Cheryl Allen, HR Director – Culture & Transformation, Atos answers our d&i Leaders Fast 5 questions.
Q1.
What brought you to the d&i role and what do you like most about your job?
A1.
I see the importance of having a diverse workforce for a business. Not only does it bring tangible business benefits such as increased innovation, improved profitability and improved customer satisfaction, quite frankly it is also the right thing to do given the diverse society we live in. I see the conversation has now changed and has moved from talking about the business case for diversity to driving impact and action and for me being part of that action and changing our culture is really rewarding. For me not only does my role positively impact the business, it also positively impacts upon each and every employee and the experience that they have in the workplace.
Q2.
For someone thinking of a career in d&i, or looking to get more involved in their organisations d&i activities, what three skills would you say are the most important to succeed and why
A2.
1. Data savvy – using insights to drive actions that drive impact
2. Passionately impartial
3. Resilience – driving change can be hard and it is a journey
Q3.
Tell us about a new d&i initiative you are driving at the moment and it’s aims
A3.
We have just launched our ethnicity pledge. Personally championed by our CEO who has a passion for diversity, we have developed a pledge which commits our organisation to a number of actions including driving declaration levels, reporting ethnicity pay gaps and setting targets.
Q4.
To date, which d&i related activity you have been involved with has had the biggest positive impact on creating an inclusive culture (can be current or previous company)
A4.
Probably the biggest activity that has driven towards a more positive and inclusive culture has been the introduction of our We are Atos employee experience. The programme has 5 pillars – D&I, social value, employee experience with our clients, wellbeing and life at work. Together these pillars enable and foster a culture whereby all of our employees can connect to Atos and also contribute to an area where they have their own personal passion and drive. Connecting the two really enables everyone to bring their whole self to work and to be proud of the company that they work for.
Q5.
The future workplace – what do you see having the biggest impact on the d&i role in the next 5 years and what are you doing now to prepare?
A5.
I think as we enter into a new decade I think that we are now passed the time for talk in relation to D&I. I see now as the time for action and impact. Now D&I is seen as a priority, I am looking forward to seeing a real step change and great progress that drives truly diverse workforces where people can be themselves and bring all of their greatness to work.
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