EU Diversity Month is about raising awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and across our societies. It is about the representation and visibility of different groups, where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated into the work environment.
EU Diversity Month celebrates efforts by organisations to help build equal and inclusive environments for the benefit of all. This initiative is part of the European Commission’s commitment to fight discrimination and promote diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Here at publicjobs, we have engaged in a programme of events, discussions, and training sessions with our staff throughout the month aligning with our mission “to recruit a diverse range of people with the talent, character, and commitment to deliver for Ireland”.
Roisin Walsh, Head of People and Culture at publicjobs, shares what staff at publicjobs has been engaging with as part of EU Diversity Month.
1. Can you tell us about what publicjobs has been doing during EU Diversity Month to raise awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
After a very successful EU Diversity Month campaign last year, we are delighted to be celebrating EU Diversity month again this year with our colleagues from across Europe. We have an action-packed calendar of events with a diverse range of workshops and activities, which ran throughout the month of May. Everything from staff-led sessions on topics like body positivity, cultural awareness and intergenerational diversity to inclusion-focussed webinars and fun activities like our Pride@PAS quiz that’s happening this week. Staff can opt for sessions that are of interest to them, and the overall aim is to raise awareness around how to create more inclusive working environments for all.
2. This year's EU Diversity Month theme is ‘Building Bridges’. From your perspective, what does this theme mean to your organisation and how can it help build a diverse workplace?
As a recruitment organisation, we work closely with a diverse range of partners and stakeholders to deliver a professional and inclusive recruitment service. As we grow and evolve, it is vitally important that we continue to proactively engage with our customers to understand their diverse needs. With a variety of perspectives, we can ensure our services deliver value across our stakeholder group.
Inclusion is a core organisational value at publicjobs and we strive to create a work environment that supports all staff to reach their full potential.
We’ve been challenged over the last couple of years to stay connected in a more dispersed and distributed world of work. However, our people have risen to the challenge and have demonstrated immense courage and compassion, working closely together to deliver our services to a high standard and support each other in the process. For me, building bridges is about staying connected with colleagues and customers, actively listening to understand their perspectives, and working together to successfully achieve shared goals.
3. In your opinion, why is it important that organisations commit to championing diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
Diverse and inclusive team members don’t just bring a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences to the table, they also bring new approaches to problem-solving and greater levels of engagement. There is a growing body of research that shows diversity is key to building efficient and successful teams. Different opinions and fresh points of view have a positive impact on innovation so it’s critical to embed an inclusive working culture where all views are welcomed and respected. A recent study by Gartner revealed that a highly diverse environment can improve team performance by up to 30%. This proves that diversity and inclusion is not just a ‘nice to have’ and that having a more diverse and inclusive workforce directly impacts business performance.
4. Can you tell us what the organisation aims to achieve from taking part in EU Diversity Month?
Over the course of EU Diversity Month, we aimed to celebrate the rich diversity that exists across our organisation and, also, to raise awareness around key diversity-related themes and topics that impact our daily work and lives. Through our programme of events, we want to reinforce our commitment to creating an inclusive working environment for all and we hope that the workshops and webinars will also serve to grow our knowledge and understanding as an inclusive recruiter for the public service.