SPEAKING AND ADVISORY SERVICES

Diversity is too important to be left to chance

Advising on Leadership, Diversity, Inclusion - and Project Onboard Denmark

International employees often have qualifications that are scarce in Denmark. Losing them again to international competition is therefore very costly.

Signe Biering Nielsen is actively working on on how to avoid having internationals leave their jobs in Denmark before the end of their contracts. She helps internationals, primarily in leadership positions, develop deeper connections to the company and create professional and personal networks in Denmark.

She also speaks and advises companies on how to onboard internationals and how to handle diversity and inclusion issues in general.

To find ways to help Danish businesses retain their international talent Signe has partnered with some of the biggest players in Denmark. The Coaching Room is, along with among others the Association of Danish Industries, Copenhagen Capacity and University of Copenhagen, partnering in Project Onboard Denmark. It is a research project funded by Innovation Fund Denmark (2021-23) with 5,7 mill. DKK. Through the project, Signe has developed the project and has interviewed a large number of companies, as well as expats in order to create concrete tools for the use of Small and Medium Sized companies in Denmark.

The tools aim at helping the companies onboard and retain their international employees - while helping the company get cognizant of their own culture. The tools will be available on a website and on an app and will be made public mid 2023.

Why focus on internationals in Denmark?

Over the last 15 years, the number of international employees in Denmark has increased dramatically - from 30.000 to 100.000. This number will likely only go up in the foreseeable future, for example due to increased demand for highly skilled candidates in the sciences (tech, pharma), a demand the Danish labor force cannot meet.

Many companies see the need to adjust their organisational culture to include the international employees, to make the most of their employment and retain them as long as possible - while keeping the Danish employees involved.

Unfortunately, research and experience has shown it to be a challenging task for many Danish companies. They find it difficult to uncover the challenges as well as deciding on next steps.

This is worrying as these networks are crucial in order to ensure commitment, a fulfilling contribution, as well as the well being and ultimately talent retention. In addition and sometimes overlooked is the adverse impact on Danish colleagues and managers.

Like internationals, other groups (the minority gender, people of color, others) may likewise not feel as included as the company or organisation has intended. Many of the challenges and lessons from welcoming the internationals are therefore similar to challenges and lessons from other work on diversity.

To help lead a diverse workforce and get the utmost out of the differences without being hindered by them we have developed a set of offerings. These offerings can be tailored to specifically support your company's efforts to integrate and retain employees.

Offerings include:

Diversity and leadership

Objective: Give the management team and HR the necessary tools to spot and handle issues related to diversity in the workplace.

Key topics:

Why do we need to discuss diversity?
How does diversity affect our employees (Danes and internationals, minority and majority)?
What are the opportunities and challenges?
How do we spot the impact on our organizational culture?
Changing the culture to encompass internationals, others.
What is required from our management team and HR department?

Target groups: Management team and HR

Format: Speaking engagement, smaller presentations, group facilitations and workshops

Networking like a Dane

Objective: Enable international employees to gain understanding of the way Danes network and get support in creating both professional and personal networks in Denmark.

Key topics:

Why are networks so important in Denmark? What is my own experience - from Denmark and before?
How do Danes network and what are the characteristics of Danish culture that impact how Danes interact with others?
What are my challenges to building a network in Denmark and how can I overcome them?
How do internationals make friends in Denmark?
What can be expected of my Danish colleagues and how do I engage with them in the best way possible?

Target groups: International employees

Format: Speaking engagements, workshops or networking groups to train the participants in how to network in a Danish context.

The Danish workplace and me

Objective: Enable international employees to make the most of their employment by obtaining an in-depth understanding of the Danish work culture and practices - and recognize their own cultural preferences along the way.

Key topics:

What are the fundamental components of the Danish work culture (and what is my own culture)?
Understanding the Danish flat hierarchy and low power distance (and how is my preference?).
How to give and get feedback in Denmark (and recognize your own habits).
How do you build a career path in a Danish environment.
What behaviors are rewarded in Denmark and what is frowned upon?
How to spot, understand, and deal with Danish humor in a work environment.

Target groups: International employees and HR

Format: Speaking engagement and workshops. Can be over a period of time to ensure implementation and followup.

Coaching and mentoring

Objective: Individual or team coaching and business therapy to ensure that all employees make the most of their talent at the workplace. For leaders who manage diverse teams. Or for teams who want to enhance their ability to work together and gain the most from differences.

Key topics:

What does it mean to be a diverse workplace?
What are challenges to internationals in Denmark?
Networking in the workplace and stakeholder management.
Career progression and management.
Professional growth.
Spouses and children - how to support the family adjusting to Denmark.

Target groups: Executives (International and/or Danes), International talent, HR

Format: 1 on 1 coaching or therapy sessions, or as a team.