Five experts from HAGER Executive Consulting share their perspectives on diversity, what drives them and their big topics and goals for 2021.
First of all, the numbers are on the table. You should document where you stand as a company in terms of diversity: What is the composition of the management team, what is the proportion of women? Is there fluctuation and if so: why? And how diverse is the workforce overall? On the other hand, the employees should be aware of their own unconscious behavioral patterns and prejudices – the well-known ones subconscious bias - get clear. Therefore, a workshop makes sense so that everyone becomes aware of how strongly one has internalized certain assumptions and images. This is often chronically underestimated.
In this context, an interesting video on MINDSPACE WOMENSDAY RIDDLE.
Yby Klein, Talent acquisition at HAGER
"Every person in this world is shaped by their upbringing, adventures and experiences and is therefore not or only partially free of prejudice. I find it important to sharpen your own awareness, to reflect and to continuously work on yourself, regardless of origin, age, gender, orientation, religion and culture. In the early 2000s I thought lifelong learning was purely technical, but it clearly includes topics like this for me. Personally, I am used to being confronted with questions about the quota for women, fluctuation and diversity and I find it normal to talk, discuss and think about it.”
How do you avoid that such a network has real impact and is not understood as mere hype?
Before implementing a network, one should be clear about the objective: what do we want to achieve? Based on this definition, you can determine the necessary content-related steps. The key to acceptance is that the network provides support from the very top – in other words, it is literally a matter for the boss. The management team has to support this (believably!) so as not to give the impression of sticking to a trend topic. Diversity should be a clearly recognizable strategic goal of a company. This also includes creating the appropriate resources, both in terms of personnel and organization. The beautiful sentence also applies here: walk the talk For the initiators, it makes sense to create an inclusive network and to consciously open it to interested male colleagues in order to achieve broader acceptance. It helps to give the network a topic - and to signal this accordingly with the name. Another idea could be to invite experts on specific topics at regular intervals.
Stephanie Nagel, manager at HAGER
“Taking on the topic of diversity is a strategic decision of an organization or a company. Developing and implementing approaches that correspond to our increasingly diverse society is an important topic that requires commitment from management in particular.”
How can the topic of women's network/diversity be raised systematically?
It is crucial to develop fixed formats for this, be it internally with event series or externally with contributions on social media or even a regularly published white paper. LinkedIn in particular is an excellent platform for companies to introduce their employees and to consciously consider all hierarchical levels and diversity dimensions. Storytelling and employer branding in the sense of "Who we are" and "Behind the Scenes" also work extremely well on Instagram. All in all, professionally managed social channels create a credible and attractive image.
SiMona Schramm, manager at HAGER
"It's important to be credible. Focused on the individual person. to tell 'your' story. I think the appearance of the website is also crucial. Here, too, it is essential to introduce your employees. The virtual world is one thing. The real world the other. I think it also makes sense to organize events and also invite external women to exchange ideas. Direct contact is essential here.”
How can hierarchical levels be made more permeable?
A smart tool is reverse mentoring. A manager, for example, can be coached by a working student and vice versa. Admittedly, this requires some courage and openness on both sides. But both also gain enormously from the exchange. Especially with regard to age inclusion (see article here) on the one hand and the increasing importance of collaboration and digital transformation on the other hand, reverse mentoring provides valuable insights.
Angela Keuneke, Marketing Manager at HAGER
"For the challenges of our modern working world, we need a new understanding of the role of managers. This is often still characterized by the claim to know and be able to do everything better than the employees. If the manager instead recognizes their essential function in creating space for their team, its abilities, and developing talents, this is not only extremely fruitful for the goal to be achieved together, but also liberating for the manager himself. About traditional hierarchies and unproductive role models it is worth using targeted tools for team development and learning from each other.”
Which memberships in associations/clubs/networks make sense to increase your visibility?
First of all, it is important that you network at all. Men have always used networks to advance professionally. Women tended to be reluctant to organize themselves in such formats. However, a lot has happened in recent years. With nushu, Mission Female, GDW, Panda, herCareer or Women Connect, an infinite number of career and business networks have been added. In any case, spirit and tonality have changed, especially among many younger women, for whom mutual support is a matter of course. A cultural change that originated in the USA. In Silicon Valley, for example, the "pay it forward" principle applies. You help others without expecting anything in return. And because everyone does that, so the idea goes, it will come back at some point when you need help yourself. Another option to consider, which at first glance may seem antiquated, is trade and professional associations. Here you can score with your expertise and thematic priorities, exchange ideas with the pioneers of the industry - with corresponding feedback effects on your career in the company.
Sahar Zabler, Business Unit Managerin construction and real estate at HAGER
“Networking is by far the most important thing in our job! I always try to take part in all events, trade fairs and get-togethers in my industry online and get to know new people, trotz my male-dominated industry.”
