On the 8th of March, GameHouse joins the world in celebrating International Women’s Day as we recognize and appreciate the achievements of women in the past and the present. Together, we #BreakTheBias! In light of our celebration of women, we asked Auke Peters – Learning & Development Manager at GameHouse – a few questions about her beliefs and thoughts on diversity, equality, and inclusion.
But first…
Female empowerment is a core aspect of GameHouse’s products. Female protagonists feature in all our games. We’re doing our best to expand the diversity of characters in our stories: to be representative of an inclusive modern world where individual ambitions and choices are championed. At GameHouse, we believe in empowering women to believe in themselves and to embrace diversity of thought, all while trusting their own capabilities. Both in our company, as well as in our games.
Why is it important that we celebrate International Women’s Day?
“Around the world, there is a lot of inequality between women and men still. We are shaped by our history, in which there has always been a predominant emphasis on men. History was written from the perspective of men, about men. And to this day that shapes parts of our everyday life. Even in The Netherlands, where for a long time I believed this inequality didn’t exist, I’ve come to realize it’s still there. I believe International Women’s Day is a good opportunity to encourage and initiate change. To emphasize the power of women and the impact that they have now and that they had in the past.”
What does the idea of power or empowerment mean to you?
“I think someone is truly empowered when they can be themselves. In my eyes, empowerment means being you and knowing that that is how you are at your most powerful. When applying this to myself, I can say I feel empowered because I am confident about being myself. I believe that when things go right, it is because of me being myself and completely trusting myself for it. Both in my private life and in my work, I try to always be kind and caring, which are considered more feminine traits. I’ve been called “naïve”, “too kind” or “not strong enough” due to these traits. However, being kind and caring is something that comes naturally to me and it allows me to excel in what I do. More than anything, it has brought me a lot of good. I believe I am good at what I do – and can make a lasting impact – because I am myself and use the traits that are inherent to me as a person. For me, that is the core of empowerment
“I think someone is truly empowered when they can be themselves. In my eyes, empowerment means being you and knowing that that is how you are at your most powerful.”
How can we #BreakTheBias in your eyes?
“I think it starts at breaking through certain fixed patterns. For example, it is scientifically proven that we tend to hire and promote those alike. If your workforce and leadership are mostly made up of white men who are very direct and incredibly result-driven, you will likely attract more of the same. This is one powerful pattern to break through. We need to realize that excellence and leadership come in many forms and shapes. By welcoming more of what makes us different and using each other’s ‘super powers’ we can help #BreakTheBias.
The power of diversity
Do you want to know how we empower our talent to bring their true self to work and to connect with others through similarities and differences?
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
“The answer to this question is twofold. I do believe that you can be or do anything that you want. It will make a difference if you truly believe in something and put your whole heart into achieving your goals. However, I think that doing what comes naturally to you is equally important. For me, the ultimate sweet spot is the following: chase your dreams while simultaneously staying close to yourself in a way that whatever you do is an extension of your own personality and beliefs. That is when you become truly unstoppable! In short: don’t waste your time on something you cannot or do not want to be. I can try to be a very directive, formal and result-focused leader to fit a stereotype, but that just isn’t who I am. Instead, it makes more sense for me to invest in promoting a different leadership style – more kind, caring or feminine if you will – but just as good.”
“Chase your dreams while simultaneously staying close to yourself in a way that whatever you do is an extension of your own personality and beliefs. That is when you become truly unstoppable!”
Why do you think diversity in the workplace is so important?
“Diversity brings together different perspectives that help make the outcome of everyone’s work better. A diverse workplace offers a lot of learning opportunities: you are going to be challenged by people that think differently, which is a good thing. People tend to think they do the right thing and hold the right beliefs because they might be surrounded by like-minded people. However, a diverse working environment is a fruitful place for exposing yourself to different beliefs, thoughts, and ideas. As a result, everything that you do will be better as it will be both challenged and complimented from more perspectives.”
Together, we #BreakTheBias!
At GameHouse, women are at the heart of our universe, and our mission is to empower them. We encourage women to act with both strength and autonomy when exercising their diverse array of skills and capabilities. GameHouse actively joins the voice of International Women’s Day by promoting gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. We recognize the contribution of women and girls around the world who are leading the change in building a more inclusive future for all. Together, we #BreakTheBias!
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