HR Specialist Diversity & Inclusion
HR Specialist Diversity & Inclusion
Team Diversity & Inclusion
Works in Utrecht and from home
Lives in Hilvarenbeek
At VodafoneZiggo since January 2019
People with an occupational disability or non-Western background often have more trouble finding a job than others. HR Specialist Diversity & Inclusion Manager Michèle de Vries knows all about it and has made it his challenge to lead change. He persuades other teams and departments that diversity on the work floor and equal opportunity for all is nothing short of essential the company's success.
"How to you ensure that everyone feels safe at work, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or disability? It's an important question and one that fascinates me. When I joined VodafoneZiggo in 2019, they were expanding Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) from a team of one to six staff members. It just goes to show how seriously the issue is taken nowadays. As HR Specialist D&I, I lead projects that promote diversity and inclusion within the company. I lobby for more women at the top, more employees in the workplace with non-European backgrounds and a safe environment for members of the LGBT community. But the most important challenge of all to me is finding employment opportunities within VodafoneZiggo for people with disabilities."
The success of Michèle and his team within the organization is growing. And outside the organization, they are also noticed for their hard work. Thanks to their efforts, VodafoneZiggo is now on the first rung of the Social Enterprise Performance Ladder. This TNO certification is for organizations that go above and beyond in social entrepreneurship, especially focusing on helping vulnerable groups in the labor market.
"Typically, the main issue for people with an occupational disability is related to energy levels. We're well aware of that and take it into account, for instance, by offering one full-time position to two candidates to share. At the moment, we're working on a recruitment project involving a group of people with a disadvantage in the labour market who we think will be perfect in a customer-service role. To accommodate their needs, we've adapted the internal training programme and they work four-hour shifts max. And there's also a dedicated process coach who provides help and support at an individual level. After all, someone with impaired vision faces different challenges than someone who has been on benefits for years."
"As a result of a muscular disorder, I have relied on a wheelchair for my mobility, freedom and independence since I was 30 and I work part-time myself. Fortunately, they have an eye for talent at VodafoneZiggo and quickly spotted that I'm an open-minded guy who gets on with it and likes to sort things out himself. I know from experience, however, that employers don't always have such a keen eye, and that's a great shame because there are lots of extremely talented people out there who would rather start today than tomorrow but are somehow held back."
"My biggest challenge is to overcome and put to bed the natural prejudice towards people who are 'different'. Unfamiliarity breeds suspicion and I show people throughout the organisation the benefits and advantages of diverse teams. It doesn't take all that much persuasion: the greater the diversity in a company, the better it can relate to a broader customer base; customers and prospects are better understood; investment in equal opportunities creates a safer atmosphere on the work floor; staff see at first hand that it's about what you know and not about whether you can jump or skip; diversity leads to a diversity of ideas; absenteeism figures come down... I could go on, but the long and short of it is that diversity has all pros and no cons.
"I'm currently setting up an employee network for people who are somehow impaired in the workplace. The idea behind it is to make it easier for us to share ideas and experiences. It will serve as a tool for HR as well, as they will be able to more readily pick up on any relevant issues within the organisation - shortcomings in terms of facilities, for instance.
"In the coming years, I've set myself the challenge to further incorporate diversity and inclusion into VodafoneZiggo's DNA. The wonderful thing about the organisation is that everybody is encouraged to put forward ideas, and that includes me. Add to that the energy and pragmatism of our department and there's no reason not to be confident that it's going to be a great success."
