Celebrating International Women’s Day today, Melanie Vala, Chief Commercial Officer, Deko, shares her personal experiences and thoughts on the power of diversity plus some of its benefits, as part of our women in finance special focus.
Diversity always wins! I feel that any organisation or industry with balanced gender diversity will always outperform those who suffer significant bias.
In financial services specifically, I’ve seen the tides turn over the last decade or two. With an increase in female representation in what has been a primarily male-dominated industry, it’s positive to see that the industry as a whole is benefiting from this progressive change.
The benefits for both businesses and individuals include:
Increased creativity and innovation
I believe that at the intersection of diversity, you will always find a more creative group of people. It’s vital that diverse groups of people are brought together to brainstorm, problem-solve and develop new ideas, as their broader perspectives, different skills and varied experiences will drive increased innovation.
Increased employee engagement
In my experience, employees are more motivated in organisations that build diversity into their structure. A diverse management team provides junior employees with leaders with whom they can identify and inspire them to progress in their own careers. We know what we see.
Better business outcomes
Whilst diversity is a frequently politicised topic, in reality, the impact on businesses is clear. Organisations where I’ve seen a focus on nurturing a positive working environment and an emphasis on driving innovation through diversity enjoy greater positive business outcomes, whether that be increased revenue, increased market share, better talent retention or happier and more loyal customers.
