Our Guiding Principles
At MMB Networks, we are founded on the principle that everyone can thrive personally and professionally. To achieve this, we spend time listening to our employees and finding ways to help them achieve their goals. We know investing in your employees is one of the most important factors in creating a successful business but it goes above and beyond that. We continuously strive to be leaders who create a work environment where everyone has the equal opportunity to succeed.
The Three Values
In recent years, there has been a lot more attention paid to the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion, and this is a really good thing. By increasing DEI, you can create a culture that is much more open, respectful of differences, and provides unique perspectives.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are inherently interrelated but also very distinct concepts and it’s not until all three are recognized, and implemented, that your company can truly provide a workplace for everyone.
Let’s break each of them down.
Diversity
Diversity refers to how diverse your workforce is, however, it is common to think of it in a very limited way. When someone says ‘diversity’, people tend to think of gender, sexual orientation, religion, or race but in reality, diversity is so much more than that. It’s a vast topic which could include someone’s background, experiences, knowledge, culture, perspective.
When we put diversity in a box, or as a set of attributes on a spreadsheet, we go against its very nature. At its heart, it’s about recognizing that each voice is unique and welcoming different worldviews to your business.
Equity
Equity recognizes that we are all different and it’s within these differences that makes us great. Rather than creating blanket policies, it’s about your company considering individual needs. It’s rebalancing pre-existing structures which put minority groups at disadvantage. Equity is putting the ideals into motion.
Inclusivity
Inclusion in the workplace is when all your employees feel not only that they belong but that they’re given the chance to thrive. Furthermore, it means that everyone has the opportunity to voice their opinions, that they don’t fear being excluded on the basis of their identity, and that they see themselves reflected in your company’s values.
It’s simple – if you want a more diverse hiring pool, you need to conscientiously do something different.
Unlocking Your Company’s Potential
When these three values are in place, they help drive innovation and performance in the workplace. When employees don’t feel like they need to conform to a particular way of doing something, the possibilities are endless.
In 2015, McKinsey published an influential study entitled “Why diversity matters,” the findings of which show companies with greater gender diversity performed 15% better than companies with less gender diversity. Furthermore, data showed that companies with greater ethnic and racial diversity among staff performed 35% better than companies whose staff demographics matched the national average.
Change the Way You Recruit
In a study done by Glassdoor, it’s become clear that DEI is a priority for job seekers, with 67% of people on the job market stating that racial and gender diversity is an important factor in their search. Furthermore, 50% of current employees want their company to commit more energy toward promoting diversity.
Recruiting diverse candidates is not necessarily more difficult but it does require companies to be very intentional about sourcing, screening, and hiring candidates. It’s simple – if you want a more diverse hiring pool, you need to conscientiously do something different.
The question your company has to ask is: do you want to be progressive, or just appear to be?
What We Are Doing
While we are proud of the company MMB Networks has become, we know we can still aim to do better. Recently, we had a surge of new job positions opening up but this time around, we took a pause before we posted.
To start, we implemented a new process which ensures that all postings are screened to eliminate unconscious bias. From there, we also looked at changing how we source our leads. For example, we’ve researched platforms that promote similar ideals as ours. Through this we found Women Who Code, an organization whose goal is to be a force that affects change. Their motto is “Until we all experience justice and equity in our daily lives, none of us can.”
Meaningful Change
DEI is how you make your company’s values carry real weight. This is not a situation that can be changed overnight but instead with continuous effort. Every step in the right direction helps to move your company forward, to expand opportunities, and provide an environment that’s limitless.
We think that when companies really allow their employees to show up in the workplace, being the best version of themselves, that’s where the magic can really happen.
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