dear reader
Diversity & equity – actually this is a "non-issue": it should be a matter of course for society, but also it has also been proven several times over that versatile teams perform better than homogeneous teams. An example of this is an article from the Harvard Business Review, which deals with the topic "Why diverse teams are smarter". If you don't quite trust the grey eminence of American universities, you can easily find more studies online - here, hereor here , for example.
From my personal experience, I can only agree with this. Diverse teams are not only more successful, I also find working in such an environment more enriching and it is simply more fun. As a thought aid, I spontaneously think of our office lunches, where everyone brings a home-cooked dish. When there are around 30 people from different backgrounds, it leads to an incredibly varied lunch with meals from all over the world. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Even if I have to admit that from time to tome there are some dishes that I think take some getting used to. Nevertheless, I am grateful to the chef for the experience... From my point of view, this culinary experience can be applied almost 1:1 to everyday work. Today, we are often confronted with complex questions. There are always several solution to a given question, and not just one answer. In the same way, there is no longer just one general solution that fits every customer. Personalised solutions must be developed that are tailored precisely to the needs of the client in question. Maybe for one person that's a Madras curry chicken – in a figurative sense, of course, we are not a gourmet restaurant – and for the other it's just a currywurst with fries - depending on your needs and taste, but both with curry, our secret ingredient that connects us all. Without diversity, such different tailor-made solutions would hardly be possible.
The same applies to equity - or as the Germans say: Fairness.
This is not to be confused with equality. Of course, I stand for equal opportunities in all areas (and not only because it is expected of me as CEO - imagine the shit storm - no, seriously, I realise that I am in a privileged situation, all the more I feel the need to commit myself to it). Providing access to different areas is particularly important here. Our background or personal specific circumstances can form a barrier and make access impossible. As such, it is our job in the HR industry to provide personalised assistance to enable access. It is like shoes. Equity ensures that we can not only wear all shoes, but also shoes that fit us. Of course, the is aim that a person can use it to its full potential - to be able to go the extra mile comfortably.
Despite the best will in the world and despite positive developments, there is, as always, a flip side to the coin. For instance, how many different support shoes do we need to create to get complete fairness so that all people are treated equally? The more categories are formed, the more complex it becomes - and there may even be categories in which suddenly no one finds themselves anymore... Is it therefore possible and right to do justice for everyone? And: is there unequal treatment that favours those who shout the loudest? I can well imagine that in the medium term, less is more! As in all revolutions: from one
extreme to the other and in the end we will ideally meet in the middle. The way ahead is not linear, it is usually bumpy and sometimes you get stuck.
What is more, what does full diversity and equity mean for the personal development of every individual? The most exciting thing about us humans is our individual personalities and their strengths and weaknesses. Is there not a risk that too much equity and diversity will prevent people from following their intrinsic abilities and developing their own best selves? This is because there is considerable support available for success - so much that you will never again be challenged to the utmost and thus never achieve your best "you". Or that you even think you have an intrinsic strength - in fact, however, it is the strength of the ones helping you. A scary scenario for me. What a wealth of creativity, innovation and passion we would miss!
As is often the case, it is important to find the right balance here. Whatever it is and how it's interpreted. I look forward to experiencing this development and hopefully being able to shape it.
Bernhard