Diversity - A Rewarding Experience

Diversity has become an increasingly important buzzword in the world of work in recent years. But what does diversity actually mean? And how can it improve our working world? We explain all that in this article!

Diversity is a term from sociology and describes the variety of people from different groups. The Diversity Charter (Charta der Vielfalt) divides this group according to the following dimensions: Age, gender and gender identity, physical and mental abilities, religion and belief, sexual orientation and identity, and social origin. There are entanglements between these groups or dimensions of diversity, which are referred to as intersectionality. The term diversity has always been used to describe struggles for equal opportunities and equal rights.

Diversity in a company is an enrichment both for the company itself and for the individual employees. The more diverse the team, the more skills and knowledge are available. That means that employees from certain groups provide insights into the realities of life of these people, which are enormously important as know-how for a company. Through diversity, a company shows its employees recognition and appreciation - be it on the level of personality, lifestyle or others.

The Diversity Charter sets out in detail individual steps for Diversity Management so that it can be integrated into any company.

For employees, a diverse company can mean that they feel more comfortable, are better able to contribute and gain an awareness of the diversity of the world. Diversity in the company sets an example against discrimination of any kind, be it racism, sexism or ableism. 

What does diversity have to do with Indian professionals?

Intercultural competences are closely linked to diversity. So it is not enough just to hire professionals from India (or the whole world). Many employees from other countries do not make a diverse company. Diversity management - i.e. the targeted examination of the skills and identities of employees - is an essential step towards being able to use diversity effectively. In order to better understand employees from other cultures, it is necessary to pay attention to them and their cultural backgrounds. And this is where intercultural competence comes into play.

Intercultural competence is the ability to communicate successfully and appropriately with individuals and groups from other cultures. This includes not only purely linguistic communication, but also an understanding of cultural imprints, different perceptions of the world and a non-judgemental approach to these.

Take a look at our article comparing Indian and German working cultures here!

For success stories of various companies, tips on implementing Diversity Management and clarification of terminology regarding diversity, click through the website of the Diversity Charter!

If you have any questions, please comment below this article, share your thoughts in the New2 FORUM or write to us directly at [email protected]!

Written by: Tanja Holbe 

Photo created with Canva 

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