The manifold benefits of a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce are by now well-documented, from greater profitability to better decision-making. Despite the known benefits and increased focus that the subject has, many organizations struggle to communicate DEI policies and practices to their employees.
At NTT DATA Romania, we wanted to understand how the social interaction between our employees, and the employee connection to the NTT DATA work environment, had changed over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic – and how we can use that data to make our workplace more inclusive. An internal study, called ‘Love Your People’, provided thought-provoking results.
Some employees felt positively about the hybridization of work, celebrating the new forms of communication (socializing more “on their own terms”) and collaboration available. Others felt dispirited by the decrease in in-person, in-office interaction.
To have respect for a colleague involves a fundamental belief in their right to be a part of the team, to be heard, and to have the same opportunities as everyone else.
At the heart, though, was a central theme: mutual respect. To have respect for a colleague involves a fundamental belief in their right to be a part of the team, to be heard, and to have the same opportunities as everyone else. Fostering this sense of belonging, through respect, is absolutely essential for any future workplace to be successful.
Diversity in the corporate world
Often we talk about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in terms of competitive advantage – doing well, rather than the more ethical slant of ‘doing good’. Plenty of research backs up the hoped-for commercial benefits, with one recent study reporting that inclusive teams are more than 35% more productive than their counterparts, and revenue earned per employee is 2.5 times higher too. It therefore is often seen as a practical tool in solving workforce problems, retaining highly-skilled staff and, ultimately, achieving business goals.
But looking only through the lens of commercial advantage is too narrow: the true power of improving DEI across the organization is the uplifting effect on the employee experience.
An environment that leverages diversity and where people feel valued is key to finding and keeping highly-skilled staff. In Romania, 58% of employers feel optimistic about growth and hiring ahead. This positive, competitive climate means we remain focused on recruitment. Our workforce strategy must attract, develop, reward and retain the skilled individuals we need to succeed: this provides the framework for all our DEI activities and commitments.
Committing to doing better
Workforce diversity and DEI activities at NTT DATA Romania are comparatively mature, as for many Romanian organizations, diversity and inclusion management is still in its infancy. However there is more to be done, both at a national level – for example setting DEI practice standards, rather than importing them and retrofitting to Romanian legislation and cultural attitudes – and at an organizational level.
There is more to be done, both at a national level – for example setting DEI practice standards, rather than importing them and retrofitting to Romanian legislation and cultural attitudes – and at an organizational level.
We come from a very humanistic background in terms of organizational culture, where the person is at center and the feeling of belonging is perceived in terms of the team as a family. Now, we are growing to a more mature, collaborative culture where there is respect amongst all staff. Our mission, with our Mutual Respect and Diversity Strategy, is to make sure we all feel included in the organization.
Gender equality, while only one aspect of DEI, is an important focus for us at NTT DATA Romania, championed by CEO Maria Metz, appointed in April 2021. The balance between men and women is even across the workforce (with 49% women to 51% men) and female leaders make up 35% of senior management.
We have a keen focus, too, on working with schools and universities to remove the barriers to entry to careers in technology. We work with high schools on STEM education, and help prepare final-year students for the workplace with our Dojo program.
To counter the disparities in the Romanian education system with regard to students from differing socio-economic backgrounds, our Postgraduate Training Program for Computer Science centers on discovering talent from outside ‘traditional tech’ career routes. It is ideal for candidates who, initially at least, perhaps thought they wouldn’t have the opportunity to get into a career in IT. On qualifying, these candidates often bring the most original insights and opinions to our industry. And for our organization, our connections with the next generation of tech talent means we have avoided the succession planning issues seen elsewhere in the IT sector.
Established practices with regard to equal pay, training and development, and wellbeing have also helped us offer a more holistic and supportive experience for staff. Mindfulness and meditation sessions, educational awareness sessions (tackling stress and burnout), personal development, 15-minute wellness breaks, and workshops on emotional resilience and the art of tolerance have been a great focus before and throughout the pandemic.
Our colleagues talk about good relationships as the essential foundation for successful teamwork. Promoting tolerance, as well as helping individuals to look after their own mental and physical wellbeing, helps us build a healthier environment for all.
In our study looking at the change in employee interactions over the last couple of years, when asked what their thoughts are around diversity, our colleagues talk about good relationships as the essential foundation for successful teamwork. Promoting tolerance, as well as helping individuals to look after their own mental and physical wellbeing, supports us in this aim – and helps us build a healthier environment for all.
A future built on respect
As social creatures, a sense of belonging is important to every person. Belonging and employee engagement are deeply connected.
In order to create a culture where everyone feels like they belong, communication is key (we focus on more frequent one-to-ones between managers and their direct reports), as is creating a safe environment that genuinely encourages and allows people to show up as their authentic selves.
Next year and beyond, we’ll continue our work on increasing the respect for diversity in the workplace by removing biases and inequalities. Through partnerships with national organizations promoting DEI, diversity training for our HR professionals and managers, mentorship for underrepresented groups and new policies and procedures that promote better relationships in the workplace, we’re creating the future we want, and need – a future built on respect.
