Santander’s Tom Wellings on celebrating driving innovation through inclusion

“I envision workplaces where we’re not just accepting differences, but truly celebrating them.” Tom Wellings, External Engagement lead for Santander’s LGBTQ+ network, spoke to myGwork about his journey of embracing diversity and inclusion within the workplace. With a personal commitment to neurodiversity advocacy, he highlights the strengths that diverse teams bring to the table, enhancing product design and ultimately benefiting both employees and customers.

Can you tell us about your role at Santander and how it relates to diversity and inclusion?

Of course! I wear a couple of hats at Santander. I’m the External Engagement Lead for our LGBTQ+ network ‘Embrace’, and I’m also an Experience designer. In my day-to-day, I’m exploring and redefining user journeys within our tech space. It’s been an incredible journey. I’ve seen how embracing diversity, encouraging authenticity, and enabling people to be themselves at work can transform workplace culture and the products we create. It’s been a journey of personal growth too. I started working with the Embrace network in 2021. The network is led by volunteers in the organisation, supporting members alongside our day job. Being part of the network is a constant and valuable reminder. It influences my designs and makes me more empathetic to different backgrounds and approaches, particularly around accessibility and communication.

Why is it important for people to be themselves at work?

I recently learned this statistic, and it really hit home for me. The Office of National Statistics found that we spend about 84,365 hours at work over our lifetime. That’s a third of our waking lives! When you think about it that way, it becomes clear that being your authentic self at work isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s crucial for our well-being, productivity, and ability to innovate.

In my experience, I’ve found that authenticity is the key to creativity. When we feel free to be ourselves, we bring our unique perspectives and ideas to the table. This leads to more innovative, human-centred solutions. It’s not just about feeling good—though that’s important too—it’s about being able to unleash our full potential at work.

How does diversity in design lead to better products?

This is an important question! I see the impact of diversity in design every day. Having a diverse team around the table is a real strength when it comes to creating great products. Each person brings their own lived experiences and unique perspectives to the design process.

This diversity of thought helps us in many ways. We’re better at spotting blind spots in our designs, creating more inclusive and accessible products, and coming up with innovative solutions by combining different viewpoints. It’s not just about visible diversity either—it’s about the experiences and opinions each person brings.

There’s research backing this up too. A study by Decision Intelligence platform Cloverpop found that teams with diverse perspectives are 87% better at making decisions. That’s huge! It means we’re better equipped to challenge assumptions and come up with more robust, innovative outcomes. In design, that translates directly to better products for our colleagues and customers.

How does neurodiversity contribute to innovation in the workplace?

This is something I’m really passionate about! As a dyslexic person myself and an advocate for neurodiversity, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to the table. They often have an amazing ability to think outside the box, spot patterns others might miss, and approach problems from completely unexpected angles.

Neurodivergent individuals have a different lens on the world, and that fresh perspective often leads to new and unique solutions.

There’s interesting research backing this up too. A 2023 report from Birkbeck University of London found that neurodiverse teams can be 30% more productive than neurotypical ones. This can result in a significant advantage. In our work, this translates to more innovative solutions and products that really resonate. It’s a win-win situation.

Can you tell us about your role in Santander’s community engagement efforts and their impact?

Absolutely! One of the projects I’m most proud of is my role as project manager from an Embrace Network perspective for Santander’s headline sponsorship of the Milton Keynes Pride Festival. Milton Keynes is Santander UK’s home – we’ve got our new head office, Unity Place, right there and it’s open for the public to come and visit.

It’s been amazing to watch the festival grow. In 2024, the festival welcomed around 20,000 attendees! That’s 20,000 people coming together to celebrate diversity and inclusion. It really drives home how important visibility and support are, both within our workplace and in the broader community.

This kind of engagement really helps our work too. It constantly reminds us of the real-world impact our products and services have on communities. It keeps us grounded and focused on creating services that work for everyone.

Of course, it’s not possible to do this without a dedicated and fantastic team of volunteers and support from different areas in the business. In 2024, we were supported by the Santander events team, who helped us bring our involvement at the festival to a whole new level. I’m grateful for the collaboration across Santander and the support from all the other employee resource groups (ERGs) we have, such as ‘Women in Business’, ‘Social Mobility’, ‘Enable’ for people with disabilities, and ‘REACH’ supporting our Black and ethnic minority colleagues. It’s important to note that our colleagues don’t need to fit into a category to join one of the ERGs; allyship is so important and vital for continued growth and presence.

We invest time and energy into the Milton Keynes Pride Festival, not just as an opportunity to connect and engage with our local community, but to encourage diverse people to join us and create an even more inclusive workplace at Santander.

We’re also supporters of myGwork. It’s a fantastic resource – a global networking hub and job board for LGBTQ+ professionals, graduates, allies, and organisations. These kinds of initiatives play a crucial role in promoting workplace inclusion on a broader scale.

How do empathy and curiosity contribute to an inclusive workplace?

In my experience, empathy and curiosity are essential when it comes to creating an inclusive workplace. Empathy helps us understand and appreciate different perspectives. It creates this psychologically safe space where everyone feels valued and heard, regardless of their background or viewpoint.

Curiosity, on the other hand, is like the bridge that connects different viewpoints. When we approach our colleagues with genuine interest and openness, it opens up doors to new understanding and collaboration. I believe that fostering a culture of curiosity creates an environment where ideas can be freely exchanged, and that’s where innovation thrives.

Topics around inclusion, equity, and diversity can sometimes be divisive. But at the end of the day, it’s really about fairness and respect. When we lead with empathy and curiosity, we create a workplace where everyone can bring their best selves to work.

What practical tips can you offer for promoting inclusion, equity, and diversity in the workplace?

I’m happy to share some tips! For employees, I’d say start by sharing your own stories and experiences when you feel safe to do so. It’s amazing how much understanding can grow from personal stories. Encourage an inclusive environment by having meaningful conversations about inclusivity with your team.

Remember to respect others’ views and opinions – we’re not always going to agree, and that’s okay. But if you encounter disrespectful behaviour, don’t hesitate to use appropriate HR channels. Above all, be kind. Everyone’s ‘normal’ is different based on their lived experiences.

For employers, it’s crucial to hire and promote fairly, utilising the values from unconscious bias training. Support the creation of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for a wide range of minorities, and make sure they get the time and funding they need. Develop mentorship programs to support diverse talent and use employee sentiment surveys to really understand how people in your organisation are feeling.

One thing I can’t stress enough – drive these initiatives from the top. When leadership values the impact of diverse individuals and communicates this clearly, it sets the tone for the entire organisation.

It’s important to promote inclusion, equity, and diversity for the right reasons and to bring people along on the journey. Don’t force or mandate participation in training or events. If people become disillusioned, it means they won’t feel included either.

What’s your vision for the future of diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

I’m excited about the future of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The business case is clear – companies that embrace these values are more innovative, more productive, and better at attracting top talent. But beyond that, I envision workplaces where we’re not just accepting differences, but truly celebrating them.

My advice to organisations looking to create more inclusive workplaces is to start with education and awareness. Foster open dialogue, implement inclusive policies, and – this is crucial – really listen to marginalised voices. We need to create spaces where everyone feels valued, not just during our 84,365 hours at work, but throughout our entire lives.

I think this quote from Verna Myers, the Vice President of Inclusion at Netflix, sums it up nicely. She says, “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” That’s exactly what we should be aiming for – workplaces where everyone not only feels invited but are encouraged to share their unique experiences and talents.

Santander is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ business community. Find out more about LGBTQ+-friendly jobs at Santander.