Cultural Diversity Employee Resource Group: being your genuine self without fear
Scott Maxson (NIOZ) and Wadjmah Hanifi (SIA Taskforce for Applied Research) on the launch of this new Employee Resource Group (ERG)
Senior laboratory assistant Scott Maxson (NIOZ) and information specialist Wadjmah Hanifi (SIA Taskforce for Applied Research) took on the role of coordinators of a new NWO-wide employee network for Cultural Diversity at the start of 2025. This network, referred to as an Employee Resource Group or ERG, was established by diversity advisers Anneke Bloemen and Judith Kreukels. On Wednesday 21 May, the ERG held its first (online) event. Around 180 colleagues joined a lunchtime talk by guest speaker Madhu Mathoera on the added value of cultural diversity. After the event, the ERG welcomed ten new members. NWO-I asked Wadjmah and Scott about the creation of the ERG and their own experiences with cultural diversity within the organisation.
Why did you decide to coordinate this ERG?
Scott: “We want everyone at NWO to be able to be themselves – regardless of role, background or culture. Not just in theory, but also in practice. As an ERG, we also aim to foster connection and a sense of community.” Wadjmah adds: “The ERG Cultural Diversity aims to provide a safe space for employees who, because of their cultural background, may sometimes be treated differently – even if it’s ‘just a joke’. They should have someone they can talk to about that.”
What kind of things are you working on?
Wadjmah: “Our ERG Cultural Diversity aims to create a safe and conscious working environment that encourages diversity. Anyone who supports that mission is welcome to join.” Scott emphasises the importance of celebrating and protecting cultural differences. He also values the ERG Cultural Diversity’s sense of community: “We hope that colleagues from different cultural backgrounds can learn from one another what works well at our institutes and what could be improved. And that they won’t keep quiet about discomfort out of fear of for a power imbalance. We also want to raise awareness of that fear among managers, in the hope that they will help to remove it. That’s how you create a truly safe workplace for everyone.”
Caution
Scott and Wadjmah have personally experienced themselves that such safety is not always a given. “A Chinese colleague was asked by another colleague during lunch whether people in China eat dogs. He found the remark hurtful. But he didn’t bring it up with a manager,” says Scott. Wadjmah relates to the employee’s cautiousness. “I was warmly welcomed at SIA. Still, someone joked that I had only come to the Netherlands to get a passport. Another person told me they couldn’t understand me because of my background. Advised not to do so by colleagues, I didn’t report either incident to my manager. After all, they were ‘just jokes’.”
What role can the ERG Cultural Diversity play in this?
Wadjmah believes that the fear of reporting such incidents doesn’t have to be permanent. “Supervisors and works councils need to pay more attention to this. At the time, there was no ERG for me to turn to. Now, fortunately, there is.” Scott adds: “Colleagues don’t always feel comfortable to raise such incidents with their manager because of a perceived power imbalance. They fear negative consequences. That’s why we want to be an accessible point of contact. As ERG coordinators, we’re not held back by power imbalances and can therefore initiate the conversation with managers.”
Diversity, inclusion and equity are important themes within NWO-I. What are your thoughts on this?
Scott: “People from a wide variety of countries and backgrounds do important work at NIOZ. Unfortunately, that representation has not yet translated into a broad conversation about diversity, inclusion and equity. Our managers are committed to cultural diversity – some even read books on the topic in their spare time. They therefore believe they’re creating the right conditions for cultural diversity to flourish at work. But there’s often a gap in perception: a manager might believe everyone feels free to be themselves, whereas in my experience, many do not share that feeling. That’s why further action is needed.” Wadjmah nods in agreement and adds: “That’s exactly why this ERG Cultural Diversity is so important. That NWO/NWO-I supports it feels like valuable institutional recognition of our mission.”
How do you welcome a new colleague from an unfamiliar cultural background?
Wadjmah: “First and foremost, start an open conversation. And by acknowledging that I don’t know anything about it yet, but that I’m genuinely curious. Friendly, sincere communication builds trust and, hopefully, a safe work environment.” For Scott, a curious attitude and kindness are equally important. “And by not making assumptions, you ultimately strengthen mutual collaboration. Open questions lead to clear answers.”
About Scott and Wadjmah
NIOZ researcher Scott grew up in the United States, now lives with his family in Den Helder, and enjoys writing socially engaged prose. Wadjmah came to the Netherlands nearly thirty years ago as a refugee from Afghanistan. She trained as a nurse and loves travelling and poetry – especially the poems of Persian philosopher and poet Rumi. Before joining SIA Taskforce, she ran a care businesshealthcare company with a diverse staff.
Sign up
Would you like to meet other colleagues who identify as culturally diverse? Join the ERG Cultural Diversity. This employee network was initiated by Judith Kreukels and Anneke Bloemen – diversity, inclusion and equity advisers at NWO-I. There are three other employee networks within NWO. You can find more information about the ERGs and an overview of the networks on the NWO-I website.
Text: Martijn Maatkamp
Newsletter Inside NWO-I, May 2025
You can find the archive of the newsletter Inside NWO-I on the NWO-I website.