TELIA INMICS-NEBULA
50 %/ 50 %
gender balance in top management is Telia Company ’ s aim by 2025
in terms of inclusion and diversity
She says , “ In the new normal of working , innovation , social connections and communication can be viewed as a challenge , but I see that there is constant development in technology to help with these issues ( for example Microsoft break out rooms ) and changes in ways of working .”
Technology , Kantele points out , has been massively instrumental in paving the way for remote and virtual working experiences . “ Many of the things that we might have thought were not possible to do in a virtual setting , went surprisingly well this past year ,” she says .
“ For example , the collaborative workshops and onboarding of employees ( the kinds of things you usually do face-to-face ) were handled very successfully virtually .”
The day-to-day connections have been a tougher challenge , as innovation and creativity are often the result of dynamic working relationships in a socially connected setting . Though Kantele points out that these issues are far from insurmountable .
“ Of course , there are complications when you think about the social connections , innovations and collaborations . You really need to work harder to support them ,” she says .
“ We adopted a practical hands-on approach by starting wellbeing breaks for employees . These are essentially 15 minute breaks so staff can get their exercise in the afternoons , and also teams can have social coffee breaks . These small changes enable the social connections with others to be maintained . Encouraging a sense of belonging and connection is very important - but I also think technological developments are continually addressing these issues .”
92 May 2021