Six Key Strategies to Apply Intersectionality in Practice at Work and Beyond

Applying intersectionality in the workplace is more than a concept — it’s a practical approach that helps organisations create fairer, more inclusive environments. Intersectionality recognises that people’s experiences of inequality are shaped by multiple, overlapping identities, and that effective solutions must address this complexity.

This guide draws from our thought paper, Intersectionality in Action, and offers six practical strategies to embed intersectionality in your organisation.

1. Listen, Learn, and Reflect

What to do: Pause assumptions, create safe spaces, and genuinely listen to those experiencing inequity. Follow up with action — trust is built when voices are heard and acted on.

Action tip: Schedule regular check-ins with employees and publicly share what changes will be made based on their feedback.

2. Make Your Data Intersectional

What to do: Collect and analyse data holistically, beyond binary categories. Build trust and transparency around how data is used, and consider how multiple identities intersect to shape experiences.

Action tip: Include optional self-identification questions in surveys, and analyse outcomes across intersecting identities to spot hidden inequities, recognising that for someone to self-identify they need to feel safe to do.

3. Intersectionalise the Employee Experience

What to do: Examine every stage of the employee lifecycle — from recruitment to exit — to identify who is excluded or disadvantaged. Remove structural barriers that disproportionately impact marginalised groups.

Action tip: Map the employee journey and flag points where barriers exist; prioritise removing these first.

4. Examine Everyday Behaviours

What to do: Pay attention to daily interactions — who gets mentorship, opportunities, or airtime? Small inequities compound over time and can reinforce systemic barriers.

Action tip: Encourage teams to rotate meeting leadership, create structured mentorship programs, and actively include underrepresented voices.

5. Ensure Leadership and Management is Inclusive

What to do: Diversity in leadership matters and inclusivity comes from how leaders behave, make decisions, and influence culture. Recognise biases in promotions, rewards, and work norms, and value employees as whole people.

Action tip: Conduct quarterly reviews of team decisions and promotions through an intersectional lens, adjusting processes to remove barriers and support equitable growth.

6. Keep Doing the Inner Work

What to do: Build self-awareness, reflect on privilege and biases, regulate responses, and share your story to create safe spaces for others.

Action tip: Commit to personal development through bias training, reflection exercises, or peer coaching, and regularly reflect on how your actions impact others.

Applying these strategies isn’t a one-off task — it’s an ongoing practice. Start small, listen carefully, and take tangible actions. By embedding intersectionality into your organisational culture, policies, and daily behaviours, you’ll create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Check out the Intersectionality in Action Thought Paper for more.