Experience, Humans
We’re one, we belong – Affinity & Diversity groups at trivago
What does Authenticity mean to you? Here at trivago, it’s one of our core values. It means we remain true to ourselves. We don’t adapt to fit in with trivago — rather we shape trivago by who we are and what we believe in. We’re proud of our cultural diversity and we want everyone to feel welcome and included at trivago.
One part of being an inclusive organization is creating a sense of belonging, meaning to have an affinity or connection with a place or situation. Feeling that we belong not only means we can be our authentic selves in a safe environment, but it also empowers us to perform and develop to the best we can be.
That’s where our Affinity & Diversity groups come in. They provide our talents with a space to connect, share experiences, exchange ideas, support each other and organize events or meet-ups. Some are based on shared characteristics and life experiences, like our Parents@trivago and Mums-To-Be group. Others are about personal identity, such as our LGBTQ@trivago. Some are faith-based, such as the Christian Connection or even role-related, like our Women In Tech community. These groups are voluntary and grassroots, meaning they are formed and driven by the talents themselves.
Let’s hear from some of our talents about why they feel it’s important to be part of an Affinity & Diversity group.
Here’s what Rafael from our LGBTQ@trivago group has to say:
“Many people that are LGBT+ prefer to keep it to themselves at work. Where our sexuality is certainly only our business, our identity is public, and to make it public should never be a source of fear. As LGBT+, every time you start a new job, you often first evaluate whether it is safe to make yourself visible. Then, you tend to seek other people with whom you can feel safe. Being part of an LGBT+ group in your place of work is more than an affinity, it is a survival instinct. Even though trivago offers a safe working environment, our group (Slack channel #lgbtq-trivago) is the place where we share relevant content for us, organize participation in events such as Cologne Pride, celebrate legal victories all over the world and offer a space free of judgement. It’s important for us to find, as well as provide, this shelter.”
Tobias values being part of our community of Parents@trivago. Here’s why:
“I love that trivago enables me to balance family life and work life. The trust that trivago displays encourages me to do my best for both these important areas. My wife & kids enjoy the family-friendly activities that trivago offers for public holidays and during trivago core events. And my daughter loves coming for a visit at the trivago Campus so we often hang out here in the early evening. For important information regarding family at trivago, I also make good use of the Slack channel for trivago parents #trv-parents to learn about upcoming event details, plans for holiday periods and great ideas for family-friendly trips around Düsseldorf.”
We also asked Tim what it means to him to be part of our Christian Connection group:
“The Christian Connection group is a place where Christians of all denominations and backgrounds can meet; both to socialize and also to grow as people and as Christians. We occasionally get together for lunch and for bible study. Our aim is to be there for one another and to experience God’s love through community. And we are thrilled to be part of the diversity and community at trivago. We’re not exclusive; anyone and everyone is encouraged to attend one of our meetups or the join the channel #x-trv-christians”
Plus, you might have already heard about our flourishing Women in Tech community – it’s a network of women across trivago who work in tech and data science. They are helping us break the mould in a typically male-dominated industry. Read more about what some of our female engineers and data scientists have to say about their experiences here.
We believe that diversity is good for business but that it’s a personal journey, one where each individual needs to feel supported and listened to and for some the Diversity & Affinity groups is the first step in embracing our uniqueness at work. One of the Talents & Culture team’s priorities this year is about investing in the advantages of diverse teams. It’s crucial that all our talents feel safe, comfortable and confident in being the most complete and authentic version of themselves. Our Affinity & Diversity groups help keep us aligned with our organizational purpose:
Empower people to get more out of life.
Thanks to Beatrix Brewer from our Culture team for this article!
