“At Saab, everyone counts”
Faster problem solving, higher employee engagement and better company revenue. There is no doubt about it, diversity is not just good for the work environment, it’s also good for business.
Diversity remains a hot topic in the business world. Besides contributing to a better and more creative work place, research has shown that diversity also increases profitability.
“People of different backgrounds, with different experience and context tend to think differently. By working together and sharing their thoughts, a diverse group is able to solve problems much faster than a homogeneous group. Different mind-sets is also good for creativity, engagement and innovation, obviously this reflects on the company’s revenue,” says Micael Johansson, Saab’s President and CEO.
At Saab, diversity is part of the business strategy and a diversity group has been appointed to monitor the structure of different employee groups and to look closely at who leaves the company and who is being hired.
“In each recruitment, we must have diverse representation throughout the process. If we haven’t achieved this, the recruitment process needs to be questioned.”
Today, when many companies are fighting for the same employees, diversity is also key to being an attractive employer. Especially millennials see diversity as an important factor when choosing an employer, and many people today take for granted that companies work actively on these matters, something Micael Johansson is well aware of:
“For us it’s vital to keep diversifying the company. Diversity is about so much more than gender; it’s about age, ethnicity, diverse education, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, disabilities and whether or not you are introvert or extrovert. For Saab to remain a successful company, we need to hire an employee base reflecting diversity; everyone counts.”