[success story] strengthening engagement and growth in under-represented populations through career coaching

client profile

ownership: public
size: 75,000+ employees
revenue: $52 billion
market impact: Fortune 100 company

background

How does a company focused on innovation and future technologies apply the same forward momentum to their own diversity mission promoting inclusion, engagement and retention? That’s a question one market-leading organization was looking to solve. To achieve this goal, they partnered with RiseSmart to help increase employee interest in internal roles within and across the organization by creating genuine connections between diverse employees and senior leaders.

solution

Members of the company’s Black & African-American Employee Resource Group were provided access to a career coach online platform with the objective of preparing to meet with senior managers during leader connect sessions. RiseSmart coaches worked with employees to better articulate their career stories, and with senior leaders on recognizing their own moments of privilege, which may have influenced their careers, to create open, transparent dialog with under-represented populations.

• RiseSmart career coaching and career development portal was offered to 1,500 members of their Black & African-American Employee Resource Group.
• Participants engaged in over 1,300 coaching sessions which taught them how to develop and present their personal value proposition (PVP), make effective networking connections, and guided them on action items to spark meaningful conversations with senior leaders.
• RiseSmart coached over 140 senior leaders prior to the event. Our coaches helped these leaders to be mindful of bias and privilege in support of the creation of their PVP and career story and how to effectively share it. They learned the value and importance of empathic leadership and active listening skills stressing the value of mindful presence.

key results

By teaming with RiseSmart to power their investment in diverse talent, the company fostered proximity, exposure and the growth of organic opportunities for genuine connections and sponsorship, leading to more promotion of people of color into leadership roles.. This in turn strengthened its strategic market impact as a Fortune 100 company that promotes an agile, connected and sustainable workforce.

78% of engaged participants held multiple calls with their coach, showing that participants found value in their conversations which helped to prepare them to share their career story with senior leaders

Employee participants and senior leaders alike reported success and satisfaction with RiseSmart’s career coaching. Together, the company and RiseSmart enabled genuine connections from which leaders maintain regular conversations about growth and career opportunities.