Developing an inclusive culture in fintech

The fintech industry’s culture has changed dramatically over the last few decades, making way for a more fast-paced, digitised future.

When you invite diversity into your organisation, you’re inviting innovation and creativity

What’s also starting to change is who is ushering in the future of fintech: increasingly, women, people who identify as BIPOC and others with underrepresented identities.

Our industry still does not fully reflect the diversity of the world we serve, and more work must be done to create a culture that welcomes everyone’s voice to the table. But change is happening, and as a fintech leader who got her start in what used to be a heavily male-dominated industry, I’m proud to be part of this progress and to share what I’ve learned over the years.

My journey in fintech

When I began my career 25 years ago, I was one of relatively few women in a male-dominated industry, and I think that experience shaped a lot of what I learned about being a leader.

In general, I do my best to make sure I have representation in my organisation – voices from diverse backgrounds, cultures and experiences. But it’s important to remember that it’s not about checking a box; it’s about valuing employees, listening to them and respecting them.

I have always wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself and my job, which is why I jumped at the chance to help create my company’s employee-run diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) council, BRIDGE (which stands for Bringing Resources of Inclusion and Diversity to Garner Equity). This team created a new foundation for our working culture by revamping our benefits and people policy to promote a culture of celebrating our differences and feeling comfortable enough to bring our whole selves to work. In addition to BRIDGE, I was also a part of our first ever women’s forum, which promoted an open dialogue around inclusivity and diversity – discussing challenging topics and taking action to hold our organisation accountable.

It has always been important to me to recognise the progress we’ve made as a culture so we can act on a plan to continue moving that growth forward. The culture in the fintech industry when I started was very much “in-office culture” – you worked in the office around the clock. Everything was go, go, go; you were firing on all cylinders at all times. So, it was harder to juggle work with other priorities, like family and volunteering in the community.

Today, the industry is more “people-centric”. People understand that there’s more at stake than just work – including our mental health and personal commitments. And this new, people-centric culture has embraced the conversation around diversity. When I started my career in the industry, diversity was not a topic we touched on often. If you were at the table, you were lucky to be there; it was heads down, let’s go. Thankfully, it’s evolved a lot for the better.

The benefits of diversity

Digitisation has accelerated this type of people-focused business environment, which has made way for an increased emphasis on diversity. Having a remote culture allows companies to hire those who might not have been physically able to come into the office or who might not live nearby, inviting so much diversity into the talent pool.

Diversity in fintech allows organisations to consider everyone’s perspective because more cultures are included in the conversation and different types of people are at the table. It also drives product innovation forward and allows companies to quickly meet the demands of each market. I truly believe that by having DE&I at the table, the result is a more creative mindset and accelerated innovation.

By fostering a more diverse and inclusive culture, you not only gain a holistic workforce, but you gain so much innovation and creativity. If everyone in the organisation has a similar background, you’ll get similar ideas, a similar business plan and similar outcomes. When you invite diversity into your organisation, you’re inviting innovation and creativity.

Everyone has a unique voice, and it took me a long time to realise how valuable this is. When I began my career, there was a sense of wanting to fit in. But I’ve realised that I do my best work when I’m my authentic self. What you see as your shortcoming might actually be a unique advantage, and for me, that trait is my soft skills. Traditionally, soft skills were undervalued, but we now see the importance of showing empathy, compassion and understanding when you’re engaging with your team, your clients, your partners and your vendors. Establishing trust is imperative to building meaningful relationships. I used to put my soft skills on the back burner, but once I saw how important they were, I recognised the worth of my contribution and fell in line with my true self.

It’s important to me to help people embrace their authenticity. Don’t shy away from who you are. Instead, inspire others by leading with what makes you unique.

Creating a psychologically safe work environment

Of course, to help people be themselves at work, we need to provide a psychologically safe environment where that can happen. Creating a workplace where everyone feels included, respected and celebrated takes commitment, and not just from those in leadership positions but from employees at every level.

To foster that commitment, leaders need to involve everyone in conversations about work-life balance, career development and other important topics. Create the forum for conversation and ask questions about how people can do their most meaningful work. What work brings you joy? What work environment makes you the most productive? These types of questions will create the trust and understanding that employees need to be their true selves. Once you understand how your employees are really feeling, what motivates them and where they may need more support, you can help each person strike the right balance between work and life.

Career development initiatives are also important to hear from employees about what they’re looking for in a career and how they want to develop. The result is that team members feel empowered to interview for leadership roles, and they either get the job or they get really great feedback and support to help them achieve their next role. Lastly, it’s essential to create an environment where feedback from inclusive voices is celebrated and not feared. Every person’s voice matters, and if you value DE&I, you need to value the thoughts and perspectives of everyone at your company.

Meaningful change takes time. We continually evolve and learn how to be better humans. But it starts with listening and respecting each other’s point of view. Take out the guesswork and ask your team to contribute their ideas. Bring out those soft skills, show empathy and understanding. Diversity is about valuing contributions that may differ from yours, not about checking off a box. So, start by giving everyone their turn to speak.