matters here.” That is inclusion at work brought to life.

How to build inclusive benefits: a practical framework

Here’s a step-by-step approach HR leaders can use to turn inclusive-benefits intent into actionable design:

1. Define your workforce and gaps

Begin by asking: Who is in our workforce? Consider all dimensions of diversity: identity, caregiver status, veteran status, neurodiversity, disability status, family structure, remote vs onsite. Then ask: Where do our current benefits fail to serve certain groups?

2. Use inclusive-benefits design principles

• Equity not just equality: Ensure benefits are not only equally offered but equally accessible and meaningful for all.
• Flexibility: Recognize diverse life stages and circumstances.
• Accessibility: Remove physical, digital, language, and cultural barriers.
• Representation: Make sure your provider networks and benefits materials reflect the diversity of your employees.
• Data-informed decisions: Track benefits utilization to spot gaps and differences in participation among employee groups.

3. Map employee benefits to inclusion outcomes

Ask: How does this benefit advance inclusion at work? For example:

• A fertility and family-building benefit supports family diversity.
• A caregiving benefit supports employees balancing elder care or non-traditional caregiving roles.
• A benefit focused on mental health access with multilingual or culturally responsive providers supports under-served identities.

4. Evaluate compliance and federal context

When designing inclusive benefits, HR leaders must stay informed about evolving federal guidance. For example, a recent executive order titled Executive Order 14173 (January 21, 2025) revoked lingering affirmative-action requirements for federal contractors and grants, and directed contractors to certify they do not operate DEI programs that violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

While private-sector employers are not directly bound by all federal contracting rules, the shifting policy landscape means HR teams should document decisions around access, affordability, and nondiscrimination clearly.

5. Communicate inclusively and transparently

Inclusive benefits design only works if employees know about them and feel invited to use them. Use clear, inclusive language (e.g., “all parents” rather than “mothers”) and make sure benefits are visible to remote, hybrid, and contingent workers.

Consider involving Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) or diversity councils for feedback, underscoring that inclusion at work is an ongoing process.

6. Monitor, measure, refine

Track participation and outcomes by sub-segments of your workforce: Are under-represented groups using a benefit at the same rate? Are there barriers? Use feedback loops and refine annually. Inclusive benefits should evolve as workforce needs evolve.

Examples of inclusive benefits in practice

Inclusive benefits go beyond compliance checkboxes or trend adoption to truly meet employees where they are. The most effective programs recognize that different employees face different barriers to care, time, and financial stability. Below are examples of how HR teams are bringing inclusion at work to life through benefits design that reflects real people’s needs.

• Inclusive family-building benefits: Offer fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support that applies to all employees, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or family structure. Include flexible definitions of “family” in your policies so employees of all backgrounds, including single parents, married couples, domestic partners, and chosen families, can access the support they need through major life milestones.
• Broad caregiving leave & support: Move beyond “parental leave” to offer caregiving leave for employees who support aging parents, partners, or family members with disabilities. Some employers now include elder care stipends or access to care coordinators to reduce stress and absenteeism.
• Accessibility & disability inclusion: Design wellness programs and physical workspaces that accommodate a range of disabilities. Examples include flexible scheduling for medical appointments, ergonomic or assistive technology, and telehealth options for those with mobility challenges. Consider reimbursing accessibility-related home office setups for hybrid employees.
• Cultural competence in mental health: Partner with mental health providers who reflect your workforce’s cultural and linguistic diversity. Offer multilingual counseling and ensure your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) includes therapists trained in cultural sensitivity, trauma-informed care, and LGBTQIA+ issues.
• Financial wellness at every level: Tailor programs to the diverse financial realities of your workforce. Pair 401(k) matching with student loan repayment assistance or emergency savings tools. Consider offering financial coaching that acknowledges different cultural relationships to money and savings.
• Neurodiversity support: Provide resources and accommodations for employees with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurological differences. Examples include quiet workspace options, flexible communication methods, and manager training to create psychologically safe teams.
• Inclusive health plan design: Audit your health plan to identify gaps in coverage that disproportionately affect certain groups—for instance, fertility treatment caps that exclude same-sex couples or limited networks for rural or BIPOC employees. Use claims data and employee feedback to close those gaps.
• Gender-affirming care: Expand health plan coverage to include gender-affirming surgeries, hormone therapy, mental-health support, and related care. Ensure provider networks are affirming and knowledgeable, and review claims processes to avoid unnecessary barriers or out-of-pocket costs. This signals to employees that their identities are respected and supported.
• Community and belonging programs: Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) with funding, leadership access, and dedicated time to meet. Recognize participation in ERGs as a valued contribution to culture, not an extracurricular activity.
• Religious and cultural inclusion: Offer floating holidays or flexible paid time off so employees can observe religious or cultural events that matter to them, whether that’s Eid, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, or other days not covered by standard federal holidays. Pair this with inclusive scheduling policies that avoid major cultural or religious observances when planning company-wide events. This approach recognizes that inclusion at work means making space for the full diversity of employees’ beliefs and traditions.

How Nava helps HR leaders build inclusive benefits

At Nava, we partner with HR teams to evaluate, design, and deliver benefits that reflect your company’s values without adding administrative burden. Through Nava HQ, our benefits command center, HR leaders can:

• Audit plan data with an equity lens, identifying coverage gaps and usage disparities
• Benchmark inclusive-benefits offerings across peer organizations to inform strategy
• Connect with vetted partners for gender-affirming care, flexible caregiving support, mental-health networks and wellness solutions
• Communicate benefits in clear, inclusive language and track outcomes tied to inclusion at work

Inclusive benefits aren’t just the right thing to do—they’re how you build trust, belonging, and retention across your workforce.

Key takeaways

• DEI in the workplace means ensuring every employee has equitable access to opportunities, benefits and a sense of belonging.
• Inclusivity in the workplace definition centers on designing systems and benefits that allow full participation of all employees.
• Benefits are a strategic lever for inclusion at work, and when thoughtfully designed, they send a strong signal about your culture.
• HR leaders should build inclusive benefits frameworks: audit the workforce, design with equity and accessibility, map to outcomes, communicate broadly, monitor and refine.
• While federal policy is shifting, inclusive benefits remain aligned with nondiscrimination principles. Just ensure clarity, documentation and alignment with your overall DEI strategy.
• Nava supports HR leaders in turning inclusive benefits intent into execution that connects culture, people, and plan design.