How to Create an Inclusive Global Workforce: ETG’s Multicultural Workplace in Action

Contents

Patterns that show how multicultural work environments drive growth

Why is having a multicultural workplace invaluable?

• Innovation and creativity
• Better market understanding and expansion
• Talent attraction, retention, and lower turnover costs
• Decision‑making quality
• Better financial performance
• Resilience in volatile environments

Multicultural environments: Elements and how they work at ETG

• Inclusion by design
• Effective cross-cultural communication
• Building community through challenges
• Learning from setbacks and celebrating wins
• Innovation and exchange

Patterns that show how multicultural work environments drive growth

Multicultural inclusion was never a mere checkbox that companies should tick off and patiently wait for the benefits to appear. It is central to progress and only works with careful consideration and meaningful practices.

Companies that approach it as an ongoing effort rather than filling quotas find the reward in resilient teams that create a solid foundation for innovation and profit growth. This works for companies around the world, big and small.

According to Microsoft’s 2024 Global Diversity & Inclusion Report, racial and ethnic minority groups now make up 53.9% of its workforce, with steady growth in leadership roles among Black (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.6%) executives. Cisco keeps employees around by cultivating diverse workplaces where people cheer each other on, pick up leadership skills, build connections, and figure out how to support colleagues from different cultural backgrounds.

Salesforce’s 2024 report shows real progress in building an inclusive culture, with leadership programs across India, Latin America, the U.S., and EMEA, helping underrepresented employees grow their careers and feel 9% more confident about their development. Nearly 60% of the workforce now belongs to one or more of the company’s 13 Equality Groups

Marriott International goes beyond the usual diversity programs. They offer jobs to refugees, help women step into leadership roles, and nurture supplier networks that welcome a variety of voices.

Unilever takes inclusion seriously at every level. From how they design products to how they run operations worldwide, they actively seek different perspectives and use them to guide choices.

These are not isolated programs but patterns. When companies design policies around belonging and track progress, they see real returns in talent attraction, engagement, innovation, and reputation.

Hey, this is us saying hi from Nigeria…

… and from the Philippines!

In a nutshell, why is having a multicultural workplace invaluable?

Every company and its teams can enjoy numerous perks from having an inclusive work environment, starting with:

1. Innovation and creativity

Nothing brings groundbreaking ideas to the table like combining diverse backgrounds and perspectives. You can only tap into concepts no one thought of before if you gather people from different walks of life and with unique stories.

Naturally, this innovativeness translates into better adaptation to sudden changes and unconventional problem-solving. Multiple studies support this.

According to the Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace and Corporate Innovation article, firms with higher D&I ratings are drastically more innovative. Meanwhile, the Niagara Institute reports that companies with diverse management make 19% more from innovation, with nearly half of their revenue coming from new ideas. 

Moreover, Josh Bersin found that multicultural companies are 1.8 times more likely to be change-ready and 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders in their industries.

2. Better market understanding and expansion

It takes a diverse group of people to genuinely grasp unorthodox viewpoints and experiences that are often found within a customer base. A company with teams that all have a similar educational background and demographic characteristics will likely yield similar perspectives and approaches.

Expansion to new markets typically requires a heterogeneous mix that can understand cultural preferences, regulatory environments, language barriers, and social norms and traditions. Harvard Business Review’s 2013 study found that employees at diverse companies were almost half again as likely to report market share growth and 70% more likely to say their company broke into a new market.

3. Talent attraction, retention, and lower turnover costs

Top talents know they’re one of the most sought-after assets in the world of work. But how likely are they to aspire to work in environments where all they see is sameness? Sameness of educational levels, belief systems, ideology, demographics, capabilities?

Everyone deserves to belong and feel like they fit in, which is more likely in workplaces that celebrate diversity and inclusion. Companies should encourage their employees to bring their authentic identities to work and feel safe being themselves.

Winning is so delightful! On the left, Julita (Regional Director Northwestern Europe) and Davide (Regional Director Southern Europe) just got Europe’s Best B2B Travel Provider prize from World Travel Tech Awards 2025 with our RateHawk brand. On the right, Alena (Executive Director Customer Operations) and Vadim (Head of CX) are grabbing six awards at the CX and AI World Series Awards

According to a 2022 research paper, job seekers are drawn to employers who support and foster diversity, even if it means a lower salary. This is particularly important to the youngest generation of employees, Gen Z, as 89% prioritize inclusive companies.

And since multicultural workplaces improve employee morale, engagement, and productivity, they’re also synonymous with lower attrition rates. Not only does that translate to fewer resources spent on recruiting and training, but also to more consistently stable efficiency.

Flamingo mood is declared by the Serbian team!

4. Decision‑making quality

Consensus typically prevails over critical reasoning in groupthink. This is rarely a positive, as a lack of diverse perspectives puts the brakes on decision-making, stifles alternative ideas, and rushes agreements.

Yet, non-optimal decisions are kryptonite for successful companies. On the other hand, heterogeneous teams are more likely to approach a problem from different angles and find well-thought-out solutions.

For instance, Second Talent reports that ethnically diverse teams show 35% better decision-making, while cognitive diversity improves strategic thinking by 42%. Age is also a factor, as teams made up of different generations make a 23% better risk assessment. 

5. Better financial performance

It’s not a secret that profit is among the most prized achievements in the corporate world. And diversity and high revenue have long been in correlation. McKinsey consistently reports that the most diverse companies are more likely to outperform less diverse peers on profitability. 

For example, Sodexo found that teams with a near 50/50 gender split kept more staff and clients, had fewer accidents, and ran at higher margins, showing that balance pays off. Meanwhile, Heineken’s push for more women in senior roles went hand in hand with a 5.6% revenue jump in 2023, even in a tough global market. Research also shows that diverse teams generate more cash flow per employee and are significantly more productive.

6. Resilience in volatile environments

Multicultural teams bounce back faster when change hits. Different experiences and perspectives allow them to spot risks, adapt, and find solutions that uniform teams might miss.

Bank al Etihad in Jordan boosted women’s financial participation and leadership. In Brazil, Iberdrola trained women electricians, raising female hires from 1.7% in 2019 to 36% in 2024. Schneider Electric created 5,155 women-led green ventures in West Africa.

These companies prove that inclusion isn’t just fair but that it makes organizations stronger and more adaptable. In fact, ETG’s own stats show the inclusion’s impact. As of February 2024, women make up 63% of the company, with 59% in the leadership roles. 

How Multicultural Environments Work at ETG

ETG’s strength lies in its people. We gather nearly 4,000 employees across more than 80 countries, so diversity is not just a value on paper for us.

Our teams are a powerful blend of different nationalities, ethnicities, languages, genders, ages, religions, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and career paths. Yes, this means most of our meetings feel like a mini UN.

ETG is home to athletes, travelers, activists, sommeliers, and brainteaser lovers. We respect (and love) differences, treat them as our strength, and know that only by accepting each other can we truly grow and achieve success together. 

Getting some fresh air is extremely important…

…as well as participating in a hand-made workshop!

Inclusion by design

Inclusion and diversity are an inseparable pair, and don’t work without each other. That’s why ETG invests in:

• Anti-discrimination policies
• Equitable hiring and promotion
• Accessible workplaces
• Inclusive benefits
• Flexible religious and holiday observances

Since flexibility is key, employees can see global holidays reflected in Slack statuses on our company intranet. Thanks to this, colleagues always know when someone is offline for a local bank or national holiday. And, of course, we don’t forget the fun.

Every month, we host Party Fridays that spotlight a different culture. Our most recent was a Caribbean-themed day, complete with colorful decorations, vibrant music, and traditional food and drinks. We made the island vibe happen without anyone needing sunscreen. It’s a small but meaningful way to learn and celebrate one another.

This is Caribbean Party Friday, and nice retro photos from our creative colleague. What a stylish memory to have!

Some Fridays have taken us to a Magical Eastern Night filled with traditional food, fortune-telling, and temporary tattoos, while others have turned into a lively Latin American Fiesta where hot sauce met good music and even better cocktails.

Inclusion also means accessibility and space to connect. Our hubs in Lisbon and Dubai are open to employees traveling from other countries, while remote work remains an option for those who prefer flexibility. Beyond these two, we also have smaller offices worldwide, giving our teams even more opportunities to connect in person without losing the freedom of working from anywhere. We use a simple seat booking system to make that easier. All the office details are kept and organized in our Confluence space, so dropping by any hub feels stress-free. 

The laugh and smile level is 100/10 here!

Effective cross-cultural communication

What’s one thing a global company needs to run smoothly? The right answer? Clear communication, of course.

We rely on English as our main working language, so everyone can not only communicate with anyone they need, but also stay updated through our open Slack channels, which feature diverse reports and project updates. Additionally, we set quarterly Top Company Objectives accessible via the Intranet, and compile the latest news in the ETG Digest, which is published in Slack. To ensure everyone is informed about our main business priorities, we hold regular business meetings, such as All-Hands, which are also conducted in English. The goal of this event is to dive into quarterly results, wins and losses, and industry updates, while also providing an opportunity to connect with people. That’s why we have a questionnaire form where anybody can leave a question, and it will be answered live during the All-Hands meeting. 

As English is our top language for communication, we also support employees in learning and practicing it. We offer corporate English courses and host “Small Talks,” where teams, and sometimes even executives, chat about cultural topics, share stories, and practice their language skills in a relaxed way.

Boohoo! This is Halloween “Small Talk” happening, featuring spooky conversations and special delights.

Our corporate English school is also turning into something bigger, a kind of language and culture lab. It’s not just about learning English anymore, but about finding better ways to communicate, share opinions, make agreements, and present ideas. Through workshops and lunch-and-learn sessions, we also help teams develop the kind of multicultural communication skills that make everyday collaboration feel a lot easier.

These talks often double as cultural exchanges. In one recent session, a colleague from South Africa shared insights about her country. We enjoyed hearing all the details, from its three capitals and national cuisine to her own hobbies, like surfing and, yes, actually watching penguins.

Afterwards, participants broke into groups to discuss what they’d like to see if they visited South Africa, while also sharing stories from their own cultures. Moments like these deepen understanding and remind us how much we can learn from one another.

Building community through challenges

Everyone loves reaching tricky goals, and we found that this spirit crosses borders and unites people. Our first global Sport Challenge in 2024 invited employees to walk or run, track their distances, and pool them as teams.

From casual strolls to running during a meeting on the move, every step counted. More than 260 employees joined across 38 teams, covering nearly 13,650 kilometers together, which, fun fact, is roughly the distance from Dubai to Los Angeles.

ETG’s Sport Challenge aims to increase activity levels and foster a sense of community. Mission is completed!

We held the challenge again in May 2025, and this time we covered around 46,180 kilometers (so, we increased the previous result more than 3 times!). By the way, we also added a cycling team so they could compete separately, and the winner covered almost 1,000 kilometers during the two weeks of the challenge. We plan to continue building on the energy and camaraderie it sparked!

Learning from setbacks and celebrating wins

At ETG, growth is as much about failures as it is about successes. That’s why we launched “Fuck Up Nights,” online sessions where leaders, heads of departments, and even executives share stories of their early mistakes, the lessons they learned, and how those experiences shaped their careers. 

It’s reassuring to see that even the people whose mistakes once caused a laugh (or two) are now the ones inspiring us. Moreover, it’s the real-life proof that, sometimes, failing is the first step towards creating an impetus for constant growth.

“Fuck Up Nights” hosted our Execs and Heads board members, as failures are a vital part of any path, so why not share some thoughtful cases

Recognition matters, too. Our “Legend of the Year” contest highlights outstanding contributions across categories like Challenger, Innovator, Simplifier, and Energizer. Winners receive travel points and ETG merchandise, but more importantly, their stories inspire others.

And then there are the celebrations that bring us all together, from New Year’s and company anniversaries to regional mini-parties organized wherever enough ETGers gather.

This year’s 15th birthday will stay in our collective memory thanks to unforgettable events in hubs like Lisbon, along with smaller celebrations around the world that came together as one shared moment of pride and joy. 

We also took the party online, bringing together teams from across the globe to create video content on different topics, vote for their favorites, and watch the winners’ presentations. It turned into a lively, creative celebration that showed how connected we can be, no matter where we are.

This year’s 15th birthday will stay in our collective memory thanks to unforgettable events in hubs like Lisbon. By the way, what a great view!

Motivational speech from our CEO, Felix Shpilman, is always a highlight!

Innovation and exchange

Ideas can come from anywhere, and ETG makes sure everyone has a stage to share them. Our Hackathon tradition has been running since 2015, and over 200 people have participated, with more than 60 projects implemented to date. Each year comes with a new theme. In 2025, it’s The Future of Travel. As AI and automation continue to revamp experiences across the globe, we invite employees to imagine what comes next. 

But the real beauty of ETG’s Hackathon is that while themes nudge inspiration, creativity isn’t boxed in. Projects just need to be connected to our business or the travel industry. In 2025 alone, 14 teams with 64 participants worked on 16 projects, most of them from commercial roles, thus proving you don’t have to be a techie to come up with something brilliant.

One example that went from MVP to reality is the personal dashboard every employee now has on their homepage. It started as a Hackathon project, won the Audience Choice award, and has since become a tool that makes (often) hectic workflows work a little smoother and easier to manage. Default widgets like Today’s Meetings, Quick Links, and even a “Dogs & Cats” section set the tone, but full customisation means everyone can build a dashboard that works for them. 

And that’s not the only success story. POLY, our AI assistant for localization, now tackles translations and quality checks so smoothly that it has practically put our outsourcing budget on a diet. Then there’s Spotlight (Logify), which lets PMs and analysts see real feature usage right on product pages. Yes, this means no extra dashboards and no fuss. Just the data you need, exactly where you need it.

Our Hackathons are soooo interesting that even pets can’t take their eyes off the screens!

Beyond the projects themselves, Hackathons are a chance to break silos and spark collaboration across regions and departments. We also hold roundtables and strategic sessions on cultural differences to make cross-cultural understanding more profound and lasting.

One of our recent cross-cultural communication roundtables centered around raising awareness of diversity and how it transforms the way we work together. The sessions explored how different cultures approach time management, feedback, and respect, while also encouraging participants to reflect on their own biases and perceptions. Guest speakers from Poland, Brazil, Italy, and Greece shared first-hand experiences of working across cultures, making the discussion as lively as it was insightful.

To keep things even more engaging, we held a lucky draw for employees who shared their own tips on improving cross-cultural communication at work. Four lucky winners walked away with bookstore vouchers (because good ideas deserve good reads). And to set the stage, employees were invited to read Erin Meyer’s “The Culture Map.” It’s basically a culture sheet for decoding cultural quirks (and a fun one at that), so if you haven’t already, we recommend checking it out!

These events bring theory, like Hofstede’s cultural dimensions or the iceberg model, into practice with real stories from HR and team experiences. Employees walk away with empathy and strategies they can apply in daily work, as well as with practical frameworks.

A diverse workplace follows a simple philosophy. Everything starts and ends with understanding. ETG is no exception. We know that genuinely listening to each other, regardless of our differences, always comes first. To make this happen, you must first establish a primary language for communication and ensure everyone can speak it at an adequate level.

Add inclusive policies and diverse team activities (and keep adding more), and you’ll see why DEI principles are so valued. Speak a shared language, listen with empathy, and enjoy the cultural quirks along the way.

In our multicultural work environment, curiosity, small thoughtful gestures, and genuine connections turn differences into strength and make every day at work more rewarding. 

We’re still growing and looking for awesome, passionate people who share our values and think outside the box. If this sounds like you and you want to join our team to make travel simpler, more rewarding, and accessible for all, check out our open positions. We’d love to make some history together!

Explore career opportunities at ETG