WSOY is a Finnish publishing company with a rich history dating back to 1878. They are known for their wide range of books, including Finnish and international fiction, non-fiction, children’s literature, and young adult novels. WSOY is a part of Bonnier Group. In addition to WSOY, the publishing house includes Tammi, Johnny Kniga, Readme.fi, Kosmos, Bazar, Docendo, Minerva and Crime Time. WSOY values the importance of diverse teams and perspectives in telling authentic stories and actively prioritizes the development of an inclusive work culture. To make further progress, WSOY sought a partnership with Inklusiiv to conduct a comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion survey.
Going beyond awareness
Like many organizations navigating the complexities of D&I, WSOY wanted to move beyond awareness and take concrete action to develop their practices. Following discussions and awareness-raising on diversity, equity and inclusion, WSOY understood that gaining an understanding of their current state of diversity and inclusion would be crucial for making progress. To ensure that such insights would be based on honest and open data, they sought a partner who could help them analyse employee experiences and views in an impartial and anonymous manner, and help translate the findings into meaningful change.
Conducting a Comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Survey
WSOY partnered with Inklusiiv to conduct a Diversity and Inclusion survey, informed by Inklusiiv’s in-depth expertise in DEI and ability to tailor the survey to WSOY’s unique context and challenges. The survey covered a range of aspects related to diversity, as well as employee experiences and perceptions of equity and inclusion. The survey also gathered concrete suggestions from respondents on what could be done to cultivate a more inclusive workplace culture.
Once the survey concluded, Inklusiiv’s team analyzed the results, extracting meaningful patterns and insights. They presented the findings and recommendations to WSOY’s leadership team in a comprehensive debriefing session, facilitating open and honest discussions about the survey’s implications for the organization’s DEI journey. The process concluded with expert recommendations from Inklusiiv on what actions WSOY could prioritise to address some of the themes that arose in the survey and capitalise on the opportunities.
Unveiling Opportunities for Growth and Inclusion
The survey shed light on the high level of commitment and interest in fostering an even more inclusive workplace among WSOY’s employees. The survey results were debriefed with the whole staff, which sparked essential conversations and enabled WSOY to understand some of survey insights in even greater depth and devise targeted strategies to address disparities and promote inclusion in practice.
With over 90 percent of employees feeling empowered to be their authentic selves at work, WSOY discovered a strong sense of inclusion within their organizational culture. These overall positive survey results fortified WSOY’s confidence in their existing strengths regarding diversity and inclusion. Moreover, the findings emphasized the importance of and opportunities for investing in diverse hiring practices and fostering the growth of more diverse teams.
“Collaboration with Inklusiiv was pleasant and easygoing from the get go. Together we were able to find actionable ways to promote DEI themes that suit our unique needs.” – Hanna Tuhkanen, HR Manager, WSOY
Paving the Way for a More Diverse and Inclusive Publishing Industry
Empowered by the insights provided by Inklusiiv, WSOY gained a deeper understanding of their strengths, areas for development, and uncovered untapped opportunities for DEI development. Equipped with this knowledge and a shared understanding of the current state of diversity and inclusion in the organisation, WSOY is now well-positioned to continue deepening their learning, fostering inclusion, and paving the way for a more diverse and equitable publishing industry in Finland. WSOY’s collaboration with Inklusiiv exemplifies the transformative power of intentional and measured efforts towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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