Social psychologist Naomi Ellemers talks about inclusion, diversity and a safe work environment
Social psychologist and PwC supervisor Naomi Ellemers talks to former Board of Management member Marc Borggreven about inclusion, diversity and a safe working environment. 'Alarm bells go off for me the moment a colleague says that people are failing to make the grade,’ says Borggreven. 'Who set these grades? And what prejudices and biases are playing a role here?’
Giving each other the space to see differences and appreciate them is an essential factor for Borggreven, former member of PwC's Board of Management where he was responsible for human capital. 'The first step was to bring in different types of people. The second and, in my opinion, most important step is to learn even more from each other and to cooperate more effectively. When someone with a different background from a different environment comes along and says “I've noticed this” and “we can do this differently”, that really helps. Even if it causes some inconvenience.’
‘Managing diversity and inclusiveness requires monitoring and analysis to stay on top of things, especially once people have entered service’
Odd one out
Ellemers regularly experienced this inconvenience during her first years as a member of the PwC Supervisory Board. 'I was the odd one out,’ is how the social psychology professor describes her entry into the business world seven years ago. 'I try to offer a fresh perspective on an existing system. At the university I look at people's behaviour in society and the workplace, conducting lab research into the kind of underlying processes of which people are not always aware. During the first years at PwC, it felt as if my presence was of no real use and that people didn’t really understand what I was trying to say. Now things are falling more into place and I’ve noticed a real shift in thoughts and actions within PwC.’
Examples of this shift can be seen in areas like diversity and inclusion. 'To ensure diversity, we work with percentages such as the number of women progressing to higher positions and on salary. We are very strict in this aim. Although the percentages are now being achieved annually, there is still a long way to go when looking at the totals. Particularly in the case of appointments of colleagues from non-western backgrounds.
We’ve had constructive debates about this with our departments in recent years. Alarm bells go off for me the moment a colleague says that people are failing to make the grade. Who set these grades? And what prejudices and biases are playing a role here?’
Not colour blind
Ellemers offers that critical view, but is at the same time impressed by the steps PwC is taking. 'Other organisations often claim to be colour blind and boast about not registering cultural backgrounds – but that means you can’t gauge how these people are doing. Reporting on intake numbers to show the diversity of the company is also insufficient.’
‘Managing diversity and inclusiveness requires monitoring and analysis to stay on top of things, especially once people have entered service. Seeing how people are really doing requires a close look as an organisation and taking action if things are not right. This demands a lot of time, energy and focus, however, which is why it’s rare. PwC makes that effort.’
Inclusion requires more than tracking percentages
Inclusion, diversity and equality revolve around more than merely monitoring percentages. At least as important is creating a working environment in which everyone feels they can speak out, even when things are complicated. 'Our values require constant revaluation,’ says Borggreven. 'That’s why we consult every quarter with our Ability NL, Connected Cultures, WomenNL, Young PwC Professionals and Shine networks.’
For Ellemers that’s only the beginning. 'Things have to be right at all levels. Just having a network and talking to the staff in question doesn’t solve problems. It only works if their perspective is also represented at the level where decisions are being made such as the Board of Management. That’s one more reason why I am glad that PwC now has a female board chair.’
From strict code of conduct to engaging conversations
While having a female chair is a useful step, a focus on these issues is also needed at other places within the organisation. 'We are all human so let's assume everyone makes mistakes,’ continues Ellemers. 'Power inequalities lead to a potential risk of boundaries being crossed. Those who are dependent on others are less likely to speak up when something is not right and it’s vital that people feel able to say something in a respectful way when needed.’
Borggreven nods in agreement. 'People don't like to be called to account for their behaviour. They quickly become defensive and little is achieved as a result. It’s essential that we establish the basics, monitor this and intervene when boundaries are crossed. At the same time, we must also remember that mistakes are made above this minimal level, too, so how we respond in these cases is also important.’
'A stricter code of conduct is not a solution'
Ellemers doesn’t see a stricter and more extensive code of conduct as a solution. Bullying, sexually transgressive acts, fraud – when evidently unacceptable behaviour occurs, a regulatory instrument is indispensable and action must be taken immediately. 'But should we have a long list of what’s forbidden? Write out all the bad jokes? That’s not going to work. We need to talk to each other more about what we do want, and help each other achieve it. This is a more valuable and productive conversation because it has a positive basis and makes it easier to talk to each other when things are not going as planned. It’s also more motivating.’
'Alarm bells go off for me the moment a colleague says that people are failing to make the grade. Who set these grades? And what prejudices and biases are playing a role here?’
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