Case Studies
BMJ: Career development coaching ensures diverse talent is recognised and utilised
Key facts and figures
The set tasks really allowed me think about my career development in a way I would never would have thought about. The questions asked went into so much detail and allowed to 'explore' myself as well as my career journey to date.
Business priorities:
Ensuring diverse talent is recognised and utilised
Sector:
Publishing
Lead contact:
EDI manager
Employees:
8 successful applicants
Locations:
UK
Our client’s challenge
One of BMJ’s key EDI priorities is to improve representation from ethnic minority groups, particularly in senior roles. Step Up was an initiative designed to be a vehicle to level the playing-field and ensure that diverse talent is recognised and utilised. It would also create a visible internal diverse talent pipeline.
The pilot Programme comprised four elements:
- Career consultation
- One to one mentoring
- Networking with senior role models
- Special projects
As part of the Programme, we were invited to provide career development coaching for 8 of the successful applicants to help them identify their career priorities.
Our solution and results
The Career Development Coaching Programme was structured as follows:
- Career Compass Workshop – providing an overview of how to prepare for career conversations.
- Introductory Chemistry Sessions – to agree any specific objectives for the coaching.
- One to One Coaching – a coaching programme consisting of three phases. Each phase consisted of a coaching session with preparatory work, activities and assignments.
The feedback was extremely positive with an overall satisfaction rating of 9.8 out of 10. The key benefits they reported were greater clarity over their career direction, greater focus on their career goals and better understanding of the value of mentoring. Comments included:
