The document discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion within organizations, highlighting that companies with greater gender diversity in leadership experience improved financial performance. It also addresses the talent shortage in Europe and the challenges faced by women seeking to return to the workforce after career breaks. The document outlines a career returners program aimed at helping these individuals reintegrate into professional roles, emphasizing skill development and supportive transition.”

1. Hidden Talent
Jude Harvey & Andrea Jones

2. Hidden Talent
Research proves a diverse
organisation performs better
than the industry median• Inclusion 2016
• Returners Programme
• Overcoming barriers
• Attraction & Recruitment
• Success & future direction

3. Balanced Leadership November 2015
7500 employees, 3 main locations, 470 stores and
over 25 million customers nationwide

4. There will be a Talent
shortage in Europe in
the next five years and the
war for talent is becoming
more
fierce
Research proves a diverse
organisation performs better
than the industry median
For every 10% increase in gender
diversity in the senior executive
team, there is
a 3.5% increase in
financial performance
Source: McKinsey.

5. There will be a Talent
shortage in Europe in
the next five years and the
war for talent is becoming
more
fierce
Research proves a diverse
organisation performs better
than the industry median
Gender diverse companies
are 45% more likely to
improve market share,
achieve 53% higher returns
on equity, and 70% more
likely to capture new
markets.
If we reflect
our customer base we’ll
have a more effective
business & research proves
a diverse organisation
performs better than the
industry median
Source: McKinsey.

6. 10%
20%
30%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
40%
Diversity & Inclusion
Best Practice
Initiatives

7. Female
Talent
70% of
women with
qualifications in
science,
engineering &
technology don’t
work in these
areas
Women
returners
continue to
face the triple
whammy of
unconscious bias:
gender, age and
lack of recent
experience
Time
out of the
workforce could
account for the
fact that women
are less likely to
be in senior
positions.
There is an
untapped pool
of women who
are waiting
outside the
school gates
The Leaky Pipeline..
70% of
women fear
taking a
career break

8. UK Returnship Growth
3 in Banking
2014
9 in Banking & STEM
23 Cross-sector
2015
2016

9. Our Pioneer Career Returners programme is an 11 week programme
aimed at people who have been out of the workforce on a voluntary
career break of between 2 and 10 years. These people have a wealth of
technical knowledge and experience and the programme offers them a
route back into the workplace.
During the course of the 11 weeks our Career Returners will be provided
with a period of supported transition designed to update their skills,
readjust to a corporate environment, build their professional self-
confidence, and offer a strong possibility of a permanent role at the end
of the programme.

10. Attraction Channels

11. Graduate referred his
mum!
Manager in Operations
referred his wife
Employee in Business
referred her friend

12. Candidate Journey
Bespoke process, high touch personalised candidate
experience
Simple registration
Self Scheduled
Telephone Interviews
One point of contact
Interactive Assessment
Centre
Flexibility of offer Keep in touch

13. 60
Applications
24
At Assessment
Day
100%
Attendance
12
Intake
doubled
6
Full time &
part-time
8
Remained in
business

16. At the beginning of this year, I started to wonder about working again but felt I’d
need to find a super flexible employer, most likely a part time job, but still
something that was appealing and impactful and wondered if anyone out there
would fit the bill. That was when I saw the Career Returner Scheme being
advertised.
During the 11 weeks we’ve received training on presentation skills, interview
skills, negotiations skills, become a Six Sigma yellow belt and received mentoring
support. In addition we’ve got to experience the friendly, forward thinking and
crazy culture of O2 – including learning how to jive, dressing up as a ghostbuster,
getting to use some great new technology and made some very strong and lasting
friendships.
In participating in the scheme, I’ve been able to freshen up my skills, build up my
confidence and figure out more about what kind of role I want. I can see that
now is a great time to return to the workplace and can see that, with a flexible
employer like O2 that even full time work is possible.
Returner