The Importance of Diversity & Inclusivity in the Workplace

Diversity & Inclusivity in Alyne

When talking about diversity and inclusivity many organisations talk the talk but not all of them walk the walk. Being a part of an organisation that truly believes in providing an inclusive work environment is extremely rewarding, both personally and professionally. When working in an international company like Alyne you get to meet people from all over the world, with very different cultures, beliefs and backgrounds. Being exposed to such a diverse team expands one’s level of awareness and understanding of the world, and the many different realities people experience in it. All 46 members of the Alyne team, spread in 5 locations across the globe (Munich – New York – London – Australia), are encouraged to be bold, creative and think outside the box; providing a safe space for everyone to be themselves. Creating an environment of freedom of expression encourages innovative ideas, independent problem-solving mentality and collaboration across members and teams.

Representation in the Workplace

So why does representation in the workplace matter? According to the Business Case for Diversity, a well-managed diverse workforce is beneficial both for employees and the organisation, as it increases satisfaction and productivity, as well as reducing costs and generating overall greater profit.

Benefits for Employees

LGBTQ+ supportive policies inside an organisation have an immediate effect on personnel, as they experience less discrimintation in a safe environment where people can openly share details of their personal lives without the fear of being judged or discriminated against. According to The Business Impact of LGBT-Supportive Workplace Policies, employees who spend considerable time and effort hiding their personal identity in the workplace, experience higher levels of stress and anxiety resulting in both personal and work related issues and complaints. An LGBTQ+ friendly workplace leads to increased job satisfaction, better team-member relationships and greater work commitment with the organisation.

Benefits for The Organisation

In the age of social media, brand identity and public image are more important than ever. Organisations with legal issues related to discrimination reflect in a very negative public image that can harm the business, chasing away socially responsible existent and potential customers.

On a different level, employees of diverse and open workplaces are more likely to remain within the organisation, reducing a significant amount of resources, time and money in recruitment and training. As mentioned before, it also increases creativity, innovation and productivity.

Corporate Equality Index (CEI)

Every year the Human Rights Campaign publishes the Corporate Equality Index, which serves as a good road map for major businesses’ adoption of inclusive policies, practices and benefits for LGBTQ+ employees. The CEI rating criteria has four key pillars:

● Nondiscrimination policies across business entities.

● Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families.

● Supporting an inclusive culture.

● Corporate social responsibility.

In 2021, 767 organisations achieved a top rating of 100%. In its initial year, 2002, only 13 organisations achieved the highest rating. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses (Fortune 500), American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200) and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.

Clearly a rising number of business owners realise that equality is good for business. Employees should focus on making the most out of their personal skills and talents, rather than worrying about discrimination in the workplace. Organisations should strive to create a workplace where all employees are accepted and welcomed, this can only be achieved by a deeper understanding of one another’s personal values and beliefs.

Alyne’s Pride Rebranding

Logically, experiencing Alyne’s workplace environment is reserved for team members therefore, the organisation wanted to show its support to the LGBTQ+ community in a more visible way by doing a pride rebranding between the months of June (Pride Month in the US) and July (Christopher Street Day or Berlin Pride) due to the historic relevance of both this events.

Alyne’s CEO, Karl Viertel, said via LinkedIn: “I love the attention and awareness pride month is getting. It is a wonderful tribute to the freedom of identity expression we enjoy in many parts of the world. The persisting need to create awareness is also a call to action for what we have yet to accomplish. I am proud of the diversity in our team – because it fosters creativity, highlights new perspectives in creating solutions for our customers – and makes Alyne a fun place to work.”

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