TAIMI researcher Hilla Back delivers leadership and DEI session at KONE Headquarters
On 11 March 2026, Hilla Back, researcher in the TAIMI (Technological Transformation, AI and Migrant Skills in the Finnish Labour Market) project, facilitated a joint teaching session on leadership competencies, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at KONE Headquarters in Keilaniemi, Finland.
The session brought together perspectives on inclusive leadership, organizational development, and the future of work, highlighting how leadership competencies can support diverse teams in increasingly digital and multicultural workplaces.
Translating research into leadership practice
Hilla Back is a researcher in Work Package 4 (WP4) of the TAIMI project, which investigates how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can be understood as a learnable and scalable skill set, particularly in hybrid work environments. WP4 explores DEI at three interconnected levels: as an individual competence, an organizational capability, and a societal resource that contributes to more sustainable and inclusive labour markets. The work also examines how AI can support the development of these competencies through innovative approaches to learning, collaboration, and leadership.
The teaching session at KONE reflects TAIMI’s commitment to ensuring that research findings are translated into practical knowledge for organizations. By engaging directly with industry partners, the project creates opportunities to discuss emerging research, gather insights from practitioners, and support evidence-based leadership development.
Building more inclusive workplaces
As organizations continue to navigate technological transformation, hybrid work, and increasingly diverse workforces, leadership plays a central role in creating environments where all employees can contribute and thrive.
The session explored topics including:
- Leadership competencies for inclusive workplaces
- Diversity, equity and inclusion as organizational capabilities
- The role of leaders in fostering belonging and psychological safety
- Challenges and opportunities presented by hybrid work environments
- The connection between inclusive leadership, innovation, and organizational performance
These themes closely align with TAIMI’s broader objective of developing practical, research-based solutions that improve migrant integration, strengthen DEI capabilities, and support ethical AI adoption in Finnish working life. The project combines expertise from business, social sciences, psychology, computer science and public policy to address labour shortages, changing skill needs, and workplace inclusion through interdisciplinary research and close collaboration with stakeholders.
Research with societal impact
Industry engagement is a core element of the TAIMI project. Through collaboration with companies, public organizations, and other stakeholders, researchers co-develop knowledge and solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and practically relevant.
Events such as the leadership session at KONE demonstrate how academic research can contribute directly to leadership development, organizational learning, and the creation of more inclusive workplaces, supporting TAIMI’s mission to shape a more equitable, resilient, and future-ready Finnish labour market.