interview with:
Where does your enthusiasm for diversity come from?
"It all started with the term diversity. I first heard this word when I started my own business. That was 2017. Back then, I launched the job platform work50.ch with the conviction that you have to show experienced employees which jobs and which companies they can apply for. Although I'm only 38, this topic has been and remains a matter of the heart for me.
That was my first step into diversity and inclusion. I saw great and important value in it for our society."
how did the diversity group come about?
"As already mentioned, I started 50plus-jobs.ch around 4 years ago. The platform quickly met with a great response and opened doors for new ideas. Through conversations with a wide variety of people and companies, I noticed that LGBTI inclusion is increasingly important and that people are looking for solutions. I then decided to set up a job portal to serve this group together with my new business partners.
At almost the same time, we took over a job portal designed to make it easier for mothers to return to work. We then supplemented this with a platform for fathers. We now have 4 platforms that are aimed at various target groups."
who can benefit from the diversity group?
"The diversity platforms give companies the chance to take a stand for diversity. They can also take on a certain social responsibility. Job seekers know immediately that these companies are active in the field of diversity and promote it. This is particularly helpful in an area that is unfortunately still sensitive, such as LGBTI employment. Of course, the companies are also sending a clear signal to their existing employees and can thus convey a feeling of security.
There is no job platform in Switzerland that focuses so much on people as we do. We offer both job seekers and companies a friendly environment for job placement. An environment in which, above all, job seekers can feel safe and be taken seriously."
what is the significance of diversity for companies in switzerland?
"We are living in a moment of change. I see the trend towards diversity in many companies. Awareness has changed and people want to embrace diversity and inclusion. In addition, it is also a big topic for us in society and in the media. Diversity and inclusion also affect the attractiveness of an employer. It should not be forgotten that there are a large number of studies that show that diversity and inclusion have positive effects on companies. Many are increasingly becoming aware of this."
how does diversity affect workplace culture?
"First of all, the company culture must be modeled by the CEO and management. That is the be-all and end-all. Diversity has to come from the leadership and also be actively embraced. It has to be in the company's DNA. Otherwise it won't work. I think that workplace culture and diversity are very similar or closely related.
Larger companies now even have diversity and inclusion managers. These are mostly located in HR. That's good, but it can also be a bit difficult, as HR is not represented on the management board in many companies. That's a challenge where there's still room for improvement."
what advice do you give companies?
"Focus is important. Better to get one topic right than many only halfway. External inputs and advice are also important. There are professional organizations and service providers that offer excellent support and guidance for your processes.
What I would also like to mention is the demographic change that will be taking place in the next 5-7 years. Many companies aren't even aware of this. There will soon be considerably fewer young people available on the labor market. They simply don't exist. The chance is, however, that the number of people over 50 with lots of expertise will increase. So you can and should be preparing for it."
