#7 Embracing Vielfalt - Navigating DEI and working in intercultural teams in Germany

Show notes

When you come to Germany to work, you may find yourself in an international team but it's also very possible that you will find yourself in a room full of Germans. In this episode, we talk about the challenges and opportunities that come with working in diverse, intercultural teams at the German workplace. We will cover questions such as: How diverse is the German labor force? How do you deal with cultural differences in the workplace? And how is your right to a non-discriminatory workplace enshrined in German law?

Our guests in this episode are: Olla Jongerius is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trainer based in Berlin. She was born in Moscow, raised in New Zealand and educated in Spain and Germany - so she knows quite well what being an international and working in intercultural teams means. Her own experiences influenced her founding the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Consultancy “BeamReach Inclusion”.

DAAD-Alumnus Bunye Ngene grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. Following a bachelor's degree in German studies at the University of Ibadan, he moved to Germany for a master's degree in German as a foreign language at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Today, he is an author of multiple books and also a German as a foreign language teacher.

FURTHER INFORMATION & LINKS The corporate initiative Charta der Vielfalt promotes the recognition, appreciation and integration of diversity in business culture in Germany.

What is discrimination? Find out about the legal protection against discrimination, the areas of life in which it applies and who it protects in Germany.

The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency provides you with confidential counseling free of charge.

Olla Jongerius recommended the book “The Culture Map. Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business” by Erin Meyer.

Find Olla’s Website here.

You can find more information about Bunye Ngene and his books on his website.

Alumniportal Deutschland - “Bunye Ngene and his pathway to German language and culture”: Article about DAAD-Alumnus Bunye Ngene

McKinsey Study - “Diversity wins” (2020)