GlobalLogic, a Hitachi Group company and leader in Digital Engineering, has launched the Women Influencers Program, designed to encourage and enable women employees interested in exploring cross-functional management positions within the technology firm. As part of the company’s focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), GlobalLogic is aiming for greater diversity at all levels in the workforce across gender, sexual orientation, color, ethnic origin, age and ability. The Women Influencers Program is specifically focused to promote greater gender diversity especially among the company’s leadership ranks. The Program will provide developmental and mentoring opportunities through GlobalLogic’s People Development function and individual business units.
The Program centers around nine competencies that participants will explore via a set of learning modules, with an entire Program journey expected to last five to six months. Operating in tandem, global cohorts of women based across the globe will join together to share and learn from collective experiences.
The competencies promote the development of “soft” skills – meaning those not directly tied to a formal educational program but rather gained through experience and from peers. These competencies include directness and candor, inspiring and influencing others, effective decision making, professional network development, and the continued development of communication skills. Program participants will also receive training specific to GlobalLogic’s capabilities which are meant to enhance essential corporate knowledge and increase depth of technical competencies.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount to GlobalLogic’s success,” said Amy Hanlon-Rodemich, Chief People Officer, GlobalLogic. “We created the Women Influencers Program to elevate emerging women leaders and to prepare them to take on a wider range of roles and responsibilities including expansion into senior leadership roles. This Program will enable more women leaders to take on more strategic positions within the company.”
Initially piloted in India in 2020, the Program’s intent was to actively focus on enhancing the company’s management pipeline with a consideration toward diversity and inclusivity; particularly for women within the company. Upon conducting in-depth analysis of leadership roles and paths to those positions, GlobalLogic’s Program development team discovered that while the digital engineering firm’s overall diversity stats were above the industry average, an even more diverse senior management team would be a tremendous enhancement to the current management ranks.
Research suggests that the female-to-male disparity is due to multiple factors, including prioritization of personal and family life, cultural demands and differences, and organizational dynamics. It was also noted that many women express a distinct “burn out” effect, indicating an ongoing struggle to identify resources and opportunities for progressing their careers.
In response, the Program development team explored options for accelerating women’s career paths by developing essential leadership skills and helping them becoming future ready, positioning participants to take on new roles within GlobalLogic.
“Our aim is to correct the imbalance in women holding leadership roles versus men, which is common throughout the technology industry according to global statistics,” said Shivani Khanna, Senior Manager, People Team, GlobalLogic. “We believe that through our Program’s structured guidance and encouragement, we can positively shift that dynamic.”
The ecosystem being developed by GlobalLogic will include “Anchors,” a role held by members of the human resources team who will help ensure that the Program is operating effectively. Anchors will also manage the learning and mentor groups that will spearhead the specific activities designed to provide the professional skills previously referenced.
Participants’ managers will be enlisted as “Program Catalysts” responsible for ensuring that the Program is not simply a training exercise but rather a complete learning journey championing employee learning and advancement across the organization.
“Program Sponsors — the managers and mentors — will act as coaches overseeing the employees’ journeys. They will help steer participants toward the content and activities appropriate to each individual’s unique path,” Khanna continued. “We’re excited to officially launch this Program in GlobalLogic locations around the world.”