Everything DiSC rimes with diversity
A diverse and inclusive culture first and foremost requires insight into human behavior and understanding of each other's behavior. In Dansk Retursystem, we use Everything DiSC® to put the effort into a system.
Helle Psilander, Head of People & Culture at Dansk Retursystem A/S
Dansk Retursystem has always had a basic philosophy of employing a wide range of employees. This applies not only to gender, age and ethnicity, which the company naturally embraces, but also to employment on special terms, e.g. flexible jobs, job clarification, internships and similar schemes that take special consideration and make it possible for employees to become part of the workplace.
Where others use terms like ‘inclusion’ or ‘diversity’, Dansk Retursystem uses the word ‘diversity’. This concept, we think, embraces a wider range and signals that there is room for all differences in our workplace.
A gift to know each other’s styles
In our daily work with diversity, we find great value in Everything DiSC. It can be difficult to spot a colleague’s strength if you yourself are under pressure or think the colleague is approaching things incorrectly. In such situations, it is good to have a tool to understand your colleague better, and Everything DiSC is easy to use here. It gives us a concrete language for what is happening in the room, and an insight into each other’s intentions, which makes it easier to accept each other. It is easier to talk to your colleague about a behavior that bothers you if it has already been stated in meetings based on Everything DiSC. Because when you know your own and your colleagues’ DiSC style, you also know each other’s strengths and challenges – and the dynamics that play out between the different styles. And it helps us to steer clear of disparaging and judgmental dialogues with a lot of unclear views.
"When you know a little about Everything DiSC, it's much easier to keep the feedback in your own half of the court, and that makes it much more constructive."
An example could be a colleague who is experienced as domineering and bad at listening. Today, we have built up a language where you say, for example: “From where I stand with my S-style, I find it difficult to speak. Could you pause between your sentences so I can think about it? Then I’ll probably say what I mean. When you know a little about Everything DiSC, it is much easier to keep the feedback in your own half of the court, and that makes it far more constructive.
We all contribute to the success
When you, like us, strive for great diversity, there will naturally be more colleagues who are challenged on their behaviour. It can be about diagnoses or harsh experiences in life, which can make it difficult to always display cooperative and proper behaviour. Diversity also creates more challenging situations as a result of cultural, social or linguistic differences.In other words, a special effort is needed to get the employees to work well together, because personal relationships sometimes overshadow the common goals. But whatever the reasons, Everything DiSC is a good tool because it in itself supports a positive culture. It is a value in itself that we are not set up in the same way, and Everything DiSC emphasizes that all personalities are needed to achieve the company’s ambitions.
"It is a value in itself that we are not set up in the same way, and Everything DiSC emphasizes that all personalities are needed to reach the goals of the company's ambitions."
An example: We have to start a difficult development task that requires many proposals to find something that can be used in practice. In order to succeed, we must initially find employees with a Di/i style who can help us generate ideas in the ideation phase. But we must not forget that there are probably others in the team who are C or S styles, ie. personality types who basically do not want too many changes. If you don’t acknowledge their reservations, you can be sure that they will be both irritated and engrossed by proposals that they don’t believe can be realised. Therefore, they must also be included early in the process, so that they feel heard and involved in the final decision. Both those with ideas and the ‘devil’s advocates’ therefore serve an important purpose in order to reach the goal of the development task.
The gold is hidden in the differences
Diversity requires an inclusive culture. You have to be able to accept that your colleagues don’t always look like you, and you have to learn to appreciate what they bring to the table. It is precisely your differences that hold the potential for even better results for yourself and your company.
In the Danish Return System, we occasionally experience difficulties in accepting that other colleagues do not reach the same level as ourselves. Then you have to ask yourself if it is ok. And that is most often the case when we first hear about it from Everything DiSC. It shows us that the reason is rooted in our basic nature – some are quick, but may also make more mistakes, while others are more careful and make fewer mistakes. When we make that point visible in the team, it suddenly becomes easier to accept the differences in work pace.
Finally, I have listed a number of advantages of working with Everything DiSC ifm. diversity:
- Increased self-insight: Employees become better at understanding their own behavior patterns, strengths and weaknesses. This self-insight can increase awareness of how one can contribute to a more inclusive workplace.
- Increased tolerance: By understanding that people have different behavior types and preferences, employees become more tolerant and open to differences.
- Promoting empathy: Everything DiSC work can promote empathy and understanding among employees, which is essential for creating an inclusive working environment.
- Improved Communication: Everything DiSC styles can guide employees in how to best communicate with colleagues who have different behavioral patterns. It reduces misunderstandings and improves cooperation.
- Constructive feedback: With a deeper understanding of different personality types, feedback can be given in a more constructive and respectful way, which promotes a positive and supportive work environment.
- Strengthening team dynamics: By identifying and understanding the different Everything DiSC styles within a team, you can put together teams that complement each other well, increasing efficiency and job satisfaction.
- Better conflict resolution: Understanding different personality types can help identify potential areas of conflict and provide tools to deal with them in a productive way.
- Personal growth: Employees are given the opportunity to develop personally by working with their own strengths and weaknesses, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and engagement.
- Effective inclusion strategies: Everything DiSC can support the company’s diversity and inclusion strategies by creating a common language for understanding and valuing differences.
- Targeted recruitment: By applying Everything DiSC styles in the recruitment process, you can consciously put together teams that benefit from diversity and ensure that all types of personalities are represented.
Dansk Retursystem A/S
Dansk Retursystem A/S is a privately owned, non-profit company that was founded in 2000 by the breweries in collaboration with the grocery trade. The company’s task is to ensure a high return rate of empty, mortgaged packaging by collecting disposable packaging for recycling. It has always been part of Dansk Retursystem’s DNA to have many different employees employed. Out of the company’s well over 400 employees, approx. 10% employed on special terms.