DIVE2 IN TWENTE
The journey to navigating diversity in workspaces.
(Credit: Dive in Twente)
Diversity and Inclusion in the region
In recent years, corporate initiatives on diversity and inclusion (D&I) have been advocating for a diverse company staff where employees with different backgrounds can feel included and respected within the organisation. Implementation of these initiatives can benefi t the company’s working culture, contribute to the well-being of employees, and widen the talent pool for future hires.
As discovered in ‘Dive in Twente’, companies in the region have multiple areas of opportunity when it comes to create a diverse team and an inclusive work environment. Companies can start by addressing diversity aspects such as gender, age, and nationalities; the starting focus areas of Dive in Twente. To support this process, the student team developed a board game and guiding materials to support D&I discussions within a company.
*Learn more about the fi rst part of the project Dive in Twente in InnovatieNU Number 7.
D&I journey in a game
DIVE is a collaborative serious game that opens the space for players to share their experiences on different aspects of D&I such as the recruitment process, policies, management, and career growth. Serious games allow players to practice skills and acquire knowledge on specifi c topics beyond enjoying a leisure activity. Players go on a journey to discover their company’s D&I level by discussing multiple research-based questions.
Guided by the moderator players get to vote yes or no on each question, based on whether the topic is addressed or not by their company. By the end of the game, the players will discover where the company is situated between the fi ve diff erent D&I stages: awareness, considering implementation, approach & implementation, retention, and advocacy. The game developed by the student team is the fi rst of its kind focusing on D&I within a corporate environment.
Collaborating partners
During the follow-up research, DIVE2 has focused on validating the materials created by testing them with employees from the software and manufacturing industry. This collaboration is supported by three regional companies with ongoing eff orts on D&I, their experiences will contribute to improve the board game and other materials. The companies involved are Demcon, Grolsch, and Movella; all renowned companies in the Twente region interested in furthering their efforts on diversity and inclusion.
The research process
DIVE2 embarked on a three-phase process of validating the board game design with the input from all three companies. First, for each company a game session was organised with employees from different departments and seniority levels followed by a short survey. Second, the student team conducted one-on-one interviews with employees who played the game to further investigate their experience during the session and the features of the game. Third, a second survey with previous players took place to allow the student team to complete the final deliverables.
Game session with partner company. (Credit: Dive in Twente)
Conclusion and future steps
The student team completed the project by delivering the new version of the materials to each company. The resulting serious game considers the importance of promoting interpersonal communication elements such as trust, self-awareness, empathy building, among others, throughout the gameplay. Moreover, each company received custom recommendations for the future steps of their D&I approach. After collecting the input from more than 50 employees, the partnering companies now have a tool for their HR and D&I teams to continue their diversity journey.
By playing the DIVE game, companies have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on 25 aspects relevant to diversity and inclusion within their organisation. Future gameplays will take place in collaboration with Expat Center East Netherlands as part of the ‘Happy in Twente’ project. This collaboration will allow new partnering companies to start the discussion on D&I and prepare them as they take the next steps.
