Best Practice | Momentum Metropolitan’s Offboarding Practice

The offboarding process occurs no matter what kind of contractual relationship an organisation has with the person who is leaving. The desired experience that Certified Top Employer, Momentum Metropolitan, wants for any person who has worked there is one where the individual intends to return to work for them or refer others to seek employment there. Momentum Metropolitan has, therefore, created a holistic exit experience covering activities across contractual obligations, business continuity, relationship management, and workforce engagement.

Certified Top Employer, Momentum Metropolitan, wanted to create a lasting positive impression with their employees with the final touchpoint acting within a collection of streamlined, supportive, and efficient experiences.

Why the practice was needed:

The offboarding process can be stressful for individuals, as it involves an internal change management experience. It is also worth noting that it is only sometimes, or very often, that an individual undergoes offboarding, which means that this is also a time of ambiguity and reliance on others for guidance in the overall process. As it stands, offboarding relies on back-and-forth emails between various parties, and often, the individual needs to know who to turn to for information and what information should be looked at to support a smooth transition.

With the increased focus on employee experience and the competitive talent landscape, the offboarding stage is fundamental to ensuring a positive, lasting impact. When an individual leaves the company, this is an opportunity to create brand ambassadors, alumni talent, and a growing referral network for future talent pools.

During offboarding, the business also goes through the stress of capacity management, handover requirements, equipment and access controls. It may need more time to give the attention necessary for an individual to feel cared for and looked after.

How the practice was implemented:

Momentum created the following process to meet the needs of their offboarding practice:

Created an Offboarding Platform

Momentum Metropolitan ensured that all the relevant employees had access to the offboarding platform via our employee self-service HumanHub. Additionally, they ensured that the platform was digitally enabled for smartphones and desktops. The platform allowed managers and relevant admins easy access to the platform. They ensured a digital-first approach with tailored tracks for different employees and exit types.

Exit Questionnaire & Interview

Momentum Metropolitan had an integrated and streamlined digital solution for their exit surveys and interviews.

- That became a one-stop shop for both the questionnaire and interview experience.

- It was competency-driven for holistic feedback and data-driven insights.

Automated Processes

Reminders will be sent through push notifications on the HumanHub App, and emails will be sent at relevant steps in the process to keep HC and line managers in the loop throughout the offboarding process.
Automatic push to Documents of Record to ensure relevant docs are stored and accessible on the system.

Offboarding Metrics Dashboard

The HR team at Momentum Metropolitan were able to view available turnover and exit-specific insights.
Those metrics created visibility of offboarding journey trends and fall-off points.

Practice Guide

Momentum Metropolitan created an offboarding framework and principles of consideration to assist managers in the offboarding process.

Highlights:

A design-thinking approach was applied in unpacking the specific needs of employees, HR, and line managers during the offboarding experience.
The focus is on the entire journey, from pre-exit, during exit, and post-exit experiences.
Key touchpoints were identified up-front and positioned within the solution in such a way that we could gather data for significant insights through dashboard metrics.
Short iterative deliverables have been prioritised, allowing testing, feedback, and pivotal shifts that answer the real needs of their employees.

Download Now: World of Work Trends 2024

Results:

A digitally enabled offboarding platform where employees are guided through the process with easy-to-follow steps.
An integrated solution for both questionnaire and interview experience.
An offboarding dashboard with turnover stats, journey insights, and exit insights.

How Employee Networks Have Become a Growing Practice for Progress in Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

By Miquel Calvert, Communications Manager Spain, Top Employers Institute

In 2023, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) networks, formed by employees who advise in areas such as equality, disability, generational coexistence, or LGTBIQ+, are on the rise in top organisations. The use of these employee networks in Spanish organisations is becoming more common, especially among Top Employers. In this article, we are looking deeper at four Spanish Top Employers, including Zurich, ACCIONA, Michelin, and ILUNION, who are excellent examples of organisations successfully implementing such networks.

80% of Top Employers in Spain have consistently implemented these networks, 11% more than the average of certified organisations at the European level. Employee networks aim to identify the needs of all groups within the organisation and contribute to considering relevant perspectives and trends in Diversity and Inclusion in all Human Resources processes.

D&I networks can be internal (e.g., women’s networks or employee resource groups) or external (forums on various D&I topics organised by specialised entities).

«These diversity networks, in addition to contributing to a sense of belonging, help prevent situations of discrimination, incorporate inclusive perspectives, and improve people processes such as talent acquisition, leadership, work model, or organisational culture,» emphasises Massimo Begelle, Regional Manager at Top Employers Institute in Spain and Italy.

These networks are integrated into the overall diversity and inclusion strategy, coordinated with other best practices such as diversity champions, who are volunteer employees acting as promoters of various diversities (46% of certified organisations already have them), or leadership training to serve as models for D&I (85% of companies).

Zurich, ACCIONA, Michelin, and ILUNION are excellent examples of organisations that have successfully implemented such networks.

Zurich: A Team of Volunteers for All Diversities

At Zurich Insurance, they are clear: under the motto Brave, proud of their colours and because of this pride, they have developed a strategy based on the belief that a diverse team makes a difference. Following this premise, they are building an open company where all people are welcome, and the well-being of each individual is essential.

As part of this ambition, the people at Zurich have created the Allies Programme, consisting of a team of volunteers from different collectives, ages, and backgrounds. They have created initiatives for many diversities in their organisation, focusing on four pillars of their inclusive attitude: Gender and Functional Diversity, Pride, and Intergenerational Dialogue.

#IamYourAlly is the battle cry with which they want to be very close to those who need the support of the programme, openly highlighting situations of discrimination. In addition to being part of the decision-making on the D&I agenda, they regularly meet with the Management Committee to monitor initiatives. They also actively participate in various events, such as Pride Day, March 8th, or the awareness campaign on unconscious biases. Read More: Unleashing The Power of Employee Networks: Insights from Tata Consultancy Services UK & Ireland

ACCIONA: Diversity Committees Representing All Collectives

Placing people at the centre and contributing to real transformation is part of ACCIONA’s purpose. Therefore, PEOPLE is the global strategy they have outlined, integrating Diversity and Inclusion as a fundamental pillar and having internal networks to scale this commitment throughout the organisation. 13 Diversity and Inclusion Committees comprise the internal networks that drive best practices and connect people in business and countries. They are formed by groups of professionals representing all collectives and sharing the mission of collecting information from their environment and generating proposals and initiatives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. While creating a sense of community and belonging, the committees promote an inclusive workplace aligned with the company’s purpose, values, and objectives.

ILUNION: Networks to Address the Needs of Different Collectives

ILUNION is committed to diversity, demonstrating that it can be profitable and competitive while promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

At ILUNION, they work to promote the employment inclusion of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups with specific needs related to their sexual orientation, gender, age, origin, etc. They are proud of their diversity, reflected in all company and business areas.

Companies within ILUNION have Equality Plans that guarantee equal treatment and opportunities between women and men. Also, coinciding with the European Diversity Month in May, ILUNION joins the European initiative with various actions such as training, dissemination, and in-person events on different topics.

They also coordinate with critical networks involved in diversity management, especially in the workplace. Among other actions, these networks identify the needs of collectives and assess how to address them within ILUNION with its policies and activities that directly impact the workforce and other external actions that contribute knowledge and help the diversity management network become increasingly knowledgeable and professional.

Michelin’s Women Forward Network

In Michelin Spain and Portugal, since 2007, they have been committed to diversity and inclusion as a vital element of the People policy, confirmed in 2010 with the signing of their first Equality Plan.

In 2014, the Michelin Group launched the Women Forward network, in which women from all areas of the company participate, sharing experiences and leading initiatives, allowing the visibility of new ways to progress in the field of diversity and inclusion within Michelin: they have significantly increased the presence of women in industrial environments, female presence in management positions has advanced similarly, and they have simultaneously improved the culture and perception of diversity at all levels of the company.

Similarly, as a leading company in the country’s industrial sector, they participate in external networks such as «Women and Engineering» and the «STEM Alliance for Female Talent,» where, together with other companies, they seek to attract young women to STEM studies to highlight the need for female talent in industrial environments.

Best Practice | Stay Interviews at BAT

By Top Employers Institute

In this blog post, we will discussing how BAT improve their workplace culture and retention strategy by gaining employee insights through stay itnerviews.

What are Stay Interviews

While it is traditional for organisations to have exit interviews, many companies realise there is a need to conduct stay interviews. Stay interviews are a proactive and structured approach to engage with current employees and gain insight into their job satisfaction, career aspirations, and overall experience within the company. Where exit interviews are reactive, stay interviews are a proactive approach to assessing the needs of employees while they are still within the organisation.

How BAT established stay interviews:

In the APMEA West region (Middle East, North Africa, Caucasus, Central Asia and Pakistan), BAT recently established stay interviews with their employees to help with retention and focus on customised, individualised, and purposeful interventions for employees instead of a ‘one size fits all’ strategy.

The primary objectives of stay interviews include:

Identifying factors that contribute to employee retention.
Understanding individual motivations and needs.
Addressing potential concerns or dissatisfaction before they lead to turnover.
Aligning employees’ goals with the company’s objectives.
Tailoring retention strategies to foster a more positive and fulfilling work environment.

Why the stay interview practice was needed

BAT sees stay interviews as necessary for their organisation’s talent management strategy. The interviews provide a proactive and insightful approach to employee retention, allowing the organisation to understand their existing workforce’s unique needs, motivations, and concerns.

By engaging in open and candid conversations with employees about their experiences, career aspirations, and overall job satisfaction, BAT can identify potential issues and opportunities for improvement before those issues escalate into reasons for departure. Stay interviews not only demonstrate their commitment to employee wellbeing and growth but also enable the customisation of retention strategies that resonate with each employee.

BAT’s main focus was a targeted approach, mainly focusing on their key talents, employees sitting in critical roles, and women; this was in line with the turnover trends and likely personas to leave the organisation, as the organisation had observed in the last few years.

Their strategy and subsequent practice were born out of numerous brainstorming sessions in the HR team aimed at curbing attrition rates within BAT’s APMEA West region. Over the past three years, this region has witnessed an upward trend in attrition, mirroring prevailing patterns across diverse industries and markets.

To effectively tackle this challenge, BAT developed and deployed a proactive measure to understand employee sentiments – what it would take to leave the organisation and what they appreciate in the organisation so that BAT could focus on elevating and building on those initiatives.

How stay inteviews were implemented:

BAT conducted external research to see what cutting-edge practices were available externally in the era of “great attrition” to foster employee retention and engagement and found that stay interviews were highlighted by many other researchers and top-tier businesses globally. They broke down the process into four steps.

Step 1: For BAT, building complete awareness of the stay interviews concept for their HR teams across the region was critical, including upskilling sessions to explain the practice and how to conduct meaningful and targeted stay interview sessions for different personas.

Step 2: The second step was a region-wide upskilling session for all their line managers run by the Area Talent Team to ensure the same messaging and level of understanding was provided for all line managers conducting the stay interviews with their direct reports.

Step 3: The third step was to share the standardised stay interview templates, questions with all line managers, and online self-learning tools for additional content.

Step 4: The fourth step was to gather all the stay interview information and to begin a complete analysis to ensure consistency of findings. This analysis was done by the to commence by the Area Talent Team.

Stay interviews results:

Stay interviews allowed BAT to take a deep dive into what drives employee corporate purpose and contributes to fostering the best workplace to develop and build their careers. Overwhelmingly, the organisation saw that there were three main reasons employees chose to stay with BAT:

Challenging work that allows them to grow both personally and professionally.
A feeling of camaraderie and support, providing employees with a like-minded circle to work within.
Learning opportunities provided by BAT to finesse functional mastery and leadership skills to deal with constant change and speed.

Final Thoughts: BAT’s stay interviews, a new way to listen to their employees.

Understanding employee experiences is critical to helping an organisation thrive and keeping valuable talent. If you want to read more about BAT’s practice and get a complete insight into the approach, challenges and learnings.

Access it now via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified, or learn how to became an employer of choice.

Putting People First: Top Employers Institute’s Insights About Human-Centric Organisations

By Wouter van Ewijk, Global Head of Brand & Content, Top Employers Institute

Human Resource departments frequently consider how to attract and retain top talent. Top Employers Institute is no different. Paola Bottaro, People Director at Top Employers Institute, has found the most success by putting people first. Notably, the organisation is not alone in this endeavour. Taking a human-centric approach to the workplace is a practice steadily gaining traction.

So, what does this move to a human-centric model entail? During the 2023 Top Employers Inspire event, Paola and I discussed exactly that. I’ll share highlights of our discussion for companies interested in joining Top Employers Institute as a human-centric organisation.

The Basics: What is a Human-Centric Approach?

Essentially, this approach to the workplace recognises and accepts that people are people. Organisations acknowledge that their employees are multifaceted individuals with lives beyond the office.

It’s about enabling employees to work in the best way that suits their needs and preferences, rather than requiring them to adhere to standard hours or procedures. Employees at different phases of life, a new parent versus a recently hired university graduate, for example, will likely have very different preferences for the rhythm of their workday. Allowing employees to determine their workday and workflow does not impact organisational results overall, yet it has a profound impact on each individual’s work experience.

For Paola’s team, realising that there was no one-size-fits-all solution for creating a great workplace was a turning point. Reflecting on this moment, she shared, “We had a lot of conversations about what way of working would be best and we came to the conclusion that everyone is different, and we all need different things. Who are we to decide what each individual needs?” They concluded that in an ideal workplace, everyone gets to define the best way to work for themselves.

Another turning point was adapting to a primarily remote workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. This transition was smoother than anticipated, and productivity remained very high. Paola elaborated on their observations, “Everyone was very responsible and wanted to perform well.

Actually, I had to make sure people took care of themselves much more than making sure that they were doing their jobs.” Seeing how well the company ran while employees worked remotely was a valuable lesson that built trust. Going forward, the company had complete confidence in allowing employees to decide how they want to work.

The Practicalities: How Does a Human-Centric Approach Work?

Trust is a critical component of making a human-centric approach successful. Granting employees the ability to set their work dynamics, whether that involves unconventional hours or regular breaks, requires a high level of trust that employees will continue fulfilling their responsibilities to the best of their ability, even without constant supervision. The focus is on outcomes, prioritising results above all else.

Top Employers Institue’s company culture fully embraces a human-centric approach with its three core values:

We are all professionals.
All professionals want to be successful.
We succeed when we achieve great things while taking care of our own wellbeing and each other.

That teams communicate about everyone’s needs and preferences is critical. As our conversation progressed, Paola gave a simple example that Top Employers Institute does not want employees to pretend to be available during traditional working hours if they are not. She explained that this freedom also benefits managers, “They don’t have to think about motivating their teams anymore. The core belief is that all professionals are intrinsically motivated to be successful.” Transparency about who is doing what and trust in employees to fulfil their responsibilities improves operations.

Although trust and open communication are generally recognised as positive values, translating them into practical action can be a challenge because doing so requires a shift in mindset. Top Employers Institute, like many organisations, was forced to try a new way of working during the pandemic.

The success of this experiment gave management the confidence to use a human-centric approach even after pandemic-related safety restrictions were lifted. Organisations that have not had the opportunity to test drive a new working model may struggle with transitioning from employees coming into the office every day during the same hours to people working from home at hours of their choosing. Embracing the values of trust and open communication in new ways needs to happen at all levels of the organisation for a human-centric approach to truly succeed.

If an employee is not performing well, the first step is to have a conversation. “Success is defined not only by great results but also by people’s wellbeing, which is a responsibility and not something that can be left to chance,” said Paola. Considering the complete picture of an employee’s life while navigating challenges is a central tenet of a human-centric approach.

The Impact: What are the Benefits of a Human- Centric Approach?

This approach gives employees the best possible work life, which fosters loyalty and productivity. It also creates great returns. Through this approach, organisations can:

Attract talent,
Improve retention, and
Foster a culture of growth and internal mobility.

These benefits contribute to a positive atmosphere and help a company’s bottom line by attracting and keeping top-tier talent.

Top Employers Institute is in the process of hosting workshops with employees to discuss both the company’s and individual employee’s values. “The most important thing is that we left one open space in our company values for employees to fill. There are three company-wide values and the fourth is for each employee to fill with their personal value. It’s an opportunity for them to connect their personal values and sense of purpose to the company,” Paola said of the process.

Ultimately, a human-centric approach forges meaningful connections between a company and its workforce. By giving people the autonomy to work in a way that suits their needs best, organisations reap great returns. This approach truly benefits both the company and its employees.

To hear more about Top Employers Institute’s journey to becoming a human-centric organisation and the lessons learned along the way, watch my full conversation with Paola below.

World Mental Health Day 2023 Q&A with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada

World Mental Health Day 2023 Q&A with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada Earlier this week, on the 10th of October, we acknowledged World Mental Health Day. The day is a moment to give extra attention to issues around mental health. This year the WHO theme for the day is ‘Mental health is a universal right’ and we are hoping to raise awareness and knowledge about mental health by highlighting how organisations can support their employee’s mental health throughout October.

To recognise the efforts of Top Employers were lucky to have a Q&A interview with Marie-Soleil Ferland and the Health and Wellbeing Team at CGI Canada. We were honoured to get an insight into their efforts around wellbeing and mental health in their organisation.

CGI Health & Wellbeing Team Introduction

CGI wholeheartedly acknowledges that the wellbeing of its workforce stands as the bedrock of its success. We hold in the highest esteem a culture deeply rooted in mental health awareness, a commitment that transcends mere obligation, forming an integral facet of an ecosystem that fosters personal and professional flourishing.

These recent years have brought upon us an array of unprecedented challenges, compelling us to adapt, evolve, and unearth new ways to connect and thrive. At this juncture, never before has CGI placed such a high priority on mental health as we proudly do today.

On World Mental Health Day, we, at CGI, once again stand with unwavering pride as we pay homage to the mental wellbeing of our invaluable workforce. We celebrate the resilience of our esteemed members and the nurturing spirit of the compassionate community that we have ardently cultivated for over two decades now. Together, we break barriers, dismantle stigma, and forge a brighter, healthier future.

As part of this year World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10, it’s important to remember that everybody has mental health, regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc. For some, it can be challenging to know or realize when to reach out for help.

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Read More: Mental Health Q&A: Bentley

We celebrated World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The theme for 2023, set by the World Foundation of Mental Health, is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’, so we were honoured to ask CGI Canada the following questions:

Which organisational values that you hold help you to embed mental health as a right for all employees? And how do these values show up in day-to-day actions?

Workplace Health & Wellbeing

A dedicated Oxygen Centre of Expertise with 50 professionals globally willing and able to support partners and employees as needed.
Promote a culture of compassion through skill building, empathy, and empowerment to reach out to those showing signs of difficulty.
From prevention to return to work following a disability, support our employees, managers, and the organization on global health topics (physical, mental, social, financial) to optimize individual and collective wellbeing and organizational performance.
Use Mental Health Minute Program cards to raise awareness and open conversations (see more information at question 5)
Comprehensive Health Platform for all employees: Oxygen Portal
Free Telemedicine Service for all members and their family
Free 27/7 EAP support for all members and their family
In-house wellbeing consultations that focus on prevention, identification, and mitigation of psychosocial risks
In-house wellbeing interventions that promote staying healthy and thriving at work.

Our values

Respect:

Consistent with CGI dream of creating an environment in which we enjoy working together, our Core Value of Respect and our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, CGI is committed to fostering and maintaining professional workplaces that respect the dignity of all members.
Offer mental health support through the Mental Health First Aiders network and leadership by promoting a stigma-free environment to discuss mental health.
Hold public authentic conversations using panel discussions around various psycho-educational topics that breakdown barriers and drive respectful conversations around sensitive issues.
Develop culturally sensitive and equity deserving group sensible health and wellbeing material.

Safety:

CGI is committed to the prevention of workplace incidents, injuries, and illnesses, and is ultimately responsible for ensuring a physically and psychologically safe and healthy work environment for all members. CGI will guide the development of individual performance and learning plans to achieve organizational goals while promoting members’ physical and psychological wellbeing in an active effort to reduce harm to their health and safety.
Health and safety committees
Health and wellbeing committees
+120 employees-volunteers – Mental Health First Aiders willing and able to support employees in the workforce.
Health and Safety Policy and processes including a working alone management rule.
Health Crisis Protocol for psychological and/or physical emergency situations.

Inclusion:

Creating a welcoming and diverse workplace environment free of discrimination and harassment underpins everything we do. We aim to foster a culture of belonging where everyone is inspired to grow and empowered to succeed with a shared sense of purpose. We believe this starts with creating an environment where every voice is heard, and respected and different ways of thinking are welcomed. Diversity of thought, backgrounds, experiences, and skills empowers us to share ideas and drive innovation. At the same time, ensuring everyone feels included raises morale, creativity, and productivity among our members, helping them reach their full potential. Through stakeholder communications, we continuously reinforce that diversity, equity, and inclusion are clear, prominent, and inherent parts of the CGI culture.
Cultivating inclusive language (i.e., inclusive pronoun and gender language in employee representative surveys, providing gender transitioning support, and accommodations for physical, mental or cognitive support needs).
Upskill leaders and HR around neurodiversity.
Upskill leaders and HR around supporting members who are transitioning.
Provide inclusive benefits
Flexible work policies
Affinity groups and allyship
Mental health support that is sensitive to cultural differences and experiences
Accessible technology for those who require accommodations.
Inclusive hiring practices
Conflict resolution and support interventions

Diversity:

Creating a culture of belonging requires conscious and intentional effort. Our DE&I strategy is foundational to the growth and success of our company. It provides a framework for cooperation that empowers our members to show up as their complete, authentic selves at work. We are committed to driving positive cultural change by increasing diversity in our workforce and embracing the differences in race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, and disability status, and the intersectionality of one or more of these characteristics. Moreover, we recognize that it is every individual’s right to work in an environment free of sexual, psychological, and racial harassment.
DE&I is endorsed at the highest level in the company by the CEO and the Executive Committee of CGI. Oversight and accountability for DE&I is a shared responsibility with global and local steering committees to set direction, report on progress and approve programs and initiatives. DE&I is embedded in the annual business plans for each Strategic Business Unit. The Code of Ethics and global and local policies create the framework to protect our members, clients, communities and CGI and ensure compliance with all applicable requirements. Beyond our formal governance, we have an engaged group of global DE&I experts, champions and advocates who support our DE&I vision every day. This broader community is essential to amplify the reach of our DE&I activities and increase the engagement of our members.
Diverse representation

World Mental Health Day 2023

At CGI, there are a variety of free resources to help our members prioritize their mental health and offer additional support when they may be struggling. They can access free mental health resources in the Mental Wellbeing Toolbox on our internal health & wellbeing portal, contact a Mental Health Champion, or consult with our Member Assistance Program for professional support. As part of this campaign, a publication will be made on the CGI LinkedIn account to celebrate and highlight the CGI community that is involved in mental health support and the overall holistic health of our members. CGI’s health experts gathered testimonials from members within the Mental Health Champion network and the Health & Wellbeing Committee by asking the question, “Why is supporting mental health in the workplace important to you and your colleagues?”. You will find the testimonials shared on October 10 and will be able to use the hashtag #CGIMentalHealthMatters to find other mental health stories shared by CGI members, and to share your own.

How have your mental health programmes evolved in the past year? Are there aspects that have moved up the priority list and/or taken on greater urgency? In response to the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic and its impact on chronic stress, isolation and domestic violence, our mental health programs have evolved significantly in the past year. We have placed additional emphasis on addressing the reactive aspect of the mental health continuum. This means that we have augmented our efforts to provide immediate and responsive support to individuals who are experiencing acute mental health challenges, such as stress, anxiety, trauma, or burnout. Recognizing the heightened need for timely interventions, we have developed and implemented targeted initiatives designed to assist members in managing and coping with punctual stressors. These measures have allowed us to better address the immediate mental health needs of our workforce, ensuring that they receive the support and resources necessary to navigate these challenging times effectively avoiding potential deterioration or illness.

Aspects that have moved up in priority and taken on greater urgency:

Substantial increase in mental health coverage for our members and their families.
Expanding our internal Mental Health First Aid network by offering and covering the cost of certification to all interested volunteer members.
Hiring of an Organizational Mental Health Specialist to further expand internal services and interventions.
Health crisis protocol to upskill HR professionals and leaders in assessing an imminent and critical health risk in an employee, predominantly in a virtual setting, and responding to the risk as deemed appropriate using external resources.
Domestic and family violence program to develop organizational awareness, respond by providing support and accompanying employee victims to adequate and necessary resources.
Neurodiversity Affinity group and program to cultivate an inclusive, collaborative and supportive CGI community by fostering awareness around neurodiversity, building internal knowledge, advocating for supportive practices, and building internal and external partnerships that promote best inclusive practices.
In-house Interventions (stress management, sensitivity coaching, conflict resolution, climate assessment, etc.) facilitated via our internal Workplace Mental Health Specialist.
Revision of CGI’s Presence at Work Program
Always ensuring the presence and visibility of a group of more than 120 volunteer Mental Health First Aiders ready to support any member in need during our trainings or psychoeducational sessions or initiatives.
Additional Family Support: Upgrades in our Telemedicine program, EAP services and benefits coverage to improve all services related to mental health support & access for employees and their family.

How have mental health programmes and initiatives been impacted by more flexible, hybrid and remote forms of working? What have you had to do differently?

The shift to a more flexible workplace and openness to virtual work has acted as a catalyst for fostering greater inclusion and accessibility in our organization, creating a more accommodating and supportive environment for neurodivergent and equity deserving groups within our workforce. The transition to virtual work has created a more inclusive environment by levelling the playing field for employees who may have previously faced challenges in traditional office settings. Neurodivergent individuals, for instance, have found the virtual work environment to be more accommodating, reducing sensory overload and anxiety that can be associated with physical office spaces. Additionally, remote work has enabled employees to tailor their workspaces to their specific needs, allowing for greater comfort and reduced distractions. This flexibility has not only benefited neurodivergent individuals but also other equity-deserving groups who may have faced barriers in the traditional office setting due to various factors, including commuting challenges, accessibility issues, or caregiving responsibilities. One significant shift we’ve made is toward virtual facilitation of trainings and interventions. This transition has proven highly beneficial as it enables us to intervene more rapidly and on a broader scale across the organization. In fact, by leveraging virtual platforms, we can extend our reach to cover a much larger population than would have been feasible with in-person programs alone. This approach not only aligns with the evolving work landscape but also allows us to be more agile and responsive in addressing mental health needs throughout the organization.

How have you ensured that your managers are reinforcing mental health as a right for all employees? And are they trained to recognise and address mental health issues in their teams?

Yes, we have implemented an internal training program known as «Leading Healthy Teams,» which is specifically designed to equip our managers with the skills necessary to identify signs of mental health challenges and appropriately respond to them. Additionally, we have developed a quick-reference tool in the form of a cheat-sheet, readily accessible through our online Health platform, the «Oxygen Portal» within the «Leaders Toolbox» section.

In conjunction with these mandatory training initiatives, we have consistently offered various additional learning opportunities to our leaders over the past years. These include specialized training modules covering topics such as Resilience at Work, Burnout Prevention, Stress Management, Work-life Balance, and Self-Care for Leaders. These programs collectively enable our managers to reinforce mental health as a fundamental right for all employees while equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively address mental health issues within their teams. Our leaders are also encouraged to take part in Mental Health First Aid certification. We are proud to share that over 46% of our mental health ambassadors hold management positions at CGI. Thus, it’s fair to say that mental health at CGI is an integral part of our operating culture.

How do you create psychological safety for employees to feel they have a right to speak up about their mental health concerns, without worrying about how it will affect their careers?

Destigmatize mental health:

Leadership upskilling and training around courageous conversations and authenticity
Discussion Panels such as Mental Health For All

Leaders speaking openly and publicly about their challenges with mental health including burnout, suicidality, domestic violence, neurodiversity, etc.

The Mental Health Minute Program

Equips all our leaders and members with Mental Health Minute “cards” that they can use to kick-off every team meeting
Encourages leaders, and members, to take advantage of a moment of openness with their team to discuss common challenges and normalize topics surrounding health and wellbeing
Provides authenticity and empathy building opportunities through sharing real-life experiences and examples.
Upskill leaders and members on day-to-day actions that can be put in place to support their health.

Psychoeducational awareness through interactive learning sessions, newsletters, CGI’s health & wellbeing portal, wellbeing consultations and various communication channels
Mental Health Champion Network

Network composed of more than 120 CGI members who have volunteered and received a Mental Health First Aider certification training offered by the Mental Health Commission of Canada
Aiders are available to respond to requests or calls from members in need by initiating a caring conversation through dialogue, accompanying them to help defuse a situation, and guiding them to the right resources and support.

Neurodiversity Affinity Group

Sharing how to open to a leader about a neurodivergent trait.
How to respond as a leader to show support

Ensure promotional practices that foster and support diversity and inclusion.
Socialize accommodation program for any member regardless of job role.
Assess and mitigate psychological risk factors within teams who are struggling.
Team wellbeing assessments
Mediation
Trauma debriefs.

About Marie-Soleil Ferland

HR Director

Health & Well-being, CGI Canada

About Marie-Soleil Ferland

HR Director

Health & Well-being, CGI Canada

Passionate leader of CGI Canada Occupational Health and Well-being HR Center of expertise. She is responsible for the development of innovative organizational health offering, their implementation, and their measure of success. She sits on human resources committees to effectively integrate workplace health into business strategies. Her mission is to optimize not only the overall well-being of employees but also to encourage meaning at work, inclusion, and organizational performance. She provides ongoing consulting services to HR teams and leaders. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a graduate certificate in nutrition. In addition to numerous specific training sessions on occupational health, psychosocial risks, and protective factors, she is certified in Mental Health First Aid, Workplace First Aid and Behaviour Change Interventionist. Her caring and inclusive leadership is recognized by her peers.

The Benefits of Crafting an Employee-Led Employer Branding Strategy

By: Sinakho Dhlamini, HR Content Specialist, Top Employers Institute

People want to work for organisations that are known to be good employers. While it may sound obvious, many companies still neglect their employer brand to focus on other parts of their business strategy. Employer branding might not be the most exciting topic around the office, but it is one of the most underrated parts of an organisation’s strategy.

It helps attract new employees as well as retain existing talent. As organisations begin to invest in building an effective and genuine employer brand, they need to ensure they involve their employees in the employer value proposition.

There is not one way for organisations to create an inspiring employer brand, but in 2023, we see a change in how companies build their brand. For many, what used to be the responsibility of a small group of people is now becoming an organisation-wide effort, with employees becoming critical players in building an authentic and robust employer brand.

What is Employer Branding?

Employer branding is an organisation’s strategy to showcase their company culture and reputation. Employer branding, while a marketing effort, is designed to appeal not to customers but to prospective employees. While job seekers are the primary audience, the appeal of a strong employer brand is also a key part of influencing existing employees’ perception of their employer.

An organisation’s employer branding strategy is essential to maintaining a company’s reputation, and a strong employer brand will help generate engagement within the workforce by connecting employees with their organisation’s mission. That mission must be genuine and authentic. It is not enough for organisations to say that they have a set of values. They must make sure that all the employees in their organisation feel it.

An organisation’s employer brand represents your organisation’s reputation as an employer. It may not be tangible, but it is an asset that needs attention as it influences candidates and current employees.

Why is Employer Branding Important?

A strong employer brand is necessary for every organisation’s strategy, especially in a more demanding talent market. While the concept of employer branding is not new, it is still sometimes forgotten by companies, as other parts of their business take a more significant part of their strategy goals. Still, as the talent market has become more fluid, innovative organisations invest heavily in their employer brand. Some of the reasons why it is still essential include its role in:

Attracting Top Talent

The best people want to work for an organisation that reflects their values, and it has never been more difficult for organisations to get to these individuals. Organisations that can reach these potential employees are doing so because they have a strong employer branding strategy that appeals to potential candidates. This recruitment effort is also helped by current employees sharing their positive experiences at the company, enhancing its reputation.

Improving Employee Engagement and Retention

Just as people want to start working at a company that aligns with their values and culture, they also want to continue working at an organisation that is reflective of themselves. A well-designed employer brand fosters this connection between employees and their organisation. Employees who are proud to work at an organisation are more likely to feel a genuine connection with their company and are more likely to be engaged, which is linked to higher retention.

Gaining a Competitive Edge

Many organisations offer similar services and products. Differentiating your organisation from the competition can be challenging – and this is where your employer branding strategy can help you gain a competitive edge. When your employer branding strategy highlights the exceptional qualities of your team and organisation, it helps set you apart from the competition.

Building Credibility with Customers

Customers, like potential employees, want to engage with organisations that align with values that are important to them, and that they can trust. When values align, people are more likely to trust them, and while it’s not the sole deciding factor for potential clients, it is one which organisations should be mindful of, particularly in a competitive market.

Enhancing Organisation Culture

When an organisation actively shares the unique aspects of its workplace culture, including its values and mission, it attracts individuals who align with these values. This makes them better placed to create a more cohesive and productive work environment.

How does the Employer Value Proposition Fit in?

The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is critical to crafting a successful employer branding strategy. The EVP is the unique set of offerings and experiences an organisation provides its employees in exchange for their skills, contributions, and commitment. Organisations that effectively integrate the EVP into their employer branding strategy use it to form the foundation for their brand image and reputation.

Why are Organisations Involving Employees in Creating a Strong Employer Brand?

Creating an effective employer branding strategy is essential for organisations, and in 2023, this creation effort will no longer be limited to HR and marketing efforts. As companies realise that including employees in the process of creating a strong employer brand is not only good practice; it is a strategic imperative. Some of the reasons why organisations include their employees in this process are:

Authenticity: Employees are the living embodiment of an organisation’s culture and values. Their genuine experiences and perspectives provide authenticity to your employer brand. Candidates and potential clients are more likely to trust employees’ words over scripted marketing messages.
Improved Feedback: Employee involvement in branding creates a feedback loop that allows organisations to continually refine and enhance their employer brand strategy. Employees can provide insights into what’s working and what needs adjustment, ensuring the employer brand is authentic and accurate.
Inclusive Culture: Involving employees in branding fosters a sense of inclusion and ownership. It reinforces that the organisation values diversity of thought and perspectives, which can contribute to a more inclusive workplace culture.
Long-term Sustainability: An employer brand created alongside employees tends to be more resilient and adaptable. It can evolve to meet changing needs and expectations, ensuring its sustainability.

Final Thoughts

A strong employer brand is becoming increasingly crucial for organisations wanting to succeed in the talent market while getting the best out of their current employees. A well-planned and executed employer branding strategy comes when an authentic company story is integrated into all aspects of the business. Employees must be involved in the process to help create this strategy, and when it is done transparently, it has several benefits for the organisation.

Organisations that invest in their employee brand create a more appealing workplace and set the stage for long-term success in a dynamic and ever-changing work landscape.

How Saint-Gobain, Capgemini and bioMérieux are Engaging Employees from a Human-Centric Perspective

Engaging employees has always been a priority for organisations wanting to get the best out of their people. Over the years, there have been many strategies to engage employees, and more recently, organisations have begun to use a human-centric approach. An organisation does not necessarily need to be human-centric to engage its employees but organisations that are human-centric are seeing better engagement levels than those that aren’t.

That was the topic in mind in a recent roundtable we hosted with HR experts from bioMérieux, Capgemini and Saint-Gobain. These experts included: Regis Blugeon, Director of Social Affairs and HRD for France at Saint-Gobain; Franck Baillet, the EVP of Learning and Development at Capgemini; Pretheshini Moodley, Regional Head of Human Resources for Africa at BioMérieux, and Paola Bottaro, People Director at Top Employers Institute.

These certified Top Employers are embracing a human-centric approach and utilising it to engage their employees. Throughout the article, we will explore how these organisations are making a more holistic approach to employee engagement without ignoring the challenges faced by organisations making this change.

How Does an Organisation Become Human-Centric?

A human-centric organisation, also known as a people-centric or employee-centric organisation, strongly emphasises its employees’ wellbeing, development, and satisfaction. In this type of organisation, employees are considered the most valuable asset, and the entire organisational structure and culture are designed to prioritise their needs, growth, and overall experience.

Some characteristics of a human-centric organisation include:

Prioritising employee wellbeing.
A healthy work-life balance for employees.
Creating a diverse and inclusive culture.
Maintaining open communication across the organisation.
Ensuring that employees feel empowered and have a sense of autonomy.
Allowing employees to have flexible work arrangements.
Cultivating a collaborative environment at work.
Investing in professional development for every employee.

The concept of a human-centric organisation recognises that when employees are valued, supported, and engaged, they are more likely to be motivated, productive, and committed to the organisation’s success.

During Top Employers Inspire 2023, we got an insider’s view of how Top Employers Institute is becoming a human-centric organisation. Paola Bottaro, People Director at Top Employers Institute, talked to Wouter van Ewijk about how the business has adapted to support its employees better while learning to be mindful, empathetic, and purposeful. You can watch that session here.

Assumptions About a Human-Centric Organisation.

The concept of a human-centric organisation is still very new, and as such, many incorrect assumptions come with the term. Some of these assumptions are around how it is easier to implement a human-centric approach depending on some factors like:

The organisation’s industry: there are doubts that some sectors, like investment banking and manufacturing, can become human-centric.
The size of the organisation: there are assumptions that it is easier for smaller organisations to be human-centric than other larger organisations.
Geographical location: it is assumed that organisations that operate where there is a national legal framework find it easier to be human-centric.
Type of employee: there may be an assumption that having a human-centric approach for an organisation with white-collar workers is more effortless.

However, many of these assumptions are incorrect. Organisations that want to become human-centric differ in many ways, yet they can all engage with this approach.

How Top Employers like Saint-Gobain, Capgemini and BioMérieux Understand Human-Centric Organisations

Pretheshini Moodley, Regional Head of Human Resources for Africa at BioMérieux, started this discussion by sharing how BioMérieux sees a human-centric perspective as engaging their people by “considering the individual needs”. This fits into their way of working because, as an organisation, one of their values is centred around belonging – where people can be themselves while feeling like they belong at BioMérieux.

As an organisation, they have prioritised listening to their employees and allowing them to share their genuine feelings and thoughts. In many ways, they are highlighting the diversity of their employees. While BioMérieux engages with their employees in a human-centric approach, they prefer to call it employee-centric as they feel that it allows their employees to feel better represented by the approach that they are taking.

At Capgemini, Franck Baillet, the EVP of Learning and Development, shared how the organisation recognises that one of its significant assets is its people. As such, they see the topic of engagement and human-centric work as “absolutely key”. As a human-centric organisation, one of the things they try to do at all times is to “put the individual at the centre at all times.”

While they see a human-centric approach as the best, Franck notes how it can be challenging at all times, primarily due to their size, but it is still something they enact across their organisation. Similarly to BioMérieux, Capgemini prioritises regularly listening to their employees to understand what is best for them. It helps them test the “temperature” of their employees’ feelings.

As the conversation continued, Regis Blugeon, Director of Social Affairs and HRD for France at Saint-Gobain, shared how Saint-Gobain see themselves first as customer-centric and people-oriented. For them, everything starts with the customer. The engagement of their people is significant for them, and they engage them by prioritising what their customers and their people need.

One of the ways that they keep themselves accountable for their employees’ feelings around engagement is by measuring their engagement levels regularly. Their regular check-ins with their employees are why they see themselves as people-oriented because this approach to their employees impacts many other aspects of their day-to-day work environment; it is just balanced with the needs of their customers. For Saint-Gobain, this regular assessment is also essential because their organisation is not a monolith, but rather, they have a remarkably diverse set of workers – from blue-collar to white-collar.

How Top Employers Institute is Becoming a Human-Centric Organisation

As the discussion around Top Employers Institute’s shift into becoming a human-centric organisation, Paola Bottaro explained that the company did not decide to become human-centric overnight. Instead, their leadership board undertook the decision, understanding that this approach is complex, especially as there is no such thing as a “typical human experience”.

At first, when the organisation began to think around this issue, they considered calling it an action- or activity-driven approach. Still, they settled on the human-centric approach because it encapsulated their desire to give everyone a fair and equal experience while understanding the differences that make us human.

In a similar vein as the Top Employers in the conversation, Paola stressed the importance of listening to employees, especially as working in a human-centric way is explicitly not a one size fits all approach, and even she recognises that you can never know everything about working in a human-centric way. That is why listening is essential and embracing that you may not always understand, but you should always be open to listening.

What About Engagement?

Franck shifted the conversation to understanding what engagement means. In some ways, the word is quite generic as it can apply to many situations because an employee can be engaged in many different ways. And for each employee, their way of being engaged at work may be completely different.

He thinks organisations must consider “how they can create the best conditions for people to feel engaged?” He sees that engaging employees is in so many different people’s hands, which is part of why engaging employees is more of a complex task than it appears to be on the surface.

Franck sees that employees understanding the “why” of their job is playing a critical role in improving the engagement of employees as it helps to guide the organisation to develop the conditions to support employees – making them feel more engaged.

Adding to Franck’s, Pretheshini explained how at BioMérieux, they launched a project to gauge their employees’ sense of purpose before they even critically thought about engagement. They did this by investigating employee insights, and asking each person how they viewed purpose and “why they were here [at BioMérieux]”. They used this as the start of their engagement journey to create a sense of purpose and better understand each person’s motivations. It made it a lot easier for them to understand the voice of their employees because of this project.

Once they had done this part of the project, they ensured they created a safe environment for their employees to share their thoughts. The environment needed to be a place that empowered employees in a ‘space’ they could trust because, without these safe spaces, they would be unable to have satisfying and enlightening discussions.

Beyond having a survey or a measurement for their employee engagement, BioMérieux has created a game that leans into their desire for honest conversations. In the game, they encourage employees to be courageous and utilise the trust they’ve built with their colleagues. In the game, when an employee wants to be courageous, they show the car to their manager and then say how they would like to share something important. Pretheshini shared that they see “every failure as an opportunity to become better”, and that can only happen when you’re brave enough to try something that may lead to failure. It allows employees to feel engaged because they are given the space to truly try their best, even when it doesn’t work out.

Watch More: Top Employers 2023 – Interview Hunkemöller

How Does Leadership Fit In?

Leaders in an organisation are often the guides that make initiatives work, but that still needs to be completed in a boardroom. Instead, modern organisations require empathetic, emotionally intelligent leaders, good listeners and communicators. These are often considered soft skills and have been undervalued for many years. Still, when it comes to engagement, these skills are crucial to having an authentic connection between leadership and employees.

Here are some key roles that leaders play in promoting employee engagement:

Effective communication: Leaders should foster open and transparent communication with employees.
Recognition and Appreciation: Leaders should recognise and appreciate employees’ contributions and achievements regularly.
Creating a Positive Work Environment: Leaders should foster a positive and inclusive workplace where employees feel safe, respected, and valued.
Aligning with Organisational Values: Leaders should ensure that their actions and decisions align with the organisation’s values and mission to help create a sense of purpose and shared direction.
Leading by Example: Engaged leaders model the behaviours they want to see in their employees.
Empowerment: Empowering employees by giving them autonomy and decision-making authority can increase their sense of ownership and engagement.
Professional Development: Leaders should support employees’ growth and development by providing training, skill-building, and career advancement opportunities.
Conflict Resolution: Addressing conflicts and issues promptly and fairly is essential for maintaining a positive work environment that engages employees.

Final Thoughts on Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is a critical factor to many organisations’ success, and a human-centric approach recognises that engaged employees are motivated not only by financial incentives but also by a holistic experience that fulfils their emotional, psychological, and professional needs.

Engagement is also not a topic that rests solely in the hands of HR professionals; instead, it is a companywide task, and when an organisation is human-centric, it can better allow everyone to achieve these engagement goals. When employees are engaged, they become more committed, innovative, and motivated to contribute their best efforts to the organisation’s success.

While this is only a snippet of their conversation, it highlights some of the challenges and successes Top Employers are making in creating the conditions to support employee engagement.

To find out more, get in touch today for free and find out how to engage employee by becoming an employers of choice!

How Organisations Improve Employee Engagement with Emotionally Engaged Leaders

The world of work is permanently active. The business landscape is fast-paced and ever-evolving, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of employee engagement. Employee engagement is a critical factor in an organisation’s success.

Engaged employees are more motivated, productive and stay in organisations longer, leading to higher levels of innovation and overall performance. One of the critical drivers of employee engagement is the presence of emotionally engaged leaders.

In this article, we will explore how emotional intelligence makes a leader emotionally engaged and how it impacts employees and their engagement levels.

Managers have a more considerable impact on people’s mental health than doctors and even therapists. Leaders that are emotionally engaged are better able to create a positive, supportive and psychologically safe work environment, which can improve employee wellbeing and employee engagement.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

In 1995, in the book Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman, the psychologist that coined the term defined emotional intelligence as a set of skills that help individuals recognise, understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. While emotional intelligence is usually emphasised more in personal relationships, it is critical to realise that emotional intelligence or a lack of it, also is essential at work.

In Emotional Intelligence, Goleman identified four traits of emotional intelligence, which are:

Self-Awareness: It is believed that the first step in developing emotional intelligence is self-awareness. Leaders and management should take time to understand the impact of their behaviour by reflecting on their own emotions. This needs to be done across different situations so that they have a fuller understanding.
Self-Management: The next step for leaders becoming emotionally intelligent comes from developing ways to manage their emotions; this can only come after becoming more self-aware. Self-management involves learning and using skills like stress management and mindfulness. If a leader is to engage with these skills, they must also practice active listening when interacting with coworkers.
Social Awareness: Leaders making an effort to become emotionally intelligent will need to develop the ability to understand and empathise with other people’s perspectives; this is especially important as more and more organisations become more diverse than before.
Relationship Management: The fourth trait of an emotionally intelligent leader is one of the most critical, and it relies on the other characteristics to truly achieve it. Relationship management uses emotional intelligence to build and maintain positive relationships, resolve conflicts, and influence and inspire others to achieve common goals.

You can download the World of Work Trends Report 2024 here for free.

What is an Emotionally Engaged Leader?

Emotionally engaged leaders are individuals who genuinely care about their team members, their wellbeing, and their professional development. These leaders demonstrate empathy, active listening skills, and emotional intelligence. They create a supportive atmosphere where employees feel valued, heard, and motivated to perform at their best. Emotionally engaged leaders also foster a sense of purpose and alignment by effectively communicating the organisation’s vision, goals, and values.

Three Ways that Emotionally Engaged Leaders Impact Employees

Trust and Transparency: Emotionally engaged leaders establish an environment of trust and transparency by being open and honest with their team members. This cultivates a sense of psychological safety, encouraging employees to share ideas, express concerns, and take risks without fear of negative consequences.
Personal and Professional Growth: Emotionally engaged leaders invest in their employee’s growth and development. They provide mentoring, coaching, and opportunities for learning and advancement. This commitment to individual growth enhances employee skills and knowledge and demonstrates that the organisation values their long-term success.
Motivation and Empowerment: Emotionally engaged leaders inspire and motivate their employees by recognising their achievements and providing constructive feedback. They empower their team members to make decisions, take ownership of their work, and contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s goals. This sense of autonomy increases job satisfaction and engagement.

How to Improve Employee Engagement with Emotionally Engaged Leaders

Understanding what makes a leader emotionally intelligent is essential; it is even more critical to see how they can improve employee engagement more concretely. We have four strategies that organisations can use to engage their employees with the help of emotionally engaged leaders:

Encourage Open Communication: Promote open communication channels within the organisation, allowing employees to voice their opinions, concerns, and ideas. Emotionally engaged leaders actively listen to their employees insights, seek their input, and take appropriate actions based on their feedback.
Leadership Development Programs: Organisations can implement programs focusing on emotional intelligence, empathy, and effective communication. These programs help leaders develop the skills necessary to connect with their teams on an emotional level and foster a positive work environment.
Regular Feedback and Recognition: Establish a culture of feedback and recognition where leaders provide regular, constructive feedback to their team members. Recognise and celebrate employee achievements, both big and small, to reinforce a culture of appreciation and motivate continued engagement.
Lead by Example: Leaders should model the behaviour they expect from their employees. Emotionally engaged leaders demonstrate integrity, empathy, and a strong work ethic. They are authentic, accessible, and approachable, creating a positive and engaging work environment that makes it safe for employees to model these behaviours.

Final Thoughts

Employee engagement is crucial for organisational success, and emotionally engaged leaders are pivotal in driving and nurturing team engagement. By developing emotionally intelligent leaders who prioritise trust, transparency, motivation, empowerment, and growth, organisations can create a culture that fosters high levels of employee engagement.

Investing in leadership development programs, promoting open communication, and recognising employee contributions are some of the effective strategies that can help organisations unlock the potential of their workforce, leading to improved productivity, innovation, and overall success.

Emotionally engaged leaders bring out the best in their employees and create a work environment where individuals thrive, and organisations prosper.

As the pace of technology accelerates, we must focus on the aspects of us that make us human- creativity, empathy, innovation and awareness. In the future workplace, our ability to capitalise upon this, and develop it in others, might ultimately lead to an organisation’s success or failure.

Get in touch today for free: become an employer of choice!

Unleashing The Power of Employee Networks: Insights from Tata Consultancy Services UK & Ireland

By Claire Matthews, Global Account Manager, Top Employers Institute

As part of the 2022 Top Employers Institute’s Best Practices Week, I had the privilege of discussing employee networks with Anshoo Kapoor, Head Recruiter, and Ieva Jankelaityte, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lead at Tata Consultancy Services UK & Ireland (TCS), a certified Top Employer.

Recognising the often untapped potential of employee networks, TCS made a strategic decision to establish formal networks. The goal was to facilitate connections between employees and leverage the collective resources of these groups. By nurturing existing relationships, TCS aimed to harness their positive influence within the company, the community, and the lives of the individuals involved.

Here are some of the key insights shared during our engaging conversation.

The Power of Employee Networks

We started by discussing TCS’s motivation to bring all the employee networks under one umbrella and create the Networks of Networks. Anshoo explained, “Employee networks are nothing new. We all have them. What we’re really trying to do is create exponential value.” She explained that by formally bringing employee networks together they could learn from each other, pool resources, and have a significant collective impact on the company.

At TCS, each network has defined roles to provide structure: a business sponsor, network chair, and council members. The business sponsor offers strategic guidance and advocates for the network’s initiatives. Network chairs oversee the agenda, often driven by their passion for a specific cause. These positions rotate every couple of years to help foster fresh perspectives and broaden participation. The council serves as a crucial bridge, bringing together business and employee networks. Each business unit nominates a senior leader to join the council, enabling seamless communication between the networks and various company departments.

Collaboration between the networks and the company at large extends beyond the council. “Two-way communication is very important with employee networks,” Ieva explained, “For our decision-making process – whether it’s policies or practices – we come to our employee networks and ask for their feedback. Sometimes the networks even approach us asking if certain practices can be reviewed.” This approach ensures that TCS benefits from the valuable insights and perspectives of its employee networks, cultivating a culture of continuous improvement.

Building Bridges for Inclusion

Employee networks are employee-driven, and participation is voluntary. As the programme has grown, they have discovered alignment between the networks’ goals and those of the company. Ieva described this shared mission: “With the help of our employee networks, we are trying to empower our network members to use their influence for inclusion without exception because that is essentially what we are striving for. We want to create an environment where everyone can thrive and be their full authentic selves.”

In collaboration with employees, eleven distinct networks were established, each addressing specific areas of diversity and inclusion. The networks are:

The Hive Gender Diversity,
QOLORS – LGBTQ+ & Allies,
Enable,
Culture Ambassadors,
Workplace Parents,
TCS Minds & Mental Health First Aiders,
Learning Influencers, SME & Faculty Network,
Maitree & Community Champions,
UNO Parenting Club,
BRIDGE, &
Arise.

They are bringing all these groups under the unified banner of the Networks of Networks to foster allyship. Additionally, by centralising these networks, new joiners gain valuable insights into the level and nature of engagement within each group. Moreover, individuals who identify with multiple employee networks can remain connected to all groups even if they lack the time to participate in more than one.

Realising Untapped Potential

TCS greatly emphasises on cultivating a diverse workforce encompassing various backgrounds and life experiences. The recruitment process is the foundation of an individual’s relationship with the company; therefore, ensuring inclusivity from the very beginning is crucial. Anshoo elaborates, “I can say we have been on our toes trying to get the best people in. There are a lot of untapped talent pools, and the employee networks are a great reminder to ensure we are inclusive, making reasonable adjustments to ensure people of different backgrounds can come into the workforce and have the opportunity to blossom and grow.”

Employee networks serve as a critical asset in promoting diversity and helping employees feel valued and accepted. In addition to tapping into employee networks, TCS recognises the significance of considering key people segments during recruitment. Each position is carefully evaluated with these segments in mind to ensure that potential candidates from these groups are given equal consideration. The people segments TCS identified are:

Gender diversity,
LGBTQ+
Culture, race, & ethnicity,
Veterans
Disability, neurodiversity, & mental health, &
Generations/age diversity.

Through establishing the Network of Networks, TCS has successfully strengthened its commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. This initiative has not only contributed to the company’s mission but has also significantly enhanced employee satisfaction. A recent survey among network participants revealed that an overwhelming 95% of respondents acknowledged the employee network’s positive impact on their professional success.

Becoming LGBTQ+ Allies: Going Beyond DEI Initiatives for Pride Month

By Sinakho Dhlamini, HR Content Specialist, Top Employers Institute

Over the past several years, organisations have used Pride month to begin, reinvent or sharpen up their DEI efforts for members of the LGBTQ+. But it only happens once a year; for many people, more is needed beyond this concentration of action once a year. Instead, organisations will need to become active allies for the LGBTIQ+ community throughout the year by creating an inclusive environment at work. The work of becoming an active ally to support co-workers of the LGBTQ community involves more than just celebration, and this article will examine some of the ways businesses can show their commitment to not only raising awareness for the rights of the community but also to prioritise equal rights.

What is an ally?

In a few words, we can understand that being an LGBTQ+ ally means actively supporting and advocating for the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals. In the workplace, being an ally involves creating an inclusive and accepting environment where LGBTQ+ colleagues can feel safe, valued, and respected.

5 Ways organisations empower their employees to be allies for the LGBTQ+ Community.

Develop and Enforce Inclusive Policies and Practices: Policies protecting LGBTQ+ employees from discrimination and harassment are essential for organisations, including and supporting community employees. That can be done by ensuring inclusive language in company communications and having policies that ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals have equal opportunities for career advancement, promotion, and leadership roles. Organisations must set the tone for their employees, which requires action and intention.
Provide Education and Training: Organisations must provide comprehensive education and training on LGBTQ+ issues, terminology, and experiences. That can be done by offering workshops, seminars, or online resources to increase employee awareness and understanding. The education should cover topics such as LGBTQ+ history, intersectionality, and the challenges faced by the community. Educating employees on issues like this will teach them to listen, respect and look at their prejudices – helping them become better allies to their co-workers.
Create Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Establishing LGBTQ+ employee resource groups or affinity networks within the organisation to help create a safe space for discussion. These groups provide a safe and supportive space for LGBTQ+ employees and their allies to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on initiatives that promote inclusion. Organisations can support these groups by allocating resources, budget, and executive sponsorship.
Leadership Support: Leaders and managers should openly support LGBTQ+ employees and allyship efforts. They should set the tone by demonstrating inclusive behaviours, including using inclusive language and addressing any discrimination or bias in the organisation. Leadership support helps create a culture of acceptance and sets expectations for the entire organisation.
Establish Feedback and Listening Channels: Establish feedback mechanisms where employees can provide suggestions, voice concerns, or share their experiences related to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback and make necessary improvements based on their input; this demonstrates that the organisation values employee perspectives and is dedicated to continuous improvement.

Why is it important for Organisations to Support the LGBTQ+ Community?

Supporting the LGBTQ+ community promotes a culture of inclusivity and diversity within the organisation. Embracing and celebrating differences, including sexual orientation and gender identity, fosters a sense of belonging among all employees. In addition, when employees feel valued for who they are, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, it increases employee morale, engagement, and productivity.

It also has additional benefits, including:

Attracting and Retaining Talent: Creating a supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community helps attract and retain diverse talent, especially in the current competitive job market, where many candidates actively seek organisations prioritising inclusivity and equality.
Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health: Supporting the LGBTQ+ community directly contributes to the wellbeing and mental health of LGBTQ+ employees. Employees who feel supported, accepted, and respected experience reduced stress and anxiety levels.
Brand Image and Reputation: Organisations that champion LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity contribute to building a positive brand image and reputation. Consumers, clients, and stakeholders increasingly expect businesses to prioritise diversity and social responsibility.
Social Impact and Corporate Social Responsibility: Organisations can make a positive social impact by supporting the LGBTQ+ community. By actively engaging in initiatives, sponsorships, and partnerships that promote LGBTQ+ rights and equality, companies can contribute to broader social progress.

Final Thoughts

June is a time for celebration, but, more importantly, it is a time to raise awareness for LGBTQ+ people and educate people to become effective allies in the community. It is only one month, but the issues are significant throughout the year. Organisations should use June to be more active in communicating their policies and initiatives, but it should have already been a part of their people practices strategy. It is also critical to allow LGBTQ+ people the space to become powerful voices while their friends and coworkers support them by taking action to become an ally.

Make inclusion a part of your organization, get in touch for free to become an employer of choice!