In our one_Diversity Special, six REWE Systems employees talk about what diversity means to them, how important it is in working together and when it takes courage to embrace it.
If you google the word "diversity", you get 407,000 results within 0.32 seconds. But what does diversity actually mean? There are numerous approaches and possible explanations. What they all have in common is that the term comes from Latin and translates as "variety, multiplicity".
For REWE Systems employees Alla Selzer, Andreas Rosemeier, Elvira Weingard, Igor Bongartz, Oguz Cebeci and Ralf-Ansgar Plaga, diversity stands for one thing above all: honestly practised diversity and respect for one another. For Rosemeier, the Cologne proverb "Jeder Jeck ist anders" is exactly that: people are accepted in their uniqueness without prejudice so that they can fulfil their potential in the community.
"For me, diversity is the appreciation and equality of all people regardless of their origin, religion, skin colour, sexuality or other factors. Everyone brings their own experiences and views to the table and that enriches us immensely," says Selzer in conversation.
For Bongartz, phrases such as "We've always done it this way" stand in contrast to diversity: "Perhaps some processes are more routine in such cases, but the potential for development can only be recognised if other opinions and ideas are taken seriously and people don't shy away from change." Creative solutions, different experiences and the willingness to learn from others are also hugely important for a team's productivity. "In this way, the strengths of one person can compensate for the supposed weaknesses of another and vice versa," says Cebeci.
Although each of the six REWE Systems colleagues sees diversity as a great enrichment, it also took courage for one or the other to go their own way.
"I come from Ukraine and had to struggle with prejudice. in 1995, the job centre advised me to choose a simple, traditional female profession, as my language skills were still rather poor. But I proved that a woman from the former USSR can make it in the IT industry."
AllaSelzer
"I switched to part-time work a year and a half ago. Unfortunately, I'm still a big exception. Just as we as a society are striving for higher (full-time) employment for women, part-time work for men should also be recognised and become the norm. This is the only way we can achieve equal rights for both genders in the private sphere."
Andreas Rosemeier
"It took an incredible amount of courage for me to apply as a female software developer. Now I'm in a team that consists of a third women. I realise that it feels different to be able to talk about work with women."
Elvira Weingard
"After completing my studies, I joined REWE Systems and suddenly found myself working with many high-calibre experts. That was very impressive at first, partly because I wasn't familiar with all the processes, requirements and work involved. As a young colleague, I initially familiarised myself with the company. Nevertheless, it was important for me to get involved and to express my professional opinion on topics when appropriate - or even to address things that were unpleasant but seemed very important to me. That took courage at times, but it also showed me that respect and fairness are very important in my team and are practised consistently."
Igor Bongartz
"It always took courage when I had to explain to people how to pronounce my name in job interviews."
Oguz Cebeci
"I'm not a big word acrobat and I don't have any hobbies that have anything to do with language. After 35 years at work, I now have to get used to speaking English more often, because it's now part of the job. That's a big challenge for me and takes a lot of courage."
Ralf-Ansgar Plaga
