I’m Fanny from France, living in the UK with my German boyfriend
Travel for studies and job opportunities have been a big part of my life so far. I did an internship in China, went to Finland to study, moved to Australia and landed in the UK where I finally settled. I’ve been here for 6 years and counting! I don’t feel very English, but at the same time I’m quite disconnected from France as I don’t spend much time there anymore. I guess all these countries have influenced me in different ways. Many of the impressions I got are straight up clichés, like how Aussies are more laid back than French for instance, that China is a collectivist country and Finnish have a close relationship with nature. I know you shouldn’t stereotype, but at the same time it’s important to understand that people are different. In the workplace this translates into how people react to ads, how brand values are perceived, how partners act in negotiations etc. Very important aspects when it comes to international businesses. Do as the Romans do!

That small business feeling

I started working for Readly in 2020 and I thought I had joined this big international company with subscribers and employees across the world. And Readly is indeed all that. But what I quickly also realised was that our company felt much smaller in size since our company culture is very inclusive. It is very easy to talk to people, ideas can come from anywhere, everyone is very approachable and there is little hierarchy. There’s a great sense of community and a small business feeling, despite our high growth rate.

I think diversity in workplaces is all about being receptive. Understanding that we all have our own opinions, that compromising is a good thing and finding a good balance is a success factor. My experience, from the countries I lived in, has taught me to not take things personally in my profession. There is no right way, just different ways of working. There are different skill sets around the table, and making use of all of these is how companies get the most out of the team.

Celebrate diversity as something that defines us

I’d love to meet more Readly colleagues in real life and learn more about who we are. Social distancing and our post-pandemic virtual work model has not contributed to our sense of a common culture. It’s difficult to celebrate our diversity when we are apart. But now that we are returning to the office gradually I see us having more fun together again - something that should continue to define us.