We took up the challenge by preparing a plan to promote diversity and inclusion. With it, we seek to develop both management and supervisory work, as well as the work of every NLS employee, and find tools that we can take with us on our journey.

First stop: Let’s ask the personnel

In the spring of 2023, we investigated our employees’ experiences of diversity and inclusion in the working community by conducting an anonymous survey. The average results were quite positive, and many of the responses spoke highly of the atmosphere at the NLS in which colleagues are appreciated. It was also found important that questions related to diversity and inclusion are raised in the workplace. More critical voices were a small minority.

However, personal experiences are easily hidden behind averages. With the survey, we also wanted to hear what it feels like to belong to a minority at the NLS. Thus, respondents representing a minority felt that they have had to face discrimination much more frequently than others. In all responses, age and gender were most often mentioned as reasons for discrimination. In addition to these factors, respondents representing a minority listed language, a disability or illness, and belonging to a sexual minority as reasons for discrimination.

The respondents also wanted to have practical advice on how to intervene in discriminating speech. In addition to the various dimensions of diversity, the culture of discussion was raised as a development area.

Second stop: More discussion and understanding

During the last couple of years, we have communicated, raised discussions and provided training regarding diversity and non-discrimination. The aim has been to increase understanding, make implicit biases visible and build psychological safety and security in the working community.

In 2023 and 2024, we published a series of intranet articles under the headline ‘For an equal working life’. In it, we discussed diversity in working life from different perspectives, ranging from neurodiversity to racism and from sexual minorities to mental health. The series of articles attracted interest and also sparked discussion.

In the spring of 2024, we held an open responsibility forum for the entire personnel, with actor and author Jani Toivola as our guest speaker. Toivola’s speech ‘The only one in the room or one of many?’ raised thoughts about what it is like to be the only member of a minority group in different rooms of society. The speech also made us discuss what we at the NLS can do to make the threshold for entering our working community equally low for everyone.

This year, everyone at the NLS will complete the online course ‘Sustainability in my work: diversity and inclusion’. The course has been built from the NLS’s perspectives, and it provides basic information about diversity and inclusion in working life and encourages everyone to develop their operating culture in their work and workplace. We have also encouraged all members of the working community to discuss the ideas raised by the course.

We have taken a number of other measures to promote diversity. For example, we have tested anonymous recruitment, added a diversity clause to our job advertisements, implemented a language policy for internal communication, conducted a survey on age management, and stopped using gender-biased and outdated job titles.

Along the way, we have learned that practices and a working culture that value diversity and take everyone into account are beneficial for all of us. We have also received feedback that promoting diversity and making it visible makes employees proud of their employer.

What’s the next stop?

In the new NLS strategy, we have defined the goal of being a skilled, diverse and attractive working community where employees feel well. Along these lines, we have defined the goal in our new sustainability programme of being a prosperous working community, in which everyone feels comfortable as who they are.

Next year, we will establish a team to promote equality and non-discrimination in our working community. We will also update our operational plan on equality and non-discrimination, based on which we will develop non-discrimination in interaction with customers and other external stakeholders. We will also continue to take measures to strengthen age management.

We want all employees at the NLS to be able to come to work safely, use their skills, and experience success as who they are. A diverse workplace and a non-discriminating work culture are built together through words and actions, every day. There is no last stop – our diversity journey continues.

Johanna Snellman and Annukka Kokkonen

Johanna Snellman works as the Director of Human Resources and Annukka Kokkonen as a Sustainability and Communications Specialist at the NLS.    

In the NLS blog, different authors discuss various themes that are topical at the NLS.