At ABB, we welcome different ways of thinking and acting, different qualities and skills, different experiences and backgrounds. We believe diverse experiences will bring about newer ways to address the challenges we face today, helping us become more innovative. We, therefore, continue to invest in the right structures, the right strategies and implementing the required initiatives to foster this culture of Diversity and Inclusiveness.
One of the key priority areas under Diversity, for us, is increased representation of women in the workplace, across the value chain. This requires raising awareness, nurturing talent and ensuring the right policies are in place to support women and prepare them to take up the roles they rightly deserve. There are numerous initiatives being taken towards achieving this, including mentoring and development programs, conscious hiring, sensitizing managers around gender diversity and introducing/ reviewing existing policies.
One such leadership development program called ‘RISE’ was recently concluded in ABB India. A first of its kind program curated for high potential middle management women, RISE aimed to act as a catalyst by addressing and supporting the unique challengesand demands faced by women during their career progression.
Split into linear phases, the program addressed some key challenges faced by women including conflict Management, limitations that come in the way of women claiming leadership roles, building & managing Relationships, being financially independent and creating a brand for themselves.
Over six months, the select 25 high potential women underwent holistic assessment with a coach, identifying their leadership style, underlying belief patterns and ways to work around them. Relying primarily on experiential learning, the program motivated them to look within and explore their full potential by doing away with the limiting beliefs they were carrying, unconsciously.
RISE is one amongst the many initiatives being taken to promote a more diverse and inclusive culture. We are also inviting our former women employees, who have been a part of the ABB family, to join us back, through another such initiative called the Re-board program.
Additionally, policies are being continually reviewed to make changes, as appropriate, to make it easier for women to manage both personal and professional life.
While such programs continue to thrive, ensuring gender diversity is a much more intense subject requiring a high level of sensitization amongst all employees too. The way interviews are conducted for new hires, the ways in which employees are made to feel welcome, how do we deal with a personal issue an employee is going through, how do we treat everyone equally without getting influenced by ‘unconscious biases’, these are the larger, sensitive conversations we continue to drive within the organization. Team managers are required to undergo trainings on ‘interrupting unconscious bias’ to ensure a person is hired and evaluated fairly, regardless of the gender.
Leadership team is excited to drive this agenda forward and prepare a robust succession plan for meritorious, high potential women leaders. Last year, ABB India was also recognized by Avtar & as Top 100 Best Companies for Working Women & Exemplar of Inclusion in India 2019.
Having a more gender diverse workforce, and thereby culture, is a long journey. With initiatives like these, we are sure we are headed the right way.
