Welcome to MTM Transit Talks, where we’re bringing you monthly posts from our Chief Operating Officer Brian Balogh! Every month, Brian discusses all things safety, transportation, sustainability, inclusion, and much more. This month, as he reflects on our June Pride Month celebrations, Brian is focusing on the importance of diversity in the workplace.
Diversity in Transit: Why Is It Important?
Diversity can mean many different things to different people. It can reflect the color of someone’s skin, or the religion they choose to practice. It can embody unique cultures and how one views themselves. Global Diversity Practice explains it as empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin. At MTM Transit, we take major steps throughout the whole organization to create a positive workplace when it comes to diversity.
We look at Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) collectively. Diversity is critical to the success of our organization for many reasons. First and foremost, it ensures that we have different perspectives with regard to providing transit service, solving problems, and creating innovation. Having a team that looks alike, thinks alike, and has similar backgrounds would greatly limit our potential in countless areas. The only real way to ensure that we encourage the inclusion of diverse groups is by ensuring that all are treated equitably, and that our team reflects the populations we serve. That includes not only compensation programs, but also an array of benefits and work design considerations.
Our Approach to Diversity in Transit
MTM Transit primarily serves a customer base that has unique needs, both cognitive and physical. That’s why it is incredibly important for diversity to fall into our daily goals and company approach as a whole. Saying that you understand those requirements and really knowing how they affect daily life are vastly different. Ensuring that we have a diverse team with broad backgrounds and levels of experience and understanding is how we successfully deliver a higher level of service to those with special transportation needs.
MTM Transit Stands Out
While DEI and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) have become popular catch phrases, with many companies embracing these initiatives, the leadership team at MTM and MTM Transit have been living these core values for many years. So the concept is not contrived – it is very real in our every day business practices.
I am extremely proud of our efforts, which have resulted in our teammates feeling comfortable being themselves. We encourage individuality and commit to supporting each of our teammates, no matter their walk of life. No one needs to be cautious about who or what they are, or fit any mold. This focus on diversity in transit best prepares MTM Transit and our clients for long term success.
