Wolfram: People’s background already differs at birth. Based on these differences, they will also have a different set of strengths and weaknesses. Diversity means that these differences within a team create a synergy effect – people complement each other and achieve better results together. That is why our value chain will continue to benefit from diverse teams.

Sven: The number of nations is not what makes an organisation diverse and inclusive. Say I have employees from 100 nations, but they are all married male Java developers between 30-40 years old – that organisation could not be further removed from being diverse. That is why understanding diversity in a wider context is really important to me. Based on that understanding, we can then explore the opportunities this brings – of course, that is an ongoing process.

That depends on the corporate culture. Is it still necessary to use diversity as a selling point to attract good applicants? Or has it already become standard practice? In fact, maybe diversity no longer is the actual topic, but rather the corporate culture itself? Having a culture in which all employees thrive regardless of their backgrounds and such?

I’m under the impression that these topics have not yet been discussed in such breadth in Germany, as has been the case in the USA or other English-speaking countries. Thus, companies in Germany should ask themselves what role diversity plays in their own corporate culture and the company’s identity. For example, diversity might be of greater significance for companies with global operations where communication is key. However, no company should have to put diversity and inclusion on the agenda – at least not beyond the legal requirements. A far more interesting question for a company might be: How can diversity help an organisation achieve its goals?

It becomes crucial when a global corporation like Google strives to attract the crème de la crème of employees. Clearly, this crème de la crème is not just composed of white 50-year-old men. It is very diverse. It goes without saying that the company must create a suitable working environment if it wants to acquire such top talents. Taking this further, evaluating this issue is equally beneficial to companies seeking to attract outstanding candidates in other contexts.

The key is to reflect on one’s own unconscious bias – both on an organisational and on a personal level. Thus, awareness needs to be created.

The standards proposed by the scientific community sometimes appear engineered. Tools like intercultural training or workshops might be of interest. However, this typical form of training has also garnered criticism, as there is concern that they also encourage the reproduction of stereotypes. Nevertheless, such training is a good starting point for creating awareness for the topic, to make people appreciate its importance and spark an interest.

Also, there is more specialized training on unconscious bias that is based on psychological tenets and is therefore empirical in nature. However, that necessitates access to tools for understanding these empirical findings and transforming them into specific actions.

The Harvard Implicit Association Test takes yet another approach. It basically measures how unconsciously biased an individual is.

Personally, I believe it is important to strengthen the communication relating to this topic within the company; to create a shared culture with all employees that also offers safe spaces. This establishes a point of contact for victims of discrimination while also providing a platform for other employees to express their insecurities.

Participation and communication. Examining and analysing internal processes from a new perspective while involving the affected minority groups.

The working culture in Singapore is more independent compared to Indonesia. There is an Indonesian term called “gotong royong” or “working together” where everybody is expected to help each other and sharing the burdens. It’s more prevalent in Indonesian work culture than in Singapore. Besides this, there is no distinction between office friends and office colleagues in Indonesia, which is not the same in Singapore. Hence it’s scarce that we can develop a closer bond with our office colleagues in Singapore.

Gijs: Yes, most of the time it is. A few people speak Dutch though, so sometimes we can switch. German people might be able to follow a Dutch conversation a little bit, but most English speakers won't understand a single word.

Our Dutch colleague Tanja loves to use random Dutch words or expressions in English conversations. That can be quite funny, at least for the Dutch speakers among us. I’m not sure what the others think…

Francisca: Team members with diverse backgrounds will bring diverse solutions to the table, which leads to a more informed decision-making process and improved results. Harvard Business Review found that diverse teams are able to solve problems faster than teams of cognitively similar people. But there are challenges as well, such as overcoming bias. Studies show that the vast majority of human decisions are based on biases, beliefs, and intuition - not facts or logic. Even with the best intentions, people tend to bring bias into their everyday interactions, including in the workplace.

Following the welcome by imc Executive Board Member Sven R. Becker, who has supported the programme from the start, two special guests were waiting for the group: Steffi Tönjes and Karim Cheranti work in Corporate Communications at Deutsche Telekom and are part of one of the biggest and most well-known brand ambassador programmes.

Karim and Steffi take a clear position on their topics on social media, and discuss issues like communication, TikTok, social media in general, as well as female empowerment.

Personal branding was also the keyword they both talked about. In their presentation, they show that it is more than just a buzzword. After all: Personal branding is not about marketing yourself, but about personal development.

To say it with Jeff Bezos: "Personal branding is what people say about you when you are not present." Their simple tip for checking what is known about you is to google yourself.

Steffi and Karim then offered a few tips to the imc ambassadors on where to start with becoming your own personal brand. Setting clear objectives is key, and that includes having a clear concept of the topics you want to talk about and what concerns you.

Next, an opinion leader on these or related topics needs to be identified, so that you can examine how you can be different. You might also benefit from a challenge with another colleague – for example on how often something should be posted.

Both speakers were very clear on one appeal: Communication must be more than just an afterthought!  All too often, we hear the excuse that there was no time for communicating or explaining certain topics.

Karim argued that transparent communication is key – especially, but not only for managers. It is necessary for getting employees on board, exchanging ideas and obtaining feedback, as well as for creating networks with others.

Following the presentation by Steffi and Karim and a Q&A session, the imc ambassadors were split into two groups. The imc brand ambassadors want and should address both external and internal stakeholders, and also strengthen internal communication and networking.

Thus, the first group examined how internal collaboration and networks can be strengthened. The ambassadors felt that especially the exchange between different divisions should be approached strategically and intensified. They discussed various informal and rather formal formats serving this objective, such as job shadowing, play days and even a second internal BarCamp.

The second group looked at a digital imc roadshow. Originally, the idea was to use it for increasing awareness of the different locations and introduce them internally. However, the group quickly agreed that it would be better to also open the format to external stakeholders – so that customers can see what makes each location special, and what core topics each location is addressing.

Now, the results of those discussions must be put into action, maintaining the momentum. That is also what Kerstin Steffen, Head of Global Marketing and Communications at imc wants, who started the programme.