SYTY – Deep Diversity at Work

The SYTY – Deep Diversity at Work project aims to strengthen diversity thinking by making visible the deep diversity that exists within workplaces. Deep diversity is reflected, for example, in different ways of thinking, solving problems, and perceiving the world. We view this less visible dimension of diversity as a valuable asset that enhances employee well-being, collaboration, innovation, productivity, and organizations’ ability to renew themselves in a changing environment. As a national development project, SYTY seeks to make the invisible diversity of working life visible.

Today’s workplace challenges require a variety of perspectives, skills, and ways of thinking. When organizations recognize and make use of their employees’ diverse strengths and create a culture in which everyone can participate and be heard, deep diversity can become a key driver of both workplace well-being and business competitiveness. The project develops practical approaches that help organizations better identify, utilize, and lead deep-level diversity. At the same time, we explore how digital tools and artificial intelligence can support diversity management and the development of inclusive workplaces.

The lead organization and coordinator of the project is Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk). The project is jointly implemented by TIEKE Finnish Information Society Development Centre and the Association of Finnish eLearning Centre.

The goal of the SYTY project is to make deep diversity visible in organizational everyday life through concrete practices, improved collaboration, and stronger workplace well-being. We aim to:

The SYTY project provides micro and SME companies with practical tools for diversity management, identifying employee strengths, and developing workplace communities. The target group also includes other organizations, such as those in the public and third sectors, as well as educational institutions. For leaders, managers, and HR professionals, the project offers new perspectives on diversity management and practical ways to harness deep diversity in organizational development.

At the heart of the project are development processes carried out in collaboration with organizations, where deep diversity is explored as part of leadership, collaboration, and organizational culture.

The project is seeking 15 pilot organizations from different sectors to participate in a longer-term development process. During the process, the current state of deep diversity and organizational culture will be assessed, and practices tailored to each organization’s specific needs will be developed. Based on the experiences of the pilot organizations, a Diversity Kick-off Model will be created, and the project’s observations and results will be analyzed. The developed models will be made available to a wider range of organizations through open online training programs and digital learning materials.

The SYTY project also focuses on building practical competencies related to the use of digital tools. We organize online training sessions on topics such as the opportunities of artificial intelligence in diversity work and the use of digital tools to strengthen participation and inclusion.

As one of the project’s outcomes, a comprehensive set of materials and tools will be developed to support organizations in advancing deep diversity even after the project has ended.

Digitalization and artificial intelligence create new opportunities for identifying, utilizing, and managing diversity, but they may also reinforce existing biases. How should different ways of thinking, strengths, and individual needs be taken into account in digital work environments and in the use of AI?

Within the SYTY project, TIEKE acts as the expert organization on digitalization and artificial intelligence. TIEKE is also responsible for the project’s communications and nationwide dissemination activities. Our work includes organizing national thematic webinars, participating in organizational development processes from the perspectives of digitalization and AI, and supporting the adoption of digital tools in workplaces while taking deep diversity into account.

In the final phase of the project, we will organize a nationwide Road Show tour to promote the widespread adoption of the practices and models developed during the project across Finnish organizations.