Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
Equality is essential for innovation, growth, and long-term success. By creating an environment where diverse teams feel valued and empowered, we not only do the right thing but also build a stronger, more innovative organisation. As a matter of fact, research shows that diverse companies are 35% more likely to excel in their market! (McKinsey, 2020)
Below are some of the ways in which we promote equality in the workplace.
- Inclusive Hiring Practices: We strive to ensure that our recruitment processes are fair and unbiased. This includes blind recruitment techniques, diverse interview panels, and actively seeking to diversify our candidate pools. We are proud members of the Salesforce Talent Alliance, which focuses on supporting underrepresented groups in the tech industry and helping a new generation of Salesforce professionals excel.
- Equality in the Workplace: We regularly review our compensation structures to eliminate any gender, racial, or other pay gaps. The percentage of women in all tech-related careers has actually decreased worldwide by 2.1% since 2021 (Hubbert, 2024), so our leadership team, alongside our Performa Women in Tech group, understand that it is ever crucial to elevate equity as a focus in our policies and practices.
- Continuous Improvement: We provide continuous training on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to all employees via our Learning & Development platform. This training builds awareness, challenges biases, and equips our team with the skills to foster an inclusive environment. Companies that invest in DEI training see a significant increase in employee satisfaction (Deloitte, 2019), and we work hard to create the best working environment for our team.
- Wellbeing Policies: We have implemented policies that support work-life balance. A great example of some of our initiatives are flexible working arrangements, sabbaticals and parental leave. These policies help all employees balance their professional and personal commitments. Not only does this make for a happier, healthier team, but companies with flexible work policies notably see a 30% increase in productivity and 10% higher employee retention (Gartner, 2020). As a service provider, our employees are our lifeblood and so we aim to nurture and retain them in every decision we make.
- Creating Safe Spaces: Our leadership team puts emphasis on creating safe spaces where employees can share their experiences and concerns without fear of retribution. This includes providing clear, confidential channels for reporting issues, such as a trained Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, and also investing in an external employee support service and 24/7 hotline.
Measuring Progress: Without measurement, we cannot hold ourselves accountable and reflect on our progress. We regularly measure and report our progress through:
- Annual employee satisfaction surveys.
- Setting and tracking specific diversity and inclusion goals.
- Publishing transparent reports on our progress and areas for improvement through town halls and bi-annual conferences.
Equality is never linear and is a continuous journey and commitment. We are dedicated to promoting the values of fairness and inclusion, at Performa IT and in the wider ecosystem.
Interested to learn more about how we support our people and planet? Check out our Sustainability and Giving Back pages!
Sources:
Deloitte (2019) The Inclusion Imperative for Boards. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/center-for-board-effectiveness/us-cbe-the-inclusion-imperative-for-boards.pdf
Gartner (2020) 9 Work Trends That HR Leaders Can’t Ignore in 2021. Available at: https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/9-work-trends-that-hr-leaders-cant-ignore-in-2021
Hubbert, J. (2024) ‘70+ Women In Technology Statistics’ Available at: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/women-in-tech
McKinsey (2020) Diversity wins: How inclusion matters. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters