The power of difference: how diversity strengthens Conclusion's ecosystem

What are your core values and how are they expressed? 

Conclusion believes in the power of difference. In people, characters and expertise. This is also woven into our organizational structure. Conclusion is an ecosystem of more than 25 expert companies that together focus on business transformations and IT services. It is not for nothing that our mottos are 'business done differently' and 'there must be difference'. The coherence in those differences connects and strengthens us.

To make use of the differences of the ecosystem, we at Conclusion are building an inclusive working environment based on shared principles. An environment where everyone is treated equally, can participate and feels free. This is not only good for the atmosphere, but also for the business results. Because diversity - with a dose of inclusion - ensures more creativity and innovation. And thus ensures a future-proof ecosystem.

How do you ensure that your employees feel welcome and safe?

A diverse workforce is of little use if employees do not feel welcome and safe. Inclusion is essential. This starts with our onboarding program. Now, feeling welcome and safe can mean something different to everyone and change over time. That is why we ask questions about this via anonymous periodic pulse measurements. The results are brought into the line organization via our HR community. That's where the performance dialogue takes place. This is monitored by our board.

In addition, we have the regular affairs in order, such as internal and external confidential counsellors. We are also testing our terms of employment for inclusion and equality. For example, we are researching equal pay. And we are taking action to make our buildings more inclusive. Through training in desired behavior and open communication, we try to make employees feel safe and to address problems such as exclusion. A good example of open communication is our internal podcast 'Diversity Done Differently'.

How has Conclusion changed in recent years under the influence of diversity and inclusivity?

The changing world has increasingly shaped our yardstick in recent years. For example, we are more active with social goals. Diversity, equality and inclusion (DGI) form an important foundation for our HR policy. We translate this into the management of our ecosystem with concrete actions and KPIs. And we support it with a DGI strategy with a clear vision, mission and ambition for the coming years. This is the result of an employee initiative, followed by the establishment of a sounding board group and a DGI task force.

What do customers notice about this?

Indirectly a lot. Because teams with different perspectives and backgrounds are better able to generate new ideas and innovate than homogeneous teams. This is also shown by research by McKinsey & Company. In addition, organizations with more diversity have a better understanding of the needs and wants of customers, which allows them to better meet the demands in the market. It also ensures more recruitment and retention of talent, which is nice in the long-term collaborations with our customers.

We also see a connection between inclusion and better software. Professor Alexander Serebrenik of Eindhoven University of Technology researched the relationship between source code and communication. It's important to understand how teams collaborate and communicate and how that affects the source code. By giving this the right attention, you ensure happier teams, better collaboration and better code. Our experience is that happy teams also ensure higher customer satisfaction. For example, Hot ITem Conclusion already focuses on project satisfaction of employees every two weeks. We clearly see a link between higher customer and employee satisfaction.

These kinds of studies and our own experiences teach us how important inclusion and leadership is in mutual cooperation and communication. And that diversity alone will not get you there. It's not just about what color you have, but about what color you bring to teams. This is only possible if employees really feel free to express diversity. This requires inclusive leadership. Or just leadership as it should be, as I call it.

What challenges have you faced in promoting diversity and inclusion, and how have you overcome those challenges?

One of the biggest challenges is our own diversity. The different companies in our ecosystem all have their own culture. That gives us color and makes us unique. But it also presents the necessary challenges if you want to tackle something together. We want to facilitate diversity and inclusion centrally in a decentralized organizational structure. What helps us in this are the various communities and platforms in which we are already working together on other themes.

What also helps is to link up with the business plans that are agreed with the parent company. Joint objectives help with this without a 'one-KPI-fits-all' approach. Because not every ecosystem company has the same DEI challenge. This also includes various DEI solutions and objectives. By entering into dialogue with the management and employees of the ecosystem company, we want to take further steps in this direction.

What tip can you give to organizations that want to do more with diversity and inclusivity?

Don't get bogged down in point solutions and all kinds of events, but approach it strategically. Commitment from the top alone is insufficient if the layer below does little. An enthusiastic CEO, SG or HR director has no added value if DGI is not woven into your management and control cycle. Set up a management system that ensures that you continue to learn and perform as an organization. Engage in a dialogue about the results supported by fact-based insights. Make it part of your business operations instead of a program. Actually, just like in finance and other business disciplines that deal with the survival of the organization.