What Inclusion Really Means at Work (And Why We’re Still Getting It Wrong)

Inclusion is one of the most talked-about values in the modern workplace—but also one of the most misunderstood. We say the word, we build strategies around it, but do we actually know what it looks and feels like?

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher welcomes Peter Andrew Danzig — LSW, MSS, MA, CCPT, CPT — a trauma-informed therapist, inclusion strategist, and performing arts professional, to challenge conventional thinking around workplace inclusion.

Together, they explore:

• Why the “everyone at the table” definition isn’t enough
• How belonging is the true measure of inclusion
• The crucial difference between responsibility and accountability in DEI
• The cost of conflict avoidance in leadership
• Why HR can’t (and shouldn’t) shoulder inclusion alone
• What it actually means to bring your full self to work

This conversation isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about redefining inclusion as a lived, evolving, and shared responsibility—and how organizations can move from intention to real impact.

Hey! If you're enjoying the insights from our guests, you'll love our R@W Notes Newsletter. It’s packed with guest takeaways, the resources that inspire them, and my own tips on how we as leaders can be better humans for the humans the are responsible for. Go to RelationshipsAtWorkShow.com and Subscribe Now and help the workplace be more human.

And connect with me for more great content!

• Sign Up for R@W Notes
• Subscribe on Youtube
• Follow on Linkedin
• Follow on Instagram
• Follow me on Threads
• Follow on TikTok
• Email me anytime