IWD 2024: Inspiring inclusivity through collective effort

Increased investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) resources has been reported in 60% of businesses over the past year, according to McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2023 report. Despite the increasing level of investment, there is still a significant underrepresentation of women in the workplace, leaving many feeling excluded and disempowered.

The report also states that nearly three-in-four HR leaders say DE&I is critical to a company's future success. Concerted efforts to promote and empower women are required, not just by industry leaders, but by every employee at every level.  

In the fintech industry, which has historically been dominated by men, we need to do more than just ensure we are recruiting 'inclusively' and that impactful hiring practices are in place. The key to success is to find ways to attract and retain more women in fintech, and that starts by fostering supportive workplace cultures. This can be achieved by providing leadership development opportunities, highlighting the contributions of women in fintech, and facilitating more networking opportunities. Ultimately, this not only benefits women but all employees. It contributes to innovation, creativity, and overall business success through diversity of thought.  

Promoting mutual understandings 
Implementing diversity training helps to promote mutual understanding and raise awareness of the importance of inclusivity, trust, and speaking out when faced with injustices.

Embracing the journey of continuous learning of different cultural sensitivities, and actively listening to an array of perspectives and experiences, is fundamental. Representation across different demographics brings a variety of perspectives, experiences, and commercial opportunities that reflect the current consumer base. As well as positively impacting the team directly, it shows how we can innovate robust products and services for all our customers. 

Supporting nurturing environments 
Creating a supportive and nurturing environment fosters the space for people to address challenges and innovate.

At FIS, we believe this is the responsibility of all our colleagues. It is embedded in our values which we bring to life in our everyday behaviours. Further, FIS has an Enterprise Inclusion & Diversity Council, as part of its ongoing commitment to help drive global strategy and accountability across the organisation. Thought leadership panels and workshops are designed to share insights and best practices and highlight ways to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.  

Our nine inclusion networks across the organisation – including the Women's Inclusion Network and FIS FamilyFlex – Working Families Inclusion Network – are great ways for like-minded people to collaborate and cultivate a space that helps FIS attract, engage, develop and retain talent. FIS also actively supports, sponsors, and participates in external diversity events, conferences, and partnerships. I am also grateful to have the opportunity to be part of a variety of groups including Women in Treasury, Payments and Banking and Finance. This paves the way for an organisation to develop to its full potential and become market-leading in its focus on gender diversity.  

Catering to diverse needs 
The creation of inclusive policies and benefits caters to the diverse needs of employees, such as flexible working arrangements, parental leave, and various wellness programs. 

Finetuning flexible working models is key to unlocking an employee's full potential, and ensuring diverse representation at all levels. Injecting flexibility, and putting safeguards in place to ensure a level playing field across work arrangements to meet personal demands, fosters an inclusive environment, and one that empowers and inspires. 

Building and nurturing supportive environments, where people can establish levels of trust to speak out when faced with inequality, is fundamental to supporting all employees. Being sensitive to diverse individual needs paves the way to achieve this in the workplace. Inspiring inclusion not only benefits women but fosters innovation, improving overall business achievement and success. It takes every individual to rise to the challenge.