Slow as molasses. That’s one way to describe how leaders have responded to the rapidly changing workplace. The work environment was already changing before the COVID pandemic; now, there’s no going back to the old “industrial” model. It doesn’t meet rapidly evolving employee expectations nor the major shifts in workforce demographics. That, in turn, means the Great Resignation should come as no surprise at all!
The new, effective workplace models all embrace DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Inclusive business cultures hold many advantages for staff, leaders, and profitability. From morale to a broader pool of leaders, the benefits are impactful.
How does it work? Nadia Younes, Louise Carvalho, and Gamiel Yafai use CERN, Europe’s particle physics research center, as a launching point to explore inclusiveness with Maureen.
Nadia Younes has extensive cross-industry and geographical experience leading efforts in DEI, employee experience and work-life/wellbeing in global multinational companies headquartered in Switzerland, the US, Canada, Australia and the UK…including Wells Fargo, Amgen, Novartis, Rio Tinto, International Monetary Fund and Zurich Insurance. She has also consulted with over 100 other multinational and non-profit organizations and helped introduce the next generation of measurement of gender equality that includes intersectionality with race and other dimensions of diversity.
Gamiel Yafai has worked at the highest levels with many public, private and voluntary organisations on diversity and inclusion culture change initiatives over the last 21 years. Recipient of the Global Diversity Leadership Award presented by the Global HRD Congress, and author of ‘Demystifying Diversity’ and ‘Yemen Proud’, Gamiel has worked with some of Europe’s largest employers to design and implement diversity and inclusion culture change strategies and action plans to both attract new talent from diverse backgrounds, and to support existing talent as they reach their potential.
Louise Carvalho, a lawyer by profession, has practiced in Canada, in England, within the United Nations and European Union institutions in post-conflict Kosovo, and at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (Nobel Peace Prize 2013) in The Hague. Louise joined CERN in October 2014 as a Legal Adviser and was appointed Diversity & Inclusion Programme Leader in 2018.
