Insights from the People Summit 2024



Today, 84% of the organisations are defining a vision for how technology contributes to the overall employee experience. That was the focus of the People Summit 2024, hosted by SAP and the Top Employers Institute, which took place on June 12, 2024, at the SAP Labs Campus in Bengaluru, Whitfield in India. 

And we’re delighted to share some of the resources shared during the People Summit: 

World of Work Trends 2024 

Top Employers Institute’s World of Work Trends 2024 analyses the latest trends in people strategies and practices from leading organisations globally. In the report, our analysis showed five significant trends affecting workplaces in 2024. Those trends are:   

  • Empower through AI   
  • The Future Defined with Purpose   
  • Dialogue for Transformation   
  • Evolution of Wellbeing Effectiveness   
  • Broaden the Horizon of DEI   

These trends were unpacked by Adrian Seligman, Executive Board Member at the Top Employers Institue. You can download the report here, and watch Adrian’s Keynote here:  

Future of Work – Trend Report 2024 

Throughout the People Summit, insights were shared by SAP which also featured many insights from the research they’re doing into the future of work. SAP have identified future of work trends three strategic dimensions.  You can access an array of resources shared by SAP during the conference here:  

  • SAP Flex Team Workshop – This Design Thinking inspired workshop helps teams successfully navigate a hybrid work model  

Future-Proofing HR: Trends and Transformations in India  

The People Summit also featured a wonderful panel discussion on future-proofing HR and discussing trends and transformations in the Indian Landscape. On the panel was Kavita Kurup, Global Head HR and Corporate Communications at UST, Shilpy Sharma, Regional HR Head at Empower, Kiran Sn, Vice President – HR, HCLTech, Shweta Mohanty, Head of Human Resources: India at SAP and Billy Elliott, Regional Director Asia-Pacific, Top Employers Institute.  

They addressed the integration of technology, the distinction and enhancement of employee experience vs. engagement, the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DE&I), and strategies for skills development and talent management. 

Key points included: 

  • Technological Integration: Shilpy Sharma highlighted the evolving role of technology in HR, emphasizing advancements that boost organizational efficiency while considering potential drawbacks like job displacement and privacy concerns. 
  • Employee Experience vs. Engagement: Kavita Kurup differentiated between the two concepts, sharing successful UST initiatives to enhance both through personalized approaches and flexible work arrangements. 
  • Skills Development and Talent Management: Kiran SN discussed HCLTech’s approach to upskilling and reskilling, aligning talent initiatives with strategic goals, and addressing challenges like budget and time constraints. 
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity: Shweta Mohanty shared effective strategies and impactful programs at SAP to promote DE&I, acknowledging challenges like unconscious bias and tokenism. 

To view the complete panel discussion, please visit: Panel discussion – Future-Proofing HR: Trends and Transformations in India

3 Trends Changing the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Landscape

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles are more critical than ever. In our World of Work Trend 2024, we discovered a significant shift in the prioritisation of DEI for Top Employers.

Despite the challenges of 2023, there was an 18 percentage point increase in the prioritisation of DEI. This means that two in five Top Employers were continuing to prioritise DEI, a trend that underscores the growing importance of DEI in the business landscape.

As HR teams and leaders, you hold a significant role in fostering an environment that embraces these values. Understanding DEI and its benefits can transform your organisation, driving innovation, employee satisfaction, and overall success. Your actions are key to making a difference.

What is DEI?

  • Diversity refers to the variety of differences among people in an organisation. These differences include race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and education. Diversity is about recognising, respecting, and valuing the unique attributes that each individual brings to the table.
  • Equity is the principle of fairness in processes and outcomes. While equality implies treating everyone equally, equity involves recognising that people have different needs, experiences, and opportunities and adjusting policies and practices accordingly. It ensures that everyone has access to the same opportunities and is not disadvantaged due to systemic barriers.
  • Inclusion creates an environment where all individuals feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. It goes beyond simply having diverse representation to ensuring that diverse individuals are actively included in all aspects of organisational life and decision-making.

Put in simpler terms, DEI is a set of closely held values by organisations that aim to support and include different groups of individuals, including people of different races, ethnicities, disabilities, gender identification and more.

It’s about creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and included.

Benefits of DEI

  1. Enhanced Innovation and Creativity: A diverse workforce combines many perspectives, experiences, and problem-solving approaches. This diversity of thought fosters creativity and innovation. Studies have shown that diverse teams are likelier to introduce new ideas and solutions than homogenous teams. By embracing DEI, organisations can unlock the full creative potential of their employees.
  2. Improved Employee Engagement and Performance: When employees feel valued and included, their job satisfaction and engagement levels rise. Inclusive workplaces are characterised by higher morale and a sense of belonging, which translate into increased productivity and performance. Employees who believe their organisation is committed to DEI are more likely to be motivated, loyal, and willing to go the extra mile.
  3. Greater Talent Attraction and Retention: In an increasingly competitive job market, organisations prioritising DEI have a significant advantage in attracting top talent. Job seekers today, particularly younger generations, place a high value on diversity and inclusion. A commitment to DEI signals that an organisation is forward-thinking and socially responsible, making it an attractive workplace. Additionally, inclusive workplaces tend to have lower turnover rates, saving costs for recruiting and training new employees.
  4. Better Decision Making: Diverse teams bring diverse perspectives and experiences, leading to more well-rounded and informed decision-making. When considering various viewpoints, organisations can identify potential pitfalls and opportunities that may have been overlooked.
  5. Increased Employee Innovation: An inclusive environment encourages employees to share their ideas and take risks without fear of being marginalised or dismissed. This culture of open communication and respect can lead to a higher rate of innovation and continuous improvement within the organisation.

Trends in DEI

The consideration of diversity will become intersectional and will expand far beyond single demographic segmentations

DEI initially focused on a handful of single demographic segments, such as interventions related to gender or race. While these groupings will remain focus areas, 2024 will see a shift towards a more nuanced approach to DEI. The aspects of employee identities acknowledged and welcomed in the workplace will expand.

Top employers increased their offerings and policies to better support employee needs related to disability, parents and carers, social class, educational background, LGBTQ+, and ageing in 2023. Neurodiversity was measured for the first time in our HR Best Practices Survey.

While only 22% currently have specific practices or policies regarding Neurodiversity, 72% expect the importance of Neurodiversity in people’s practices to increase by 2026.

Analytics and metrics will increase in sophistication

One reason why many organisations have focused on race and gender in DEI initiatives is that it is relatively easy to measure. Not all demographics are straightforward to capture. However, we have learned from progress in gender representation that data is critical to improvement.

This information is typically gathered by encouraging respondents to voluntarily and anonymously self-identify regarding belonging to underrepresented groups.

Each demographic comes with distinct challenges. For example, in specific geographies, asking employees to share LGBTQ+ identities could result in legal and physical danger.

For others, inconsistency in definitions could muddy the waters. Social class includes considering a person’s social and economic future, shaped by where they start. The parent’s educational and occupational history is sometimes used as a proxy but can also be deceptive. Resolving these obstacles will depend on an organisation’s unique context, with priority always given to employee safety, respect, and the right to define their identities rather than data clarity.

The impact of artificial intelligence on DEI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) development is poised to impact DEI initiatives within organisations profoundly. AI technologies offer numerous opportunities to enhance DEI efforts, from improving recruitment processes to ensuring fairer workplace practices.

However, the integration of AI also presents challenges that must be navigated carefully to avoid reinforcing existing biases and inequalities.

We’ve seen already the impact of AI on your talent acquisition strategy, but machine learnings software can play a crucial role also in fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

AI-powered HR analytics can monitor and analyse employee interactions and engagement, identifying patterns that may indicate issues of exclusion or discrimination.

By providing real-time employee insights, AI can help HR leaders address potential problems proactively and develop targeted interventions to promote inclusivity.

Furthermore, AI-driven training programs can educate employees about unconscious biases and inclusive behaviours, fostering a more equitable and respectful work environment.

The deployment of AI in DEI initiatives is not without risks. If AI systems are trained on biased data or if their development lacks diverse perspectives, they can perpetuate and even exacerbate existing biases.

For example, an AI tool trained on historical hiring data from a homogenous workforce may inadvertently favour candidates who resemble past hires, thus reinforcing a lack of diversity.

To prevent this, organisations must implement rigorous checks and balances, including diverse teams of developers and ongoing audits of AI systems to ensure fairness and accountability.

Final Thoughts

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are not just buzzwords or trends but essential components of a thriving, modern organisation.

Organisations can drive meaningful change by embedding DEI into the core of their organisational culture.

By doing so, they can unlock many benefits, from enhanced innovation and employee engagement to improved decision-making.

Embracing DEI is not just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do for the future success of your organisation.

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. 

 

Read More: Best Practice | Count Me In: Diversity & Inclusion at Mitie 

 

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

  1. 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. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 
  4. 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. 
  5. 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. 

 

Read More: Key Takeaways: Embedding Systemic Inclusion with Tata Consultancy Services 

 

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!

Best Practice | Count Me In: Diversity & Inclusion at Mitie



Mitie’s Count Me In learning and development programme is aimed at challenging the way colleagues think about diversity and inclusion, while stimulating healthy conversation. The programme was developed based on feedback from Mitie colleagues regarding their experiences with inclusion.

This is just a snapshot of Mitie’s innovative best practice; you can find the full practice on our HR Best Practices database that is exclusively available to Top Employers. Get inspiration and insight into the approach, challenges and learnings experienced by certified Top Employers. Access it now or learn more about it here!

Why was the practice needed?    

When certified Top Employer, Mitie Group, created a new Head of Diversity and Inclusion they saw an opportunity to step beyond traditional unconscious bias training for a more mindful approach to issues around D&I. After receiving employee feedback that showed a need for the organisation to focus more on the needs of women in the workplace, race and ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and age-diversity. These were all issues that fall under the umbrella term of diversity and inclusion.

In 2021, against the backdrop of the company’s recent merger with Interserve, the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, Mitie’s Count Me In programme was able to deeply connect their people to each other. The aim of the programme was to not only understand their own company culture but also the culture of their employees and the challenges that are brought with different cultures. The programme also wanted to try and represent all these different cultures and people in their company story.

How HCL Achieves Inclusion at a Global Scale

How was the practice implemented?

Mitie wanted to challenge the way that their people think with their Count Me In programme by encouraging them to have authentic and open conversations. Most importantly, Mitie wanted to create an environment where every employee felt able to bring their authentic and whole self to work. To meet these goals, they designed the programme as a journey of growth that would happen over four phases:

  1. Count on Me: starting point in which employees look at their own strengths and biases.
  2. Count on Us: this phase focuses on team culture and provides the opportunity for teams to create an environment of trust and empathy in which colleagues feel safe to speak up.
  3. Count on Mitie: as part of an inclusive organisation all employees feel a sense of belonging.
  4. Count on the Future: the Count Me In initiative continues to support and encourage an inclusive culture as well as to ensure that ED&I strategies remain in focus going forward.

Across the programme, Count Me In covered the following topics:

  • Assumptions and bias
  • Strengths and superpowers
  • What is and isn’t ok to say
  • Banter
  • Inclusive conversations
  • Conscious Inclusion
  • Building relationships
  • Allyship
  • D&I basics
  • Speaking up
  • Inclusive leadership behaviours

The first two phases of the programme encouraged employees to reflect on their own understanding of diversity and inclusion while developing new awareness around it. While doing this they also worked on creating an environment that was safe for everyone to speak up in. The programme was not designed to be stagnant. Instead Mitie carefully constructed the training to be continuously developed over time with new training developed on further feedback from employees at the organisation.

When the programme progressed the focus shifted from internal reflection to ensuring that the organisation had a culture of psychological safety that allowed them to speak up and speak out.

The programme was not only limited to non-executive employees, but rather it extended into leadership levels with reverse mentoring and training to help manage escalations. Throughout the programme employees were helped to identify people that they could reach out to for various types of help. Management needed to be prepared for conversations that required the highest level of care and consideration.

While this was happening, the Executive Leadership and Group Leadership teams pledged their commitment to the overarching objective of the programme, which was to create an environment of inclusion throughout the organisation where each person feels comfortable in being themselves at work. In all of the leadership meetings at Mitie D&I is a standing topic with quantifiable metrics for follow-up and measurement across the company.

To learn more about how they implemented the programme you can find this practice on our HR Best Practice database. Access it now or learn more about how to become part of a global network of employers of choice!

Results of implementing Count Me In.

The programme’s first activity was an online self-assessment was completed by over 6 000 people at Mitie. It was followed by ‘Let me tell you a story…’ during which over 4 000 participants listened to a story being told before they were asked to answer questions designed to illuminate biased assumptions about the characters.

After the programme was implemented across Mitie they found:

  • Over 24 000 employees have engaged with some or all the learning activity.
  • Average NPS across all activities is 99%.
  • Over 17 000 inclusivity commitments have been made by employees at all levels.

There were also several strategic benefits revealed by the programme:

  • The number of colleagues registered in Mitie’s diversity networks grew fivefold. 
  • Mitie continued to report their Gender Pay Gap and they voluntarily published their Ethnicity Pay Gap report.
  • This initiative helped Mitie to become number 10 in the top 50 Inclusive Employers in the UK.
  • Mitie has improved gender and racially diverse representation in senior leadership roles, 21% of Women and 8% of Racially Diverse.

To get more details about how Mitie made their Count Me In programme work find this practice on our HR Best Practice database. Access it now or learn more about it here!

Inclusion at Scale

Understanding HCL Technologies’ Diversity & Inclusion Best Practices 

Certified Top Employer HCL Technologies is a global technology company that helps businesses adapt to and excel in the digital age. With four decades of experience, 187 000 ‘ideaprenuers,’ and operations in over 50 countries, the company’s technology products and services are enhanced by its long history and extensive network. At the core of their longevity and management of such successful, large-scale operations is a commitment to fostering a positive workplace environment. 

A robust diversity and inclusion programme is a key part of their company culture. “Inclusion at Scale” is an internal programme that translates their diversity and inclusion goals into continuous education, practical application, and awareness initiatives. Featuring four phases, the programme entails micro-learning opportunities, conversation guides, performance management processes, and an LGBTQ educational series about key issues in the community and allyship. Ultimately, the programme’s goal is for these diversity and inclusion practices to become the default, part of business as usual. 

The programme’s guiding philosophy believes that unless inclusion is a priority, exclusion happens unintentionally. Diversity is a seat at the table, while inclusion is a voice at the table. It is essential to treat these two values equally and that they work in partnership. With these values firmly in place, employees have a safe space to share their unique skills and ideas. 

HCL’s desire to foster a safe and healthy work environment and continuously improve their products and services motivates the company to prioritise this initiative. Diverse teams outperform homogenous groups in innovation, creativity, empathy, and other key metrics. Productivity increases, subsequently increasing revenue. Additionally, an inclusive environment makes employees feel valued and that their contributions are taken seriously. They feel more invested in the company’s future. High employee satisfaction is a powerful recruitment and retention tool, meaning there will be more talent to choose from as the company grows. 

The benefits are not only internal. Having a diverse and inclusive team better enables a company to connect with potential and current clients. When employees have a similar background to the client, they understand cultural nuances at play in the relationship. Customers feel more respected and understood. Just as employee satisfaction increases because of these values, so does customer satisfaction. With so many internal and external benefits, these practices are clearly relevant to everyone and not limited to certain groups or minorities. 

Watch this video to hear Debasis Sarkar, Vice President of Human Resources, Head HCL APAC & Middle East and Enterprise HR Head HCL Technologies, share more insights about the company’s diversity and inclusion philosophy and the impact of their programmes. He describes three key actions all employees are encouraged to take, the importance of learning nudges at all levels of leadership, and other best practices from HCL’s Inclusion at Scale programme.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Not Just a Numbers Game



In our For A Better World of Work webinar series: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Not just a numbers game, Sherlonda Martin, Head of Global Diversity Equity and Inclusion for GMSGQ Division, Takeda and Chantal Sanglier, an HR Auditor from Top Employers Institute, discussed several approaches for creating an inclusive work environment, that allows for employees  to have open conversations while give all employees a voice.

Around 94% of Top Employers consider Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) a strategic and key business imperative, but only 74% of them have a DE&I strategy in place. And only 60% hold business leaders accountable for DE&I related goals. The challenge for organizations lies in shifting conversations about DE&I from just a ‘tick box’ exercise, and not just centring it around a moment, but, rather, a movement.

Watch the full webinar by filling the form on the right-hand side of your screen.

Building a comprehensive DE&I strategy

For a DE&I strategies to truly move beyond just a numbers game, a holistic strategy must be in place. As a Japanese based pharmaceutical company, the patients and employees are at the centre of everything that Takeda does. Furthermore, Takeda’s comprehensive DE&I strategy include:

  • Data analytics and metrics as a foundation – this provides perspective of where they are currently, and where they are going to. This includes looking at demographic numbers, but also looking at data around belonging (through employee experience surveys).
  • Patients, health care professional’s, employees, suppliers & community – meaning that DE&I is not only valued in the organization, but also those that they associate with. A major project ‘TakedaCares’ allows employees reach back to organizations and the community.
  • Culture, employee engagement, learning and development and communications as key pillars of the strategy.

Key DE&I initiatives

Takeda has developed several initiatives that underpin its strategic approach to DE&I. Some of the initiatives include:

  • Takeda resources groups – these employee resources groups unite employees with shared backgrounds and life experiences, as well as supporting allies, to advance business goals and foster an inclusive work environment. Some examples of their resource groups include the Black leadership council, gender parity, building Asian leaders, building disability groups etc.
  • Elevating DE&I globally: Takeda hosts annual Global DE&I Week with internal and external speakers to raise awareness and spark pertinent and important conversations.
  • Expanding DE&I leadership: they hired their first ever Global Head of DE&I and added expert roles in Switzerland, GMSGQ and more!
  • Launching a rich Learning & Development curriculum to broaden language knowledge, demonstrate inclusive leadership and better understand what it means to be an ally.

Other initiatives included the introduction of technology to manage purchasing decisions (ensuring equity), continuous focus on succession planning, interview best practices and also the growth of a talent pipeline for future needs.

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Responding in the moment

Moving the conversation about DE&I requires action from creating a moment to implementing a movement. In response to various social injustices that occurred in the United States in 2020, Takeda responded quickly through the establishment of the Black Leadership Council. Under this, a few key workstreams were developed:

  • A Minority Careers Network was launched to introduce professionals from diverse backgrounds to Takeda and highlight the latest vacancies within the organisation
  • A Campaign for Continued Involvement enabled Takeda team members to showcase their support and to encourage solidarity.
  • An Employee Voice Session conducted by the HR team provided a unique platform for team members from all demographics to share personal perspectives and reflections on recent events.
  • Discussion forums, a book club and guest speakers/authors were opportunities for Takeda employees to learn about topics including unconscious bias, courageous conversations, race literacy and wellness
  • Engagement opportunities included connecting Black Leadership Council members with third-party organisations to address the unique experiences and needs of people of colour in corporate America.
  • An Education and Training team drove ongoing communication on collaboration platforms, frequent workshops, a dedicated intranet page, a tool for social feedback, and a newsletter on cultural diversity

The webinar ended with a reflection: We should not rest until we see teams and organizations that mirror the customers we serve. With this in mind, how can you help drive equity within your sphere of influence?

Watch the complete webinar by filling the form on the right-hand side of your screen.

Key takeaways | Why diversity is not enough: the importance of inclusion



The Top Employers 2021 Certificate Celebration held on 28 January 2021 brought together HR industry experts from around the world to celebrate the work done in HR and knowledge share the best people practices. 

One of the breakout sessions called “Why diversity is not enough: the importance of inclusion”, focused on how to create a sense of belonging in the workplace.  

The session was hosted by Jonas Van Wees, HR Auditor at Top Employers Institute,  with guest speakers Mechell Chetty (Unilever SA), Anne-Sophie Chauveau-Galas (Alstom) and Raj Verma (Sanofi). The session highlights the importance of inclusion in the workplace and emphasised it as a competitive advantage for employers. Organisations that prioritise diversity and inclusion in their teams far outperform competitors. Furthermore, an inclusive workplace also drives higher levels of productivity and retention, and positively affects employee engagement.  

Watch the full session by filling in the form or read the key takeaways here:  

Takeaway # 1: Leaders need to create psychological safety 

During the session, Mechell Chetty (Uniliver SA) aptly noted that inclusion is about providing employees with a sense of comfort. An organisation’s priority is to harnesses each employee’s uniqueness and potential by creating psychological safety. This is an environment where employees can truly express themselves, innovate, take risks, and be part of solutions that are born from employees unique characteristics.  

To create a psychologically safe environment, leaders have to shift away from blaming ‘unconscious bias’ but instead work towards being consciously competent.  Thus, the conversation must shift to how leaders can create competence, whether it is on matters of gender, disabilities, or race.  

Takeaway #2: Diversity and inclusion is a vital part of employee experience 

To create an inclusive culture is to create great employee experiences that people will relate to  and remember. As an example of this, Raj Verma holds the title of Chief Diversity and Experience Officer at Sanofi – a clear indication of how important the two fields are related to each other. Employee experience starts at the pre-hire stage, up until the point of resignation or retirement. Inclusion involves creating a great employee experience at all these vital touchpoints in an employee’s lifecycle.  

Verma explained diversity and inclusion with a simple process, where the input is a great employee experience, and the output is to maintain and grow diverse talent at every level. Inclusion and creating a sense of belonging is what brings the two points together.  

Takeaway #3: Raise awareness of inclusion in the workplace 

One of the most important aspects of inclusion is creating purposeful communication and awareness in the workplace. As an example of this, Anne-Sophie Chauveau-Galas shared some initiatives that Alstom created. To raise awareness of inclusiveness in the workplace, Alstom collects all the best practices from their teams around the world. An award is given to the best initiative, which creates positive momentum and spreads the best diversity and inclusion practices across the organisation. Another example is that Alstom created an ‘All-abilities toolkit’, which is a series of tips to help people with different workplace abilities. 

 

Measuring the impact of mentoring during workplace disruption

Each year, more than 1 600 Top Employers across 119 countries/regions complete the extensive Top Employers Institute HR Best Practices Survey, which provides a wealth of information for our data analysts to collate for benchmarking trends in HR year on year.

One of the trends we are seeing is that Top Employers are increasingly taking a more formalised approach to mentoring.

Formal mentoring programmes allow organisations to create and nurture relationships by matching experienced managers with promising talents to meet specific individual development objectives.

Pairing employees with a mentor who is skilled in and capable of guiding employees creates a safe place for employees to learn, which in the current times of COVID-19 is ever more necessary.

But how do you create a safe environment for mentoring if the success of mentoring is based on the “human” connection between the mentor and the mentee? Mentoring must feel personal, relatable and connected. Pairing an employee with the right mentor is the most challenging aspect of mentoring, and the one.

So, if you are offering a mentoring programme, is it still appropriate or even possible during this pandemic? Although the virus has made it impossible for many organisations to continue face-to-face mentoring in the foreseeable future, it does not mean you cannot begin or maintain an online mentoring relationship. A mentoring programme can remain relevant and assist in keeping your employees connected, as well as be a means to show that the organisation cares for its people. 

 

Mentoring and talent development

Mentoring should be included as part of the broader talent development and people strategy. It needs to be tailored to the specific needs and objectives of your organisation. But it should not forget to consider the individual employee and where there are in their personal and professional journey.

It could be that the current situation changes the focus of mentoring for your organisation. Without the Covid-19 situation, mentoring would likely focus in most on career development, but now other functions might come into place which might relate more to emotional and well-being support.  

Therefore, it is a relevant for HR when evaluating and measuring their mentoring programme, to consider if the programme still fits in the context of the business needs. Relevant questions to ask yourself are “why does this initiative exist?” and “does this initiative still support our needs?”.

The importance of the right metrics 

Many organisations think they are measuring and tracking what is needed to determine the success of their mentoring programmes. However, this often is not the case. Most organisations focus their measurements on traditional metrics, which are related to tracking of the program and can include:

  • The number of employees participating in your programme, either as mentor or mentee.
  • The participation rate in the different initiatives: how many mentoring takes place in person, in groups or virtual for example.
  • When and how often do mentor’s and mentee’s meet?
  • What is the satisfaction rate of both mentor and mentee?

Although those metrics are important, they do not fully assess the effectiveness of a mentor programme, because they lack metrics related to determining the quality of the outcomes, such as:

  • What percentage of employees in the program is from diverse groups?
  • What is the effect of mentoring on promotion rates?
  • Do employees in the mentoring programme have access to more opportunities within the organisation?
  • Does mentoring have an impact on employee engagement results (e.g. job satisfaction or employee wellbeing)?

Having a strong HR analytics can be used to increase the success of mentoring initiatives, especially, if you can benchmark them before, during and after disruptive situations like the pandemic. uotcomes.

Metrics can – and should – be gathered from a variety of sources (including employee pulse surveys, mood-barometers, stay interviews, and focus groups) and this will help provide a more accurate indication as to whether a programme has met success, or may require adjustments.

Mentoring via online meetings can still have an equivalent outcome to in-person mentoring, but your mentor and mentee may need some support in using technology to facilitate a meaningful conversation, which could include  guidelines to create a new rhythm and find the best medium for meeting online.

We see examples with our Top Employers that create a successful digital employee experience and so continue mentoring by using online video tools, such as Skype or Microsoft Teams. Other Top Employers extended their mentoring to all employees by offering near-peer mentoring through social media platforms.

If you adjust your mentoring programmes or add additional initiatives to support your employees within the current pandemic situation, it remains relevant to measure the effects of those additional activities.

As we are still adapting in the world of work to the virtual environment, it is important to understand what works and what does not work within our organisation when it comes to mentoring.