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.

Empowering Individual’s Growth & Transformation

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education and professional development, traditional learning methods, jargon, and frameworks are giving way to a new era of sophisticated and personalised learning fueled by cutting-edge technology. This seismic shift has ushered in an unprecedented level of personalisation in the learning experiences of individuals, particularly in the corporate world. Employees now expect to be treated as “internal” customers, and employers are increasingly prioritising a “person-centric” approach that profoundly impacts the way learning is delivered and experienced.

In a recent LinkedIn Live Event, Dwen Hwee, HR Head, Singapore and Korea at Tata Consultancy Services and Billy Elliott, Regional Director for APAC at Top Employers Institute, discussed an outstanding best practice of how they make learning available to anyone to learn anytime, anywhere, using any content or any device. Here are some key learnings from the session:

Read ahead to get a snapshot of some of the session’s highlights; fill in the form to get the recording of the webinar to watch whenever you have a moment.

TCS’s Culture of Learning and Democratizing Skills

TCS, a renowned global leader in IT services and consulting, has fostered a culture of learning by creating a comprehensive learning ecosystem. This ecosystem encourages employees to take charge of their careers and focuses on people, purpose, and the democratisation of talent and skills within the organisation. TCS offers a range of learning formats, including self-paced learning, virtual classes, game-based learning, and more, supported by partnerships with external training providers.

Building a Robust Learning Ecosystem: Addressing Digital Demands and Driving Business Success

TCS recognised the need to develop a comprehensive learning ecosystem to address the evolving demands of digital technology and ensure the continuous growth and development of its employees. Several factors contributed to the development of this learning ecosystem, including:

The need to have Talent Fungibility as a strategic value
Learning as a driver of business success
The need for the organisation and employees to have relevant skills
The Digital Transformation Wave and remain innovative

To build a learning culture within TCS, which translates to purpose-led talent development, they developed it across five pillars:

Providing training opportunities – Linking learning with career and rewards

Being a partner function – Fueling business growth by being a part of business strategy & operations

Onboarding more training partners – Creating innovative & seamless learning ecosystems

Provisioning learning content – Building agility and hunger to learn and unlearn

Conducting technology or leadership programs – Nurturing growth & transformation mindset while focusing on cost & efficiency

TCS has developed various initiatives to support these pillars:

Talent Development Digital Ecosystem – TCS developed a talent development digital ecosystem anchored in their HR and resourcing teams. They engage, retain, and develop employees across the globe, aligning closely with the business to support its growth. The ecosystem includes the iEvolve learning and competency management system, which offers a diverse range of learning formats and proficiency levels. The iEvolve system serves as a one-stop-shop for employees to access training and certification records, whether internal or external. Various learning formats are on the platform, including in-person workshops, hackathons, self-learning and Gamification. As an example, under the digital ecosystem, TCS uses a virtual iQclass, where employees can learn from other employees overseas in a live session. The digital learning ecosystem enables TCS’s 5As of learning – which is for Anyone to learn Anytime, Anywhere, using Any content delivered on Any device.
The T-Factor – using an in-house built Algorithm using AI, provides a measure of relevant skills for all TCS employees. TCS employs a unique approach called the T-factor to cater to employees at different experience levels. This approach encourages employees to develop expertise in multiple digital technology skills while also excelling in one or a few specific areas. The T-factor was introduced to anticipate the increasing demand for digital technology skills, and it ensures that employees are prepared and trained to apply these skills in real business contexts and support customers in transforming their businesses.

Xcelerate – This is TCS’s career guidance management platform designed to help employees navigate their career paths. Through Xcelerate, employees can log in and input their desired roles, preferred technologies, and a timeframe for progression. The platform then generates a personalised learning path based on the employee’s current skill sets and desired career trajectory. Xcelerate also offers interactive features such as 360-degree feedback, where colleagues and supervisors provide comments and feedback, fostering holistic development in both technical and soft skills. Employees can participate as mentors or choose mentors from a registered list. The platform provides career insights, including learning paths of employees in desired roles, competency gap analysis, and engagement indexes. Xcelerate seamlessly integrates with TCS Elevate, a talent framework comprising three pillars: Junior Talent, Mid-level Talent, and Emerging Leader and Senior Leadership paths.

Driving Career Advancement: Transformative Benefits of TCS’s Learning Ecosystem

Over 170 000 employees across TCS have been placed in projects across the business, which will help them reach the roles they desire in future. At TCS, their learning ecosystem results in numerous benefits for our employees. They gain a wide range of digital technology skills while specialising in specific areas, positioning themselves for career advancement. Through personalised learning paths and continuous access to training programs, they engage in ongoing learning, ensuring their skills remain relevant. Our interactive platforms, like Xcelerate, provide holistic development opportunities through 360-degree feedback and mentorship, nurturing well-rounded professionals. By actively participating in shaping their learning journeys, employees experience increased engagement, ownership, and motivation.

The Transformative Power of Applied Artificial Intelligence

How it is Impacting Decision Making in the Workplace

The world of work is constantly being moulded by new technologies and changing demands from employees and employers. Artificial Intelligence is one of the latest and possibly, most impactful technologies shifting the global landscape.

As AI systems become increasingly more common in production lines, offices, prediction models and workplace decisions, it is critical to explore how adopting AI will impact economic activity and professional lives.

Defining Artificial Intelligence

You no longer need to be a data scientist to engage with complex data. The term applied AI is everywhere, and it can be easy to forget what it encompasses with all the new rhetoric we’re encountering.

As such, this article should define the term used throughout the piece. Applied AI involves all the activities that underlie AI’s operationalisation from experimentation to production, including enabling computers and computer-controlled robots to execute tasks. What is most interesting for business leaders and employees is how AI will be used at work and the impact on human labour and human workers.

Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

A recent global survey by McKinsey found that more than half of the respondents were beginning to implement AI in at least one of their business units. In that same study, nearly two-thirds of respondents expected their organisations to increase investments in AI over the next few years.

Applied AI is a powerful tool for organisations to improve their business practices. One of the more apparent areas for businesses to begin integrating AI in the workplace is using it to aid decision-making.

Applied Artificial Intelligence for Decision Making

Organisations have largely left the decision-making to the judgement of management judgement. However, in recent years, organisations have been increasingly interested in implementing data to aid decision-making.

Still, AI allows leaders and decision-makers to reimagine how they manage processes, how to use AI for talent acquisition, and organisational structures, but how is it reshaping how organisations operate?

Five Ways that Applied Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Decision Making

Enhanced Data Analysis:

One of the primary ways applied AI transforms decision-making is by enhancing an organisation’s data analysis capabilities. With the ever-growing data available to businesses, traditional data processing and analysis methods have become inadequate. In an earlier HR analytics article this year, we examined how organisations impacted employee experiences. Still, as we have seen, the development of AI redefine what business can do with the large amounts of data they have.

With human assistance, applied AI algorithms and artificial intelligence tools can swiftly analyse vast amounts of data, extracting valuable patterns, key business metrics, trends, and correlations that would be difficult or time-consuming for humans to identify. It also removes some of the natural human biases and human errors found during analyses. It empowers decision-makers with comprehensive and accurate insights, enabling them to make informed choices backed by data-driven evidence.

Automation and Efficiency

Decision-making often involves repetitive tasks that consume valuable time and resources. Applied AI offers automation capabilities that streamline these processes, freeing human resources for more strategic and creative endeavours as complex data becomes easier to understand. AI-powered systems can handle routine tasks precisely and quickly, from data and information security to data collection and analysis to generate reports and recommendations.

AI’s big data insights improve overall efficiency and reduce the margin for human error, ensuring more reliable and consistent decision-making. It also allows human intelligence to support making decisions more efficiently as AI takes on the more mundane tasks.

Predictive Analysis

Applied AI empowers decision-makers with predictive analytics, enabling them to anticipate future outcomes and make proactive decisions. By leveraging historical data and machine learning algorithms, businesses can predict employee and customer behaviour, market trends, and potential risks. This capability allows organisations to stay ahead of the curve, adapt to changing circumstances, and capitalise on emerging opportunities. Predictive analytics supported by applied AI brings a competitive advantage by reducing uncertainty and enabling agile decision-making.

Risk Management and Compliance

Applied AI is also making significant strides in risk management and compliance. By analysing substantial amounts of data and identifying patterns, AI systems can flag potential risks, anomalies, or compliance violations. This proactive approach mitigates risks and ensures that organisations adhere to regulations and ethical standards. AI-powered tools can continuously monitor and assess data, providing decision-makers with real-time insights and alerts to support risk mitigation strategies.

Personalised Decision Support

Every decision-maker has unique preferences, biases, and decision-making styles. Applied AI can provide personalised decision support by understanding individual patterns and adapting to specific needs. AI-powered systems can learn from previous decisions and tailor recommendations to align with the decision-makers objectives and constraints. This level of personalisation empowers individuals to make decisions that align with their strategic vision while considering a broader range of relevant factors.

Considerations Organisations Need to Make as they Implement Artificial intelligence in the Workplace

Artificial intelligence in the workplace can provide big data insights for organisations. In contrast, the integration of artificial intelligence in decision-making processes has the potential to revolutionise how organisations operate and achieve their business objectives. Applied AI offers powerful tools and capabilities to enhance efficiency, improve accuracy, and unlock valuable insights. However, as organisations embrace this transformative technology, it is crucial to consider certain factors to ensure successful implementation and maximise the benefits.

These considerations include, but are not limited to:

Clearly Define Objectives

Before integrating applied AI into decision-making processes, organisations must clearly define their objectives, and this involves identifying the specific challenges or areas where AI can provide the most value. Whether optimising supply chain operations, improving customer experience, or enhancing risk management, organisations must align AI initiatives with their strategic goals. Defining clear objectives will enable focused implementation and ensure that AI solutions address the most critical decision-making needs.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

AI applications raise important ethical and legal considerations that organisations must carefully address. Decision-makers must ensure that the data used for training AI tools and AI technologies are obtained ethically and that privacy rights and data protection regulations are respected. Additionally, organisations must consider the potential biases and unintended consequences that AI algorithms might introduce into decision-making processes. Regular monitoring and evaluation of AI systems can help identify and mitigate biases or discriminatory outcomes, ensuring fairness and transparency in decision-making.

Human and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration

Applied AI is not meant to replace human decision-makers but augment their capabilities. Organisations should establish a framework for effective human-AI collaboration to leverage both strengths. It is essential to foster an organisational culture that encourages employees to embrace AI as a valuable tool and provides the necessary training to understand and work alongside AI systems. Clear communication channels and well-defined roles between humans and AI will enable seamless collaboration and ensure that AI-driven insights are effectively integrated into decision-making.

Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation

Integrating applied AI in decision-making is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and evaluation. Organisations should establish mechanisms to assess the performance and effectiveness of AI systems regularly. This involves monitoring key metrics, evaluating the impact of AI-driven decisions, and gathering user feedback. Continuous improvement and adaptation based on real-world feedback will help refine AI models and generative AI tools to enhance decision-making outcomes and uncover opportunities for further optimisation.

Scalability and Flexibility

Organisations should consider the scalability and flexibility of AI solutions when incorporating them into decision-making processes. As the needs of the business evolve, the applied AI infrastructure should be able to adapt and accommodate new requirements. One example may involve selecting AI technologies that can easily integrate with existing systems or investing in scalable cloud-based solutions.

Final Thoughts

Applied artificial intelligence is revolutionising decision-making in the workplace by augmenting human capabilities, enhancing data analysis, enabling predictive analytics, streamlining processes, and offering personalised support. In addition, artificial intelligence in the workplace can be used to turn complex data into something that a larger group of people can understand.

The implementation of artificial intelligence does not mean the elimination of human workers, human intelligence, or human creativity. On the contrary, if used correctly, artificial intelligence should provide valuable insights, minimise repetitive tasks, assist in an employee’s personal development and, with evidence-based reasoning uncovered, make work more efficient. As a result, organisations that carefully embrace AI tools have the opportunity to create a new modern workforce without making employees fearful of machine learning causing job losses.

Key Takeaways: Embedding Systemic Inclusion with Tata Consultancy Services

Virtual Fireside Chat with Preeti D’Mello, Tata Consultancy Services, and Adrian Seligman, Top Employers Institute.

There is no diversity without inclusion.

Inclusion is now an integral part of any organisation’s diversity offerings. Leading organisations, like certified Top Employer Tata Consultancy Services, are integrating it into their overall business strategy. Creating an inclusive workplace culture differs from simply creating a diverse company culture. An inclusive work culture allows employees to feel included irrespective of who they are or how they identify themselves.

In this webinar, Preeti D’Mello, Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion & LeaD Academy at TCS, and Adrian Seligman, Executive Board Member at Top Employers Institute, spoke about how to adopt a holistic and systematic view of diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging to create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture.

Throughout the session, they touched on how organisations, and their HR leaders, can build their capacity for emotional intelligence, embodied self-awareness, compassion and sensitivity. While also touching on how individuals can demonstrate personal impact and accountability through good actions for themselves and others.

Read ahead to get a snapshot of some of the session’s highlights; fill in the form to get the recording of the webinar to watch whenever you have a moment.

TCS is a large multinational organisation with around 600 000 employees; Adrian and Preeti began their conversation about inclusion by exploring how TCS sees its employees as individuals. Following that, Preeti expanded on the question by sharing some best practices from TCS:

While the company is large, TCS manage to keep their everyday operating teams small. It allows them to operate similarly to a country with states, counties and townships. In simpler terms, they manage to organise their large employee numbers into smaller groups to keep it manageable. It also allows each group to interact within and outside of their group.
At TCS, they also maintain a company culture of open communication where feedback is not only encouraged but also helps to facilitate collaboration. They provide space for teams to voice their opinions openly without fear. While this is difficult, they ensure their company structure supports this culture.
They also know that they must keep evolving to maintain their inclusive culture.

Inclusion at Scale with HCL – Read Now

How TCS’s DE&I strategy fits into their talent attraction strategy.

When hiring and advertising open positions, they ensure clear messaging around the diverse identity groups they have in their organisations. TCS also partner with organisations that promote certain identity groups to ensure that they get the best candidates and a diverse range of candidates.
They use word of mouth to help find new employees as they value the opinions of their current employees and want to find new employees who will be a neat cultural fit in the organisation. They also look at the internal dynamics of their current employees to help inform recent hiring decisions.
At TCS, they make sure that their DE&I strategy is communicated internally and externally so that you are aware of the organisation’s strategic objectives, whether you are new or old to the company.

How TCS help, their leaders succeed in creating a culture of belonging across the organisation.

There is a mandate for inclusion and belonging that is now a mandate for business results. They did this when they understood that there was a clear relationship between doing the right thing and improved business results. It first began to gain momentum in the United States and then became a worldwide phenomenon.
They ensure that their organisation has a precise value alignment with those who work in and outside the company. It is a part of their big message that while business is about products and solutions, it is also about the quality of people a business works with.
To engage with their leaders, TCS started by showing them some of the positives of working within an inclusive organisation.
They encourage open and honest conversations with their leaders and employees to share the positives of working in a diverse and inclusive environment.
They foster learning about conscious and unconscious bias throughout the organisation.

The fundamental shift in their culture has come from the organisation realising that they will need to step outside of themselves and critically look at what they are doing and how they can improve that. It’s about making small steps every day to improve their culture.

Learn more about how TCS makes their DE&I strategy work by watching the full Virtual Fireside Chat now. Fill in the form now and get your link to the session.

How HR Analytics is Changing the Everyday Employee Experience in 2023

There seems to be a new term every few weeks in the people practices space. The latest one seems to consider the term of quiet quitting, while we are not looking at quiet quitting in this article, we are looking at something that is often seen as the cause of quiet quitting – and that is the importance of employee experience. Alongside that we are focusing on how HR analytics can make decisions affecting employee experience better for everyone.

As an organisation concerned with their employees, one of the primary responsibilities is to ensure that they have a positive experience while working. This is often referred to as employee experience, and it is becoming an increasingly important factor in the success of businesses today.

The importance of prioritising employee experience, beyond the trends, is also to improve productivity, reduce turnover, and enhance satisfaction. However, with so many factors contributing to employee experience, it can be challenging to know where to focus your efforts. This is where HR analytics can be useful. In this article, we will explore how HR analytics can be used to prioritise employee experience and improve overall organisational performance.

What is Employee Experience?

Employee experience refers to the sum of an employee’s interactions and perceptions of their workplace. It includes everything from the work environment to company culture, management style, benefits and compensation, and overall job satisfaction. When employees have a positive experience, they are more likely to be engaged, productive, and committed to their jobs.

What are HR Analytics?

HR analytics is the practice of using data to inform HR decision making. It involves gathering, analysing, and interpreting data related to HR metrics, such as employee engagement, turnover rates, and compensation, to help organisations make more informed decisions. Organisations can identify trends and patterns using HR analytics, and by use this information to make data-driven decisions that can have a significant impact on employee experience.

Why is Prioritising Employee Experience Important?

There are several reasons why prioritising employee experience is critical for the success of any business. Here are just a few:

Increased Productivity

When employees have a positive experience, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated, which leads to increased productivity. In fact, a many studies have found that highly engaged teams are more productive than their less-engaged counterparts.

Reduced Turnover

When employees have a positive experience, they are less likely to leave their jobs, which can save a company significant time and money on recruitment and training costs.

Improved Brand Reputation

Companies that prioritize employee experience often have a better reputation in the market, which can help attract and retain customers, as well as top talent.

Why Use HR Analytics to Prioritize Employee Experience?

There are several reasons why HR analytics can be an effective tool for organisations that are prioritising their employee’s experience:

Provides Objective Data

HR analytics can provide objective data that can help HR leaders identify areas of the organisation where employee experience may be lacking. For example, if data shows that employee turnover rates are high in a particular department, HR leaders can investigate the cause and take action to improve the situation.

Improve Decision-Making

By using HR analytics, HR leaders can make more informed decisions about where to focus their efforts to improve employee experience. This can lead to more effective programmes and initiatives that have a greater impact on overall organisational performance.

Measure the Impact of Programmes and Initiatives

HR analytics can be used to measure the impact of programmes and initiatives on employee experience. By tracking metrics such as engagement, retention, and productivity, HR leaders can determine whether their efforts are having the desired effect and make adjustments as necessary.

How to Use HR Analytics to Prioritize Employee Experience

Here are some steps that businesses can take to use HR analytics to prioritise employee experience:

Identify Key Metrics

The first step is to identify the key metrics that will be used to measure employee experience. This may include metrics such as engagement, turnover, absenteeism, and productivity.

Gather Data

HR leaders must gather data related to these key metrics. This can be done through employee surveys, performance evaluations, and other data sources.

Analyse Data

Once the data has been collected, it must be analysed to identify trends and patterns. This may involve using statistical analysis tools or working with data analysts to interpret the data.

Use Data to Make Informed Decisions

Organisations must use the data to make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts to improve employee experience. This may involve developing new strategies and initiatives, adjusting existing ones, or investing in training and development opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Prioritising employee experience is critical for the success of any business. By focusing on the needs and using HR analytics to address the concerns of employees, organisations can help create a positive workplace culture, improve productivity, reduce turnover, and enhance customer satisfaction.

While HR analytics can be a powerful tool for businesses to prioritise employee experience and improve overall organizational performance it is also not the be all and end all of how organisations should approach the needs of their employees. By using data to identify areas where employee experience may be lacking and make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts. There is still a human aspect to understanding employees through traditional methods like listening and reaching out to them to understand strategies to improve their organisation.

As an HR leader, incorporating HR analytics into your decision-making process can help you stay ahead of the competition and ensure that your organization remains competitive in the marketplace but it is not the only thing that should be considered when making these decisions. A great leader will know how to balance these aspects to find the best for their employees.

Reintegration Programmes for Women After a Career Break

Emerging Practices in Top Organisations

According to data from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, the chance of unemployment among women increases with the number of children they have. In fact, women with three or more children have an unemployment rate of up to 26% higher than their childless counterparts. There is a clear relationship between childbearing and the decline in the employment rate. However, the opposite is true for men as research shows that their unemployment rate decreases with each child.

“The role of childminding is usually assumed by women. This leads to a widening wage gap. Returning to work after a long absence is often a complicated journey. The longer you stay out, the harder it can be to get back in,” explains Massimo Begelle, Regional Manager of Top Employers Institute in Spain and Italy.

Some of the main problems encountered by women who have put their careers on hold to have a family, or for other reasons, are related to feelings of obsolescence around the current technologies and skills required to reintegrate into the workplace. “They are going to discover a different world than the one they knew,” Begelle points out, “and they may suffer from insecurities after years away from the world of work.

In leading organisations, initiatives to assist women who have taken career breaks to re-enter the labour market are an emerging best practice, with programmes that include ideas such as offering them new work experience (permanent or temporary, to serve as a platform for them to carry out another role), training in new skills, or coaching support.

“The focus of these programmes,” continues Begelle, “is not only to comply with the CSR or diversity and inclusion policies of organisations but as a way to acquire valuable, experienced talent with a wealth of life experience who, aware of these new professional opportunities, participate with a high degree of commitment.

In top organisations, these programmes are complemented by others designed to ensure that women do not have to quit their job when they have children. 74% of Top Employers in Spain already have good flexibility practices in place to adjust working hours in order to accommodate childcare. Moreover, 58% offer special leave to care for children.

Schindler and Banco Santander are two examples of companies with programmes designed for the reintegration of women who have taken career breaks.

Women Back to Business, Schindler’s Talent Recruitment Programme

In 2021, Schindler launched the Women Back to Business programme, aimed at incorporating into its organisation women who had taken a career break of several years for personal reasons, and who, despite being ready to return to the labour market, were facing a number of obstacles to re-integrate. More than a corporate social responsibility project, it was a talent recruitment programme and was approached as such.

After an intense communication campaign lasting several weeks, they set up a web page for the programme and received more than 600 applications from different profiles. They hired nine women from different areas to take on commercial and supervisory positions as middle managers.

Santander Reencuentra, a successful programme

Banco Santander’s Reencuentra (“Reunite”) programme is aimed towards women who left their professional careers for family reasons and is designed to help them re-enter the labour market with a company in their area.

This programme offers participants a professional experience in Santander in an office close to them, formative retraining that includes the completion of an Online MBA and training in digital skills, coaching for employment, and outplacement firm services, all with the aim of finding them a stable job.

In its first edition, the programme had 100 participants, with an average age range of between 38 and 46 years, returning from a professional break of between 5 and 10 years. 84% of these participants managed to find employment during the course of this initiative. Santander plans to launch the next edition of this programme in 2023.