Diversity Archives

The business value of diversity and integration

The business value of diversity and integration https://i0.wp.com/hr-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ValueDiversity.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1 1200 628 HR-ON HR-ON https://i0.wp.com/hr-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ValueDiversity.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1 March 9, 2019 June 6, 2019

What is all the hype around diversity and inclusion? Is there an increase in focus on fewer opportunities for some, or equal opportunities for everyone?

What exactly is the meaning of diversity in the workplace?

Does it pay off from a business perspective to focus on diversity and integration?

These are some questions that might be on your mind when talking about diversity. Let’s break it down into smaller pieces.

Diversity

The employees have their own set of skills which are attained through studies and experience, as well as through their personal and professional background, all of which will affect their work perspective in certain ways.

On a personal level we are talking amongst others about ethnicity, country of origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or disabilities. The second level is the professional diversity that includes amongst others academic background, career path, industry background, personality type and thinking style.

All of these traits and experiences are accumulated over time and give candidates unique perspectives and skills that come in handy when the company wishes to increase creativity and develop innovative solutions. That being said, employers are not defined by their background, but rather enriched by it.

Integration

Integration can be designed as an ongoing process in which all the qualified bidders are taken in consideration and where the focus lies on giving everyone a fair, unbiased chance and not concentrating on excluding some or stop hiring and promoting the typical profile.

Inclusion is shifting attention towards bringing people in as a substitute for keeping people out.

A workplace that focuses on a culture that is accepting of diverse profiles and that includes everyone is on their way of designing the job environment for the future workforce.

This is done by designing a workplace where employers can all have lunch together, make company activities so people interact with each other beyond work tasks and be aware of the employers work-life balance.

Look beyond culture fit when hiring for new positions. By looking for someone who will compliment your work culture you end up having a fresh mindset that will improve and bring new insights to your team. Teams created by like minded employers with a similar cultural heritage and educational background tend to become homogeneous thus making growth and development a slow process.

It all starts with the leadership

Include training in cultural awareness, diversity and inclusion. Set guidelines that will ensure the implementation of processes that support and embrace diversity in the workplace.

Measure the progress of the inclusion efforts with the help of analytics. There are relatively easy options to help eliminate bias from inclusion and diversity processes. Analytics help identify and minimise unconscious prejudice throughout the HR departments.

The first step in combating bias is to be aware of it. Once recruiters become aware of this, they will be more likely to screen for a broader candidate base.

Optimize the hiring process so it is based solely on merit and not cultural heritage, race or simply a name that sounds foreign, and continue with the career advancement processes in promotions and leadership development. Focus on these issues and give a fair chance to all candidates and therefore enhance employee involvement and give them a memorable employee experience.

Business value in diversity

There is revenue to be gained by D&I. The benefits are numerous, starting with increased creativity and innovation. A recent BCG study shows that companies with a diverse leadership have 19% higher revenue. This is the result of a diverse team that will inspire each other and come up with more diverse solutions to the company’s problems.

Creativity is broken loose, more innovative solutions come on the table, you get a competitive advantage and the employees are engaged and motivated to do their job knowing that their actions are acknowledged and they have a fair chance of advancement. As a result you get a positive reputation which enhances your talent pool.

–for those curious minds a talent pool is a database where hr managers keep all their top job candidates.–

The only offset is that it takes time and engagement to change the way things have been working out so far, and naturally the beginning might be rocky, so keep at it if you want to see results.

Future predictions

We are facing a accelerating globalisation and advancement in technology and access to education. Therefore the future of the talent pool is expected to grow in the future, in fact, according to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

“the number of young people aged 25-34 with a tertiary qualification increased by nearly 45% between 2005 and 2013 in OECD and G20 countries and is expected to keep increasing in the coming decade”.

Though migration may make a difference in where the future workforce will come from, the OECD predicts that the individuals with a higher education in the working age population from the EU countries is likely to increase from 26% in 2015 to 34% .”

By 2030 more than 60% of science, technology, engineering and mathematics(STEM) educated young people will come from non OECD countries mainly India and China.

An HR-ON perspective on a diverse workplace

An HR-ON perspective on a diverse workplace https://i2.wp.com/hr-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/HR_ON_Diversity.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1 1200 628 HR-ON HR-ON https://i2.wp.com/hr-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/HR_ON_Diversity.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1 March 7, 2019 May 22, 2019

Having a diverse workplace, as in our company HR-ON, can be an immense advantage, not only from a personal point of view, but above all business-wise.

In this article, we will list the positive changes that we have experienced by having colleagues from different cultures and with disparate backgrounds.

A continuous flow of great ideas
As you can imagine, in a diverse workplace, engaging in personal and professional experiences together can be like a volcanic eruption of brilliant ideas. Most of the new features of our e-recruitment system were born in this way!
A considerable ability to adapt
Many of our co-workers come from other countries than Denmark, and this means that they have had to adapt to life in another country, sometimes completely different from their own and therefore, adapting to a new and diverse workplace won’t be a problem at all. Actually, they will definitely spice up your working day!
An improvement in your company culture
Nowadays, it’s all about employer branding. You will have a powerful recruitment tool by setting up a diverse and talented team.
An enhancement to applicant variety
If a future applicant checks your company page and sees that the company is diverse, they will feel more encouraged to apply. This has even been the case with some of our colleagues.
A wider range of abilities
Every culture has many peculiar characteristics that can be translated to professional skills, but also personal abilities to use as an advantage for your company. Some of us are more structured and analytical and others are more “free-thinkers” but we managed to find the right balance and to learn a lot from each other.
Many new perspectives
Do you have a problem you just can’t seem to find the solution to? A different perspective is what you need! Ask your co-workers and you might find a solution.
An exciting boost to your productivity
When the employees are in a good environment, their productivity and commitment to the company increase considerably. Our developers couldn’t agree more!
More challenges to face
Working with similar people might seem more comfortable and easy, while a multicultural and diverse environment might seem more challenging, however, in the long run it will be more rewarding and exciting to work in such an environment.

WHAT DO OUR COLLEAGUES SAY?

Birthe, Customers Support & Communication:

We are about 18 people at our office, and we represent eight different countries. I like the variety of the languages and cultures, partly because it’s nice to be able to practice my language skills. And partly because it gives a nice vibe to the office when we’re not all from the same country with the same traditions. We hear about other traditions and cultures – and we taste different food!

Bjorgvin, Brand Manager:

The benefit of working in a diverse workplace is that you get to know a lot of fantastic people, with useful and inspiring personal and professional trades that you can learn a lot from. It’s all about working together, finding our strengths and weaknesses and to develop as professionals in the most optimal way – “taking the best of both worlds”

Yelizaveta, Marketing and Sales Coordinator

For me it’s an everlasting source of learning from each other, which allows to solve issues in a faster and more effective way. Diversity keeps changing and improving crucial things around in a better way.

Why you should recruit diverse employees

Why you should recruit diverse employees https://i1.wp.com/hr-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/WhyHireDiverse.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1 1200 628 HR-ON HR-ON https://i1.wp.com/hr-on.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/WhyHireDiverse.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1 March 7, 2019 May 22, 2019

Many people unconsciously recruit profiles like their own. But there ar many advantages in looking at the alternative profiles and promoting a diverse workplace.

In many companies, the workforce is very homogenous. It is, after all, easier to recruit people just like you. But is this always an advantage? Not according to manager in HR-ON, Ali E. Cevik. He has matched hundreds of candidates with the right company through the years.

“I have facilitated and held skill development courses since 2003. I found that the teams who were diverse in gender, culture, and age were remarkably better than the homogeneous teams.”

Ali thinks that diversity should be seen as a strength and points out that with diversity follows an enormous potential for innovation which is seldom fully utilized. His point is supported by a report by McKinsey & Company.

Core values are as important as qualifications

Ali has, in the span of his career, helped to place more than 400 candidates in different companies. His point is that companies should focus on the core values of the potential candidates instead of only focussing on their professional qualifications. He has a positive experience with implementing this idea in recruitment.

“I helped to place a young refugee in a big consultancy where he was first made responsible for sales and later hired by the purchasing department,” says Ali and continues: “He had no experience, limited language skills, and no usable knowledge in the field he had to work in. But he got the chance and created his own position through his personal qualifications, willingness, and curiosity. At the same time, he created innovation in the organization and jobs for others. Had he not gotten the chance, he would have never come so far and made the results he did.”

Diversity is not only about giving the inexperienced candidates a chance, but it is about having better results as a team.

Diversity for a better workplace environment

And it is not only the practical work that profits from diversity recruitment: ”It is also a very strong employer brand to be able to collaborate with diversity and core values instead of the classic economic incentives,” says Ali.

In terms of creating more job satisfaction among the employees, the research Good Workers’ Index 2015, also points out that meaningful and positive relationships with colleagues and management are by far the most important elements of a good work life.

A diverse workplace can help to promote learning, creativity, and innovation, and it is important to create close relationships in the workplace.