Case Study: Equitable Talent Review Process
About the Organization
Through the relentless pursuit of innovation, the client strives to advance life-changing medical care with a focus on health equity and global collaboration. Each year, their medical solutions serve approximately 30 million patients in over 100 countries. The company has received global recognition and awards for its innovation, workplace leadership, corporate and industry leadership, and global citizenship.
- Industry: Biomedical Engineering
- Number of Employees: 40,000+
- Mission: Transforming lives through innovative medical technologies.
Goals
Since 2015, LCW has partnered with the client to help build sustainable inclusion both in the culture and employee experience as well as in the talent management systems. LCW’s training programs provided managers, executives, and HR and DEI practitioners with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to manage unconscious bias and lead with intercultural competence across the global client organization.
While diversity and health equity have always been core values for the client, an eye-opening 2017 global employee engagement survey revealed the perception that it was more difficult for women and people of color to succeed within the company. When asked if people with equal abilities, education, and experience had the same opportunities for advancement, women were on average 14% less favorable than men, and Black women and Puerto Rican men were significantly less favorable than the overall average on a range of topics.
Thanks to their previous years of intercultural competence training—including the launch of the six-month Cross-Cultural Learning Program (CCLP)—client mindsets were primed to be receptive of this data, using it as a crucial turning point for the company. Rather than shying away from the challenging results, the client’s Global HR team recognized the feedback as an important cultural truth that needed to be addressed and set out to discover its root cause.
- Reimagine the talent management systems that created inclusion gaps
- Foster an equitable work environment where women and employees of color feel they belong and can advance
Results at a glance
In 2020, the client surpassed their ambitious goals:
Being recognized as a top
Reporting more than
Reporting almost exactly
The client went on to receive multiple industry awards in recognition of their lasting commitment to improving gender representation across the company.
Services Provided
- Bias Training
- Cultural Competence Training
- D&I Coaching
- DEI Strategy
- DEI Immersions
- IDI Assessment
- Inclusion Training
- Talent Management Systems Analysis (TMSA)
- Translation
“The day after you met with the executive committee, we had our 2-day offsite. We heard the CEO and executive committee respectfully challenge each other during talent review and use the bias terminology you just introduced. I even saw some referencing the handouts you gave them. You had a real impact on the discussions. Several committee members are already making plans to cascade the tools to their teams and continue the process.”
Progress over time, not overnight
Client partnered with LCW to launch a comprehensive talent managment system analysis that would expand upon the continued bias management and intercultural competence training of internal practitioners and business leaders.
Bolstered by LCW’s recommendations and employee feedback, client developed their plan in 2018, which identified 16 specific tasks to accomplish three goals:
- Become a top 10 inclusive place to work
- Achieve 20% multicultural leadership at the manager and supervisor level globally
- Achieve 40% women at the manager and supervisor level globally
Between 2018 and 2020, LCW worked with the client in expanding trainings that developed inclusive mindsets, focusing especially on individuals responsible for developing company-wide policies, procedures, and processes. Highlights of the deployed programming include translation of key messaging, performance appraisal coaching to upskill managers, a bootcamp in managing bias in talent acquisition, and additional IDI® assessments and debriefs. During this time, the client completed all the 16 tasks identified in their inclusion plan.
What comes next?
Instead of being content with their incredible improvement, the client chose to lean into the progress by again moving their goals forward. Their revised and expanded plan sets new benchmarks for 2023 of 23% multicultural leadership at the manager and supervisor level and 43% of managers and supervisors being women, while maintaining their designation as a top 10 inclusive workplace.
The company demonstrates its continued investment in the long-term development of both DEI mindsets and systems through the2021launch of an anti-racism and cultural history program. The goal of this ambitious program is to provide all employees across the globe with skills and tools needed to recognize and interrupt systemic racism, bias, and prejudice in all forms, both within and outside of the workplace by 2023.
