Gender quotas, diverse short lists, and strategies for diversity & inclusion – often abbreviated D&I – are hot topics these days. HR managers, recruiters, and business leaders know their importance for the ability create results and innovation. Meanwhile, the diversity agenda is contributing new opportunities in an increasingly aggressive ‘war for talent’ – fewer limitations simply mean a larger talent pool, from which to choose.
Many organisations that are born-digital typically have diverse employee groups in the form of many different nationalities. It can be a challenge for them to lead a diverse group of employees and to create a cohesive culture. However, the challenge is even greater for more wellestablished organisations – here, it is not just about creating diversity but also about establishing a culture and a norm that can accommodate differences. There can be no strategy for diversity without one for inclusion as well.
There are certain positions, in which it is particularly challenging to create diversity. This applies not least in management, where the presence of females has taken a key spot in public discourse – and in companies’ recruitment strategies. Meanwhile, younger generations have started joining the labour market, challenging companies’ abilities to attract and maintain an increasingly diverse group of employees.
This raises the question of whether demographic differences necessarily equal diversity at the deeper level – that is, diverse competencies, personalities, and values. Does surface level diversity really provide the deep level diversity needed to create the results and innovation of tomorrow?
In this study, we focus on how large the differences really are across gender and age and give our take on how deep we should go to create effective diversity.
Enjoy!
