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Humanizing the Digital World
Best Practice by SIX
INSPIRED CULTURE CHANGE VIA THE ‘SIX SPIRIT’ TRAINER COMMUNITY
Companies that value a diverse and inclusive culture have a long-term competitive advantage. Read how SIX engages an internal trainer community across hierarchy levels to take every employee on a shared journey towards an open, inclusive and growth-oriented culture. A culture in which both individuals and SIX can thrive.
This Best Practice was first published in the Gender Intelligence Report 2022.
In 2020, we shared a new HR recruitment process as a best practice to attract more female talent. In 2021, we focused on the SPI (Swiss Performance Index) Gender Equality Index, and this year, we are delighted to share an innovative practice on how we evolve our organizational culture, which is working with the SIX Spirit Trainer Community – a successful employee engagement initiative.
‘six spirit’: employees drive an inclusive culture
Diversity & Inclusion has been strongly rooted in SIX’s corporate strategy since 2021. SIX has set itself the goal to increase the proportion of women in middle and top management to a minimum of 25% by the end of 2023 (July 2022: 23.3%, 2021: 22.2%, 2020: 19.3%). An open, inclusive and growth-oriented corporate culture is a top priority for us. We are convinced that in an organization where inclusion is deeply embedded, it becomes natural for women to reach higher management positions.
At SIX, we understand cultural transformation as a journey with a guiding principle (leitmotif) that we call the ‘SIX Spirit’. SIX Spirit describes our attitude towards business, but also towards life. SIX Spirit is based on our values and is at the core of everything we do. More specifically: We focus on actions that create added value for our customers – customer focus. We proactively share our know-how, support each other and value different perspectives – collaboration. We take responsibility and drive innovation; we continuously improve by challenging the status quo – ownership. We live a culture of openness and mutual trust – trust. Corporate management steers the cultural transformation. But culture cannot be dictated. It must be embedded by our employees in their daily work, out of their own conviction. It is our employees who shape and implement this spirit.
humanizing the digital world
One focus of SIX’s culture journey is to engage people. We want to create awareness of self-impact and a strong sense of belonging through community and ongoing dialogue. How do we proceed? We developed the SIX Spirit ‘Culture Competence Blended Learning’, that won three gold awards at the 2022 Brandon Hall Excellence Awards. Each employee first completes an e-learning course on the purpose and values of SIX, followed by an online workshop where the aim is to bring the SIX values to life and align them with the participants’ own personal values. What do customer focus, collaboration, ownership, and trust mean for them? And how can they experience their personal values in their work life? Together, we continuously strengthen and develop the SIX Spirit further, and bring the human factor into the digitalized world of SIX.
breaking down barriers
The learning format provides a platform where everyone across locations, business units, and hierarchy levels can engage in dialogue, and in doing so, engage in a larger network. As SIX CEO Jos Dijsselhof explains:
Mutual understanding across functional, hierarchical and cultural boundaries promotes cooperation and helps overcome complex business challenges. And what’s more: exchange and mutual support create a solid foundation from which employees can benefit for their professional and personal development.
six spirit trainer community: access to leadership and network
Our employees are not only active participants in the workshops, they can also lead them on a voluntary basis. 40 employees currently form the SIX Spirit trainer community. It is a network which enables close relationships between its members, which is highly appreciated by female talents. “Engaging with participants and fellow trainers brings continuous feedback, new insights, and food for thought about the challenges we all face in our professional and personal lives. Seeing how many strong women around the world are overcoming the challenges of work, family and personal well-being is inspiring and encouraging”, SIX Spirit trainer Caroline Haag is convinced.
female talents become visible
Due to their expertise, commitment and influence, female trainers gain significant visibility and recognition within the organization. “As a young woman just taking my first steps in my career, I am very inspired by the great women and men I meet in trainings and in the community at large”, states SIX Spirit Trainer Radhiana Myombo.
cultural change starts within
As is common in the financial industry, SIX has had a rather traditional employee profile. Sharing stories and providing a platform for colleagues to speak, be heard, and be represented is one of the first steps to inclusion and to changing the industry profile. In our view, the most effective corporate culture changes are those that start from within. The only way to sustain our kind of an open, inclusive and growth-oriented culture is to voice our thoughts and listen to each other.
“The biggest challenge I face as a woman, working mother and committed professional is to find the right work-life balance that leaves room for happiness, growth and development in both my personal and professional life”, says SIX Spirit Trainer Maria Calvo. “The Six Spirit journey (which always starts with oneself, from the inside out) helps me in this constant search for balance.”
SIX Spirit trainer community takes ownership and drives change
We measure the success of the SIX Spirit workshops by the results of our employees’ feedback. More than 90% of our participants are satisfied or highly satisfied with the experience provided. Employee networking in the role of participant or trainer has clearly brought us closer together as a company. We know of several employee relationships that endure across boundaries.
Trusting the community to take ownership and drive change demonstrates the power that is unleashed when everyone’s influence is recognized and given the space to grow further. The SIX Spirit trainer community is only one, but a very powerful key to successful change. Ultimately, it is about creating an environment in which each individual, and therefore our company, can thrive.
More than a program
For us at SIX, an inclusive culture is more than a program. It is anchored as part of the essence of our entire organization – for a future where Diversity & Inclusion is simply not needed anymore. That’s a powerful and inspiring vision.
To exchange on culture transformation and the SIX Spirit trainer community please contact Nuria Strehler-Shatri, Senior Transformation Consultant, at nuria.strehler@six-group.com.
This Best Practice was first published in the Gender Intelligence Report 2022.
#breakthebias #inclusion #rolemodels #shapetheculture
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