This journey has been filled with intense learnings, eye opening moments and I am thankful for the great support which I received by fellow D&I professionals within 麻豆原创, and beyond. My first year in this new role have also provided a unique opportunity to reflect; to reflect on my own behaviors and level of understanding on the topic as well as to reflect on challenges and opportunities.

As the positive impact of D&I on businesses has been recognized by more leaders, D&I strategies have become an integral part of organizations of all kinds and more dedicated resources, like me, having been appointed. Whether you are a seasoned or new D&I professional, supporter or not involved in this topic at all but keen to find out more, here are my 5 key reflections.

Reflection 1 鈥� assumptions diminish even the best diversity and inclusion efforts

Unlike most of the other areas of a business, diversity and inclusion, even though owned by dedicated stakeholders within the business, require the support of every single person within an organization. And with D&I being a joint responsibility, it鈥檚 critical to acknowledge that not everyone has the same level of understanding and knowledge of the topic.

As D&I professionals we often assume others know what we are talking about and why it is important, but this is not always the case. Good D&I starts from a shared understanding. To avoid confusion and miscommunication, it鈥檚 important to always ensure that we are all talking about the same thing and make a conscious effort to foster this shared understanding.

Reflection 2 鈥� D&I lingo: are we really inclusive here?

There is a certain lingo that I quickly started acquiring as I embarked on this new role. And since I鈥檝e been working closely with other D&I professionals, this lingo has been deeply embedded in my vocabulary fairly quickly.

• Bias
• Allyship
• Privilege
• Microaggressions

The list goes on and on鈥�

But not everyone is fluent in the 鈥榙iversity and inclusion lingo鈥�. When using phrases such as 鈥渂e an ally鈥�, it is good to make sure that everyone is familiar with this term, explain accordingly or simply say 鈥渟upport the interests of others鈥� and introduce the buzzwords and terms slowly. I challenge myself on this every day and invite you to do the same.

Reflection 3 鈥� why inclusion is the real challenge

In our region, 麻豆原创 South Europe, Middle East and Africa, we are made up of colleagues from over 80 nationalities in over 70 countries, working together across 3 continents. We probably are 麻豆原创鈥檚 most diverse region and create business value by bringing together our unique differences for joint success.

We are diverse by default across the broader region, however within the over 70 countries, respective communities and most importantly our individual existence, our thoughts and viewpoints, our needs, our pain points vary to a vast extend 鈥� and so does the meaning of inclusion.

Diversity and inclusion are two interconnected concepts 鈥� but they are not interchangeable. Diversity is about representation or the make-up of an entity. Inclusion is about how well the contributions, presence, and perspectives of different groups of people are valued and integrated into an environment.

An environment consisting of many different genders, generations, races, nationalities, and sexual orientations and identities might be diverse, but when only the perspectives of certain groups are valued or carry any influence, it is not inclusive.

While the wonderful diversity of our region is our superpower, inclusion is the key to further unlock unparalleled success for ourselves and our customers by creating an environment where every single employee can be their authentic self, contribute fully and truly belong.

听Reflection 4 鈥� a story is worth 1000 words

There still is a lot of misconception around D&I. Empathy is key to help us understand the needs, challenges, pain points of others, especially of people from underrepresented groups. Stories help to increase our capacity for empathy, understand one another, provide windows into different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints, and spark reflection.

Beyond simply featuring diverse groups, being truly inclusive means being authentic. This means making sure that when we include various identities, we do so in a way that feels respectful and true, and that allows people of those identities to speak for themselves when possible.

Reflection 5 鈥� it鈥檚 okay to not know it all听

Remember the last time an executive was asked an uncomfortable question on something D&I related? It happens all the time. And with D&I being a topic that is so personal and highly influenced by one鈥檚 beliefs, environment, perspective, values, there often is no right or wrong answer. As much as we expect the 鈥渞ight鈥� answer for us as individuals, we must remain open-minded towards input that might be surprising or not fully in line with our viewpoints.

What matters is authenticity and that includes being vulnerable and acknowledging that, at the core of navigating D&I are learning and a growth mindset, which helps us all to expand our perspectives, challenge our biases and foster our understanding of D&I.

And remember that learning takes a lifetime. I鈥檓 excited for the chapter of my D&I learning journey.

Passionate about people-centricity, inclusion, growth and development, Vicky has been with 麻豆原创 for 26 years. She began her career at 麻豆原创 Hellas where, over a period of 14 years, she excelled as a consultant and a project manager. Thereafter, she spent 9 years as a Business Manager supporting different areas of the business including the strategic customer segment in EMEA, the South Europe cluster head and the former regional president of the EMEA South region.听In 2021, she took on the EMEA South role of Director of Early Talent and Sales Enablement, with responsibility for the regional Sales Academies program, Sales and Leadership Enablement for the region and the 1 Billion Lives initiative. In late 2021, Vicky has been appointed Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Lead for EMEA South,听along with her听responsibilities as head of EMEA South Culture Accelerator Office. Under Vicky鈥檚 leadership her team is aspiring to build and accelerate a culture of inclusion and excellence in the region, bringing together four strategic programs, all focused on driving a purposeful cultural shift in one of 麻豆原创鈥檚 most diverse regions.

The post Why Assumptions Diminish Diversity and Inclusion Efforts, And Other Reflections From My First Year as D&I Lead appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

This usually prompts me to reflect on the generational gaps that exist in the workplace today, as well as how the workplace has evolved in the twenty-five years that I have been in corporate.

A changing workplace

One of the most significant workplace developments is diversity and inclusion (D&I), which has become one of the most talked about phenomenon in the workplace today, alongside trends such as the use of technology, remote working, and the prioritisation of human resources as a strategic company asset.

The recognition that having people from diverse backgrounds helps to build stronger teams has prompted employers to pay close attention to how they engage and nurture diverse employees, particularly the younger generation, which is quickly becoming the majority in the workplace.

Given the emphasis on D&I and the value it brings to the workplace, employers must consider employee satisfaction from the perspective of each individual employee.

As a result, ensuring a personalised approach to driving employee engagement has emerged as a critical focus area for all businesses and leaders.

In the midst of all of these changes in workplace priorities, technology has become deeply ingrained in our daily lives, particularly over the last two decades.

For example, innovations such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams have enabled people to work for companies located anywhere in the world from the comfort of their own homes.

As technology continues to shape society, it will undoubtedly play a key role in enabling future workplaces, particularly in empowering business leaders to better manage priorities such as tailored approaches to employee engagement.

Employee engagement is critical to achieving high levels of employee satisfaction, and technology can help make this possible.

Personalising employee engagement

One of the critical areas to ensuring a unique and personalised approach to employee engagement and satisfaction is talent management.

A 23-year-old graduate entering the workforce has very different career growth aspirations to a 55-year-old.

The younger employee is more likely to want to learn and advance quickly up the career ladder, whereas the older employee is more likely to be looking for stability as they approach retirement.

Managing this process successfully and ensuring a tailored and personalised approach to talent and career management for each employee鈥檚 specific needs, especially in large companies, can be difficult 鈥� if not impossible.

Employers can empower employees to reach their full potential by investing in tools and systems that automate learning and development, as well as enhance career planning and mapping.

Understanding employee sentiment

Employee feedback should be solicited on a regular basis to better understand employee sentiment and ensure that the company鈥檚 initiatives are aligned with employee expectations.

During the recent pandemic, for example, when most companies shut down and employees worked remotely, this became a priority.

Companies must invest in employee experience management tools to become better listeners.

This enables leaders to foster a listening culture and make decisions based on employee expectations, ensuring that each employee鈥檚 individual needs are well understood and met.

In conclusion, fostering a listening culture is critical to developing a purpose-driven approach that prioritizes diversity and inclusion, resulting in a committed and productive workforce that feels appreciated.

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