Turning DEI Policy Into Everyday Belonging

Season 3 episode 2 of CultureClub X is here! And this time, we have with us Aysha Alawadhi, MSc, GPHR, Director of Culture Transformation & Organizational Performance @ Anthem Inc. who discusses DEI&B in the workplace, From policy framing to effective implementation.

About Aysha

Aysha is an HR operation, employee engagement and corporate culture specialist who has over 10 years of experience in working with organizations in the fields of finance, education, healthcare, and insurance.

Prior to working for Anthem Inc. she has worked for some famous organizations like Emirates NBD, Launchpad UAE and IBM. She also sits on various boards where she advises on HR technology and analytics, culture transformation and talent management.

Throughout her career, Aysha has concentrated on people practices locally and internationally. She has successfully merged the usage of process, policy, data, and coaching to create highly productive organizations that are powered by their people.

An alumnus of New York University & Northern Arizona University, she also holds many professional certifications such as the Global Professional in Human Resources from HRCI, as well as Diversity and Inclusion for HR & Employment Law from Cornell University.

She is also a certified Executive Coach certified by International Coaching Federation (ICF) and European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC).

Here’s a gist of what Aysha speaks about in this video:

• The importance of leadership teams to understand that company culture is something none of their competitors can copy from and what works for one organization won’t work for another. Leaders must realize the value of employee engagement initiatives and make company culture a USP for their brand.
• Importance of inclusivity in change management efforts, how it can bring about a positive shift in the company culture and why HRs should be the custodians of employee engagement and not the owners in an organization.
• Why equality in the boardroom is the need of the hour, and the importance of having a gender and power balance on the board to send a message of diverse company culture to the employees.
• The role of hiring in DEI initiatives, as that’s the stage where the company culture begins and why having metrics around measuring diversity is important.
• The importance of setting up processes for protecting people who report DEI-related issues and how that can lead to a sense of trust and belonging for the employees which will in turn reflect the values of the company culture.
• How technology can enable HR leaders to constantly listen to their employees using pulse surveys, lifecycle surveys, and the importance of exit surveys in gathering insights that can be implemented for the betterment of existing employees.

Catch all this and more with Aysha Alawadhi in S3 E02 of CultureClub X and read the full episode transcript below!

Guest

Aysha Alawadhi

Director of Culture Transformation & Organizational Performance @ Anthem Inc.