COVID-19 has led businesses towards a new way of working. Societal and economic implications have provided financial institutions with the opportunity to commit to, and invest in, diversity and inclusion (D&I) at work. Gender equality, Emiratisation, BLM, and LGBT are just some of the social movements that have helped influence change in how we work in a unique and powerful way. Banks and asset management firms are motivated to respond to changing client demographics, new regulations, and social challenges, whilst the growing demand for D&I data stresses the importance of acting on such environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. (Read more about ESG and why it’s important). Yet, despite the speed at which businesses are moving towards D&I, it remains a work in progress across the globe as more organisations approach a new culture of learning.
The strong understanding in the ever-changing world of finance is that the sector thrives on embracing D&I so that it can evolve through difference, drive innovation, and improve employee and customer experiences, and rightly so. Regulated businesses, like the financial and professional services, are driven towards robust D&I agendas to adapt and safeguard a diverse workforce through organisational change. Finance professionals and people managers are leading their D&I strategies through a culture of learning to ensure that equal opportunity and treatment are embedded into each touchpoint of the employee experience.
Firms remain committed to building an inclusive workforce through a culture of learning because they understand that D&I not only reduces employee turnover and enhances the success of a firm’s brand and representation, but it’s also the right thing to do. “Financial institutions are recognising and accepting this, along with the impacts that culture intelligence training has towards their employees and wider organisational strategy.
