Journey to equity: mapping DEIB initiatives in our remote tech startup

TheyDo's People team shares some of our ongoing challenges and commitments for a more diverse and equitable workplace.

In the fast-paced world of tech startups, innovation is key. But for us, innovation extends beyond Journey Management—it's about fostering a company culture that champions Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Our customers are diverse, and we believe TheyDo should be, too. We take great pride in our global team, comprising 29 different nationalities spread across 21 countries, 3 continents and 6 distinct time zones. Here's a glimpse into what we’re doing as a company to make TheyDo a more inclusive and welcoming place for top talent from all walks of life.

DEIB successes

1. Our values

At a company-wide retreat in Amsterdam, back in March, we took the opportunity to redesign our company values collectively. Our values are the center of our ways of working and our compass for defining our culture. Here’s what they mean to us in the context of DEIB:

• Journey together: This encourages harmonious collaboration across the board and guarantees that every voice is heard and valued, regardless of location or background.

• Own it: By fostering an environment where individuals take ownership, we cultivate a sense of empowerment and actively contribute to a culture that values and supports the ownership of every team member. We recognize the unique strengths and perspectives each individual brings to our collective success.

• Cloaks off: We emphasize transparency and integrity. People should feel not only safe, but encouraged, to be their authentic selves. In turn, they are empowered to openly share their unique perspectives, express concerns openly, and further contribute to a trusting way of working.

• Customer-fueled: By actively seeking perspectives from diverse groups—internally and externally—we can ensure that we meet the needs of a diverse range of individuals.

2. DEIB Committee: a representative voice

At the heart of our commitment to diversity is our DEIB Committee, of which 20% of the company is a member. This committee serves as a driving force for change, actively engaging with various projects and initiatives to ensure that diverse perspectives are heard and factored into every decision we make.

3. DEIB Hub: building a knowledge base

Communication is key, and we lean into that with our DEIB Notion hub and Slack channel. These platforms go far beyond just discussions, offering valuable resources such as pages on inclusive language, a resource library, and a DEIB terminology section in our company dictionary. These spaces are a testament to our dedication to learning and growing on this journey together.

4. DEIB referrals and sourcing: leveraging diverse networks

We understand that diversity starts at the hiring stage, so our Talent team works collaboratively to source candidates from an array of backgrounds. We also know the power of networks, and to strengthen ours, we hosted our first DEIB referral jam in Q4, and will run further session in 2024. This initiative encourages all team members to actively refer potential candidates from underrepresented groups, amplifying our commitment to diversity in hiring.

5. Increasing referral fees for inclusive hiring

To put our commitment into action, we've increased our referral fee from €2000 to €5000 for hires from underrepresented groups until March 2024. This not only incentivizes inclusive hiring, but actively demonstrates our dedication to creating a diverse team.

6. Shaping policies through employee insights

Our optional internal survey reflects our commitment to transparency and accountability. By understanding the demographic composition of our workforce, we aim to identify and address any disparities or inequalities, ensuring that our DEIB initiatives are tailored to the unique needs of our organization.

Our DEIB efforts have been well-received thus far, as reflected in the NPS scores of the following survey questions:

• "I am treated in an equal manner to my peers" – 8.60

• “I believe I have the same opportunity to be recognized and developed in my career at TheyDo as my peers” – 8.50

• "How inclusive do you think our company policies are?" – 8.52

• "How would you rate your personal sense of inclusion and belonging?" – 8.03

7. Time for shared experiences and celebrations

Celebrations should be a reflection of unity, so we make an effort to ensure that everyone feels not only welcome but truly valued during these moments of shared joy. We schedule all company-wide (virtual) events at a time when everyone is able to attend, regardless of their time zone, and we do so during regular working hours so as to honor the personal time and commitments of our valued team members.

This strategic approach underscores our dedication to fostering a workplace culture where active participation in shared experiences and celebrations is accessible to all.

8. Inclusive communication

Small details matter, and we've paid attention to the language used in our communication. The DEIB Committee has collaborated on guidance around the use of inclusive language, providing transparency about phrases and terms that can be problematic, and better alternatives. This helps us take additional steps towards creating an environment where everyone feels seen and respected.

Challenges

In our ongoing pursuit of DEIB excellence, our ‘cloaks off’ value is paramount. While we take great pride in celebrating the strides we've made, we acknowledge the challenges that persist, and recognize the need for continuous improvement. Here's an honest look at the areas where we face hurdles and our commitment to addressing them.

1. Diversity metrics

Currently, only 25% of our company identify as women, and 5% identify as people of color—less than the average within Europe, which is 51% and 14%, respectively. These statistics underscore the urgency of our commitment to diversity. We recognize that addressing disparities in our workforce composition is one of our most important challenges.

2. DEIB survey insights: a call to action

Our internal DEIB survey provided valuable insights. The two questions with the lowest score were:

1. "Our workforce mimics the diversity of the world."

2. "Our leadership team (i.e. founders and managers) mimics the diversity of the world."

These results serve as a call to action, highlighting the need for targeted initiatives to cultivate diversity across the board, including leadership positions.

What’s next?

Our commitment to progress

Recognizing the need for improvement, we are committed to implementing targeted initiatives:

• Diverse hiring initiatives: We will amplify our efforts to attract and retain top talent from underrepresented groups, via sourcing, referrals, and participation in community groups.

• Unconscious bias training: We are developing an internal training program to foster awareness and understanding of unconscious biases—not just for managers or recruiters, but for everyone.

• Building a supportive mental health culture: As part of this commitment, we will build a framework that promotes the wellbeing, safety and resilience of our team, and explore avenues to expand our existing provisions.

• Improve provisions for people with disabilities and neurodivergence: We will begin to explore strategies to elevate accessibility and inclusion for both our current employees and prospective candidates with disabilities or neurodivergence.

Join us on the journey

Our journey toward diversity, equity, and inclusion is ongoing. We recognize the importance of continuous improvement and are committed to evolving our DEIB initiatives to reflect the ever-changing needs of our diverse team.

As we pave the way for the future of TheyDo, we invite talented individuals from all backgrounds to join us in building a workplace where innovation has no boundaries. We’re not just anticipating the future of work—we’re shaping it.