Episode summary
Join us for a conversation with Greg Fernando, the founder of New to Sweden, a nonprofit organization helping to integrate newcomers into the Swedish labor market.
Greg shares about the steps organizations can take to promote diversity and inclusion, emphasizing the need for a long-term approach rather than “quick fixes.” He highlights the significance of representation in leadership positions and suggests practical strategies, such as lowering language expectations and empowering employee resource groups (ERGs).
Why listen
Diversity is not only a catalyst for business growth and innovation, but a necessity to creating an inclusive environment where employees feel welcome, valued, and appreciated.
5 key takeaways
- Embrace each individual and what they bring to your organization – including their different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.
- Celebrate each employee’s differences. When hiring a new employee, the focus should be on integration, not assimilation.
- Creating a culture of diversity and inclusion is a long-term process that takes time. It’s not something that can be addressed with short-term solutions.
- Data is extremely important. Establish KPIs to measure your progress over time and evaluate yourself against key benchmarks to ensure your organization reflects the communities you serve.
- Many organizations have conversation-starters when it comes to diversity and inclusion, but what’s the conversation-ender? Ensure you establish follow-through that results in action.
Listen to the podcast episode on Spotify
