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Meet Willis Towers Watson’s 2020 HR Rising Star, Anna Stonelake
Every year Willis Towers Watson recognizes a colleague in the Human Resources (HR) function who has demonstrated exceptional growth potential in HR leadership and is a role model of our values. This recognition is given through the Gail E. McKee Memorial HR Rising Star Award, which was created to honor our colleague Gail E. McKee.
This year, the HR Rising Star Award recipient is Talent Advisor for Talent & Rewards, Anna Stonelake. Anna shares her experience on finding out that she had won and her insights on working at Willis Towers Watson.
What was your initial reaction to hearing you were nominated for and won the award?
It was a very surreal moment and one I will never forget! Our Chief Administrative Officer and Head of HR, Anne Bodnar, invited me to an online meeting to share the great news. I wasn’t aware I had been nominated (as this is the process for the HR Rising Star Award) so it took a few minutes to sink in. I felt very overwhelmed, humbled and honored that I had been recognized by my fellow colleagues. Since winning the award I’ve learned from different teams across Willis Towers Watson what a positive and inspiring impact Gail had on the colleagues she worked with, I am so glad her memory and legacy continues to be honored through this yearly award.
What are your interests or hobbies outside of work? Have you developed any new hobbies or interests since the onset of COVID-19?
I have two young children (four and six years-old) so they keep me very busy, but when I am not running around trying to keep them out of mischief, I enjoy renovating our house. It was built in 1903 and it hadn’t been touched for 30-40 years when we bought it six years ago. It has been a labor of love (and stress) ever since, but we are nearly there, just the garden to finish now!
Since the onset of COVID-19, I have a newfound appreciation for the outdoors. My family and I are lucky to live in a village with lots of countryside on our doorstep. My local gym has been shut on and off for most of 2020, and to counter this I now enjoy running three times a week and walking in the local woods at the weekend with the family. It’s surprising how sticks, mud, bikes and puddles can keep children entertained for hours, and fresh air really does help to clear your mind.
How has Willis Towers Watson supported you in unlocking potential in your career and development?
Since I joined Willis Towers Watson just over two years ago, I have been given opportunities to get involved in lots of different projects and initiatives across HR. I feel lucky to have such supportive colleagues to bounce ideas off, discuss challenges with and ask for advice. I have always been encouraged to try and improve the way we add value to the businesses we support and believe having this freedom and encouragement to think creatively has really helped me grow as a professional.
Gail E. McKee impacted the lives of many colleagues. Is there someone who has had an impact on your career, and can you describe how they have influenced your career growth?
It is very difficult to choose one colleague, within our HR function there are lots of strong female leaders based all around the world that inspire me. I have noticed over time that all have very similar leadership values: a strong work ethic, compassion, pragmatism, fairness and a positive energy which is very compelling.
If I had to choose one colleague, it would be our Global Talent Business Leader for Talent & Rewards and member of the Willis Towers Watson Global Inclusion & Diversity council, Suzanne McAndrew. Suzanne is a very inspiring leader and colleague. Her leadership style is open, positive, creative and direct, and through our interactions and partnership she inspires me to be a better version of myself professionally. I am always thankful for her feedback and insight.
I am also a strong believer that your support system outside of work impacts how you perform professionally. To that degree I think my husband has been amazing at supporting me to focus on my career and in helping me balance my personal and family commitments, especially in the past six months.
What do you think it takes to succeed in Human Resources at Willis Towers Watson?
Willis Towers Watson offers fantastic HR career opportunities if you have a positive attitude, strong work ethic, curiosity to learn, confidence and energy to question/challenge the status quo constructively. You also need to be a strong team player; in my experience you will not be successful if you try to do everything yourself, particularly when there are so many HR colleagues with a wealth of experience that you can reach out to for help and advice. The support network within Willis Towers Watson’s HR teams is fantastic, but you need to put the effort in to build your own network and always be willing to help one another out.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
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Equal Pay, Gender Pay Gap, Fair Pay – what’s behind it?
Human Resources (HR) Services and Recruitment Lead for the Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH) region, Kerstin Plag, participated in one of Dive In Festival 2020’s panel discussions: ‘Equal Pay, Gender Pay Gap, Fair Pay – What’s Behind It?’ Discover Kerstin’s insights and takeaways.
You recently participated in a panel event as part of this year’s ‘Dive In Festival’ (the festival for Diversity and Inclusion in Insurance) – what topics did you cover?
I was invited to discuss Willis Towers Watson’s approach to Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) in Germany, particularly on the topic of equal and fair pay from the following teams’ perspectives:
- Human Resources
- Leadership
- I&D Council
- International governance, which provide cross-organizational guidelines to embed fair pay best practice
- Works Council, which oversee that fair pay best practice is carried out throughout Willis Towers Watson in Germany
The discussion also focused on the 2017 fair pay law that was introduced in Germany and how the companies that participated in the panel had to adapt in order to comply with the guidelines of this law.
Why was it important to you personally to participate in the panel?
My role as the HR Services and Recruitment Lead for the DACH region requires me to be the liaison between the teams and stakeholders mentioned above, that’s why I’m involved in fair and equal pay conversations on a regular basis. However, this topic is not new for me. Throughout my professional career I’ve fought to close pay gaps that might exist between men and women, so I’ve been able to see the evolution that global companies have had in this area, particularly in Germany. For me, this panel represented an opportunity to share my insights on the evolution of equal and fair pay, especially regarding gender but of course also, race, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.
What makes you proud to work at Willis Towers Watson?
One of the things that makes me a proud Willis Towers Watson colleague is our unwavering commitment to I&D and how teams globally go above and beyond to action this commitment. For example, in Germany we implemented an infrastructure that includes processes and tools that help us focus on embedding fair pay best practice throughout the organization and across all professional levels.
How do you champion Willis Towers Watson’s values?
By always upholding Willis Towers Watson’s I&D commitment in all my HR functions and responsibilities. This has made me live our values to the fullest with a focus on:
- Promoting teamwork
- Being a client-focused colleague; HR and the business have the same overall goals
- Strengthening our reputation as an equitable employer of choice
- Respecting other colleagues’ ideas, contributions and personality
What are your hopes/aspirations regarding the panel topic for the future?
My hope is that we continue to discuss how closing the pay gap is part of creating an inclusive, fair and diverse work culture and environment and take steps to address this. Willis Towers Watson is globally committed to I&D. This also includes raising awareness about any potential pay gaps between men and women and sharing knowledge on how to address this.
Is there anything else you want to share about the panel discussion or topics that were discussed?
The panel discussion was very valuable because we were able to share our experiences and learn from each other. The fact that the panellists were from a very diverse range of disciplines (HR professionals, works council members, consultants, freelancers, authors, etc.) helped to introduce a myriad of insights, perspectives and pain points that otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to identify and discuss.
I believe that the most important takeaways from this panel discussion were:
- Fair pay creates value: while some leaders might think that embedding fair pay best practice may negatively impact an organization’s financial performance, the result is the contrary. Fair pay means that your workforce is motivated and committed towards the growth of the company.
- Sharing knowledge helps to close the pay gap: openly discussing the challenges on the topic of fair pay in events like Dive In create great opportunities for companies and thought leaders to share knowledge on how to close the pay gap globally and throughout the industry.
We must focus on creating more opportunities to exchange ideas, insights and approaches to make fair pay the common practice!
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
#WhereAreTheyNow Felipe Pradel
Property & Casualty Intern
(former health and benefits apprentice)
Team Property & Casualty
Segment Corporate Risk & Broking
Location São Paulo, Brazil
Program Apprenticeship program 2018 and Internship program 2019
University Universidade Paulista
How did you come across our Internship program offering?
When the term of my Health & Benefits (H&B) apprenticeship contract was almost finished, the Property & Casualty (P&C) team offered me to join their Internship program.
Tell us a bit about your key responsibilities when you were an apprentice
As an apprentice in the H&B team, I learned how to quote and contract Individual Life and Travel Insurance and manage the relationship with clients. I also provided support to activities in the Life Insurance area.
What were some key things that you have learnt during your Internship program?
As an intern, I am learning how to work with Hub Network Outbound Support & Administration with Latin American countries and local clients. In addition, I’m also learning about internal global communications and the renewal of assistance of customer service provision, amongst other responsibilities.
Do you recall your best memory? Tell us about it!
Winning the tickets to the BRAZIL x BARBARIANS Rugby game! I am an avid rugby fan and I enjoy playing. Due to my academic and professional responsibilities I haven’t been able to find the time to play anymore. So being able to attend to a game with some colleagues was an amazing experience.
What did you like the most about our culture and values?
The caring treatment towards colleagues, recognizing and reminding us that we are not just numbers but people who are valued greatly.
Which other position(s) have you filled since you finished your Internship program and where? Did you ever imagine you would fill these positions when you were an intern?
I am still in the early careers program, but I feel more confident each day working on global programs’ processes. The range for technical and professional growth is large, which have been my goals since I joined Willis Towers Watson.
How did being an apprentice help you prepare for your current position at Willis Towers Watson?
Being an apprentice helped me understand and keep track of insurance contracting processes, build relationships with clients and foster the relation with my colleagues, all of which served as a basis for most of my current responsibilities.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or who was integral to your experience?
Willis Towers Watson is filled with expert professionals who are always ready to help other colleagues, like me, grow. I would like to thank my mentors: Adilson Dos Santos and Heney Fernandez as well as Paula Campos and Bruno Torres who discovered me and brought me to the P&C team. Also, I’m grateful for my H&B colleagues, Andrea Zaboni, Silvania Cardoso and Pedro Prata, who always supported me.
Lastly, I would like to thank Eduardo Escudeiro and Andressa Stail for the trust and willingness to guide and support me throughout the different stages of the programs.
What advice would you give to someone who’s eager to apply to a Willis Towers Watson Internship program?
Be prepared to join Willis Towers Watson with confidence and willingness to learn and execute. Your good work will be recognized!
Learn more about our early careers programs here.
#WhereAreTheyNow Michael McConnell
Data Services Consultant
(former Data Services Graduate)
Team Data Services
Segment Human Capital & Benefits
Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Program Graduate program 2016
University University of Virginia and McIntire School of Commerce
How did you come across our Graduate program offering?
In 2015 I was in my final year of university and decided to apply to companies where I could see myself working and building a career. I was drawn immediately to Willis Towers Watson for its breadth of career opportunities and business portfolio. That paired with the organization’s inspiring values made me feel from early-on that Willis Towers Watson would be a great place to work and begin building a career. I joined Willis Towers Watson’s Graduate program in 2016 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which concluded two years later.
Tell us a bit about your key responsibilities when you were a graduate
Upon joining the company, I began working in the Data Services team. My responsibilities included growing our annual surveys by managing a list of United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia-based existing and potential clients, supporting clients with salary benchmarking and contributing where needed on proposals and projects.
What were some key things that you learnt during your Graduate program?
The Graduate program was an excellent learning experience for me – I hadn’t written a proposal, made an outbound call or managed a client relationship before joining Willis Towers Watson. By the end of the two year program, I had strong client relationships, acquired new clients and gained greater confidence as a Consultant. This combined with the great client diversity in the Middle East, the different types of sectors, industry sizes and geography has made my experience very enriching.
Do you recall your best memory? Tell us about it!
It’s hard to choose a best memory since I have many. If I had to name one, I would say it was my first CEO presentation with my Line Manager, Laurent Leclère. The two of us were working on a project for a major oil and gas company in Saudi Arabia and were invited to present our findings to the Board of Directors. As a new colleague, I was grateful for the trust I was given and the unique opportunity to participate in a senior client presentation. I hadn’t heard of many people at my experience level to be given that opportunity at other companies. This is part of what I love about working at Wills Towers Watson – we are truly empowered as colleagues.
What did you like the most about our culture and values?
While I could emphasize the values themselves, which are certainly inspiring in their own right and help make us a successful company, the actual implementation and living of these values day-to-day is what I like most. After having worked with colleagues from across the world, I realized that every single one of them truly lives up to our values. It’s one thing to have values as part of your brand, but it’s another thing to put them in practice, which is the most impressive in my view.
Which other position(s) have you filled since you finished your Graduate program and where? Did you ever imagine you would fill these positions when you were a graduate?
I’ve only been a Data Services Consultant, but I have been able to work on a variety of projects that have given me exposure to other work in Rewards and even some Talent projects. I expected to work in Data Services, of course, but I didn’t expect I’d have the exposure to the other lines of business as I’ve had.
How did being a graduate help you prepare for your current position at Willis Towers Watson?
Certainly as a Data Services Consultant my graduate years on the team were indispensable for me to better understand the position and to be more successful. That early exposure also made the job more fun as I’m more comfortable and confident in the role now.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or who was integral to your experience?
There’s many people I could thank, but the key people who have helped me are Dr. Ahmad Waarie, Roman Weidlich, Tom O’Byrne, Lea Farhat, and Eungchang Lee. I also owe a special thanks to my Line Manager, Laurent Leclère, who has taught me a lot about data services, client relationship building and how to be successful in the Data Services team. They say good line managers are key to an enjoyable and successful career and Laurent has certainly been that for me.
What advice would you give to someone who’s eager to apply to a Willis Towers Watson Internship program?
Simply put – I’d say definitely apply. Whether unsure of your desired career path or about which company you’d like to work for, I can only say Willis Towers Watson is a great place to begin your career. The skills you learn, the network of talented, authentic colleagues and the opportunities are all excellent. Working for a global company allowed me to experience countless learning opportunities – such as my own story of coming from the United States and working in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Learn more about our early careers programs here.
#WhereAreTheyNow Mel Scrutton
Hub Manager
(former Retirement Graduate)
Team Retirement
Segment Human Capital & Benefits
Location London, United Kingdom
Program Internship program 2014 and Graduate program 2015
University University of Warwick
How did you come across our Graduate program offering?
Willis Towers Watson sponsored the society associated with my degree: Maths, Operational Research, Statistics & Economics (MORSE) at the University of Warwick. Some consultants from their Birmingham office ran some careers’ evenings and office visits and it seemed like a really friendly and interesting place to work at.
Tell us a bit about your key responsibilities when you were a graduate
I was able to get involved with real client work straight away as both an intern and when I returned as a graduate, with tasks ranging from calculating pensions and transfer values for individual members to calculating the funding level for whole pension schemes. The work was and still is very varied. After a year and a half I took on the responsibility of organizing some of the new graduates’ training within my office while still being on the Graduate programme myself, which I really enjoyed since it was an opportunity to have a more people-facing role.
What were some key things that you learnt during your Graduate program?
Aside from learning about the technical side of pensions, I’ve also improved my communication skills and confidence, particularly in presenting to others. The variety of work that I have been involved with has been much greater than I ever expected and the main thing I have learned is that pensions are in no way dull!
Do you recall your best memory? Tell us about it!
I have a lot of good memories, particularly on the social side of work. We attend the Staple Inn Actuarial Society ball each year in London which is attended by actuaries from a range of companies, and my intake have won the annual Reigate Rounders tournament twice which is always good fun.
What did you like the most about our culture and values?
The main reason for which I decided to return as a graduate after my internship was because of the friendly, supportive and welcoming environment. I felt I was a ‘perfect fit’ with Willis Towers Watson’s culture and values. Here, work is intellectually challenging but also fun and dynamic. I am also proud to work for a company where excellence and client focus are highly valued, as well as maintaining respect for all colleagues.
Which other position(s) have you filled since you finished your Graduate program and where? Did you ever imagine you would fill these positions when you were a graduate?
I am now a Hub Manager within the Retirement team where I’m responsible for people and resource management for a portfolio of around 40 clients. I have always been a ‘people person’ and thought that I would like to be involved with people management or mentoring, but the opportunity to be involved in this from a relatively early stage of my career was not something I expected. I enjoy this more people-focused role alongside my technical work and I’m glad to have the opportunity to do both.
How did being a graduate help you prepare for your current position at Willis Towers Watson?
Being an intern helped with my initial transition from university to working life and gave me some foundation of pensions knowledge. However, this is definitely just a head-start and not a necessity to coming in as a graduate. The best way to learn is on the job and through the training program provided by Willis Towers Watson, which is of a very high standard. The Graduate program gave me the foundations to build on with client work. However, one of the perks of working here is that every day you continue to learn new things.
What advice would you give to someone who’s eager to apply to a Willis Towers Watson Internship program?
My advice would be to take as many of the opportunities offered to you as you can, even if they seem daunting at the time. I think this is the best way to learn and to realize that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything you want to.
Learn more about our early careers programs here.
#WhereAreTheyNow Irene Larbi
Lead Actuarial Associate
(former Retirement Intern)
Team Retirement
Segment Human Capital & Benefits
Location Arlington, U.S.
Program Internship program 2016
University Youngstown State University
How did you come across our Internship program offering?
I was introduced to Willis Towers Watson’s Internship program during a career fair organized by the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA).
Tell us a bit about your key responsibilities when you were an intern
As an intern, I was given responsibilities that helped me learn about the business and the organization, including:
- Working on a pension plan termination project alongside a Senior Consulting Actuary
- Performing data intensive tasks in Excel
- Performing pension benefit calculations for plan participants
- Working on an actuarial equivalence project with other interns.
What were some key things that you learnt during your Internship program?
The top five things I learnt as an intern helped me expand my knowledge about the Human Capital & Benefits area, whilst helping me grow as a professional and as a person:
- Professional networking
- Time management and prioritizing
- Industry standards and practices
- Teamwork
- Confidence and adaptability
Do you recall your best memory? Tell us about it!
My best memory was my final internship presentation. It was the culmination of everything I had learnt and all the people I had the opportunity to work with. It was such a thrill and it didn’t hurt that I did a great job!
What did you like the most about our culture and values?
Willis Towers Watson’s efforts towards Inclusion & Diversity (I&D). I’m originally from Ghana and I had been in the US for about a year, so I was still getting used to everything. The internship was a great introduction and warm welcome to corporate America.
Which other position(s) have you filled since you finished your Internship program and where? Did you ever imagine you would fill these positions when you were an intern?
I am currently a Lead Actuarial Associate in the Retirement Line of Business, mentee in Financial Wellbeing, member of the recruiting team and actively involved in I&D initiatives. These roles are very important accomplishments for me since some were goals I set for myself as an intern and I am glad to have had the opportunity to exceed them and aim higher.
How did being an intern help you prepare for your current position at Willis Towers Watson?
I was already accustomed to the tools, processes, culture and colleagues, so it reduced any onboarding stress, allowed me to settle in easily and focus on my actual work.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or who was integral to your experience?
Internship coordinators, my buddy and all my client teams.
What advice would you give to someone who’s eager to apply to a Willis Towers Watson Internship program?
Go ahead and apply! It’s a great company to work for. We live by our values and strive to continuously improve our early careers programs, so all our colleagues get the best out of them.
Learn more about our early careers programs here.
To stay informed about new openings: Join our talent network
MyWTW: Adjusting to the ‘new normal’ while working from home
Mitch Dauz, HR Business Partner in the Philippines shares his experience of adjusting his work-life balance as a father and husband as part of the ‘new normal’ during lockdown.
How has your life been affected by COVID-19?
Due to government protocols in the Philippines to manage COVID-19, my family and I have been quarantined at home together since March 16.
Working from home now has made me rethink how I can blend my full-time work and my full-time fatherhood. Often, I have an hour-long meeting with adults then followed by playtime with kids. It feels like a dream that I can do both and still have time left in the day to live a balanced life. I feel trusted by my managers that I can continue to deliver quality work and, more importantly, I feel loved by my kids when we greet each other ‘good morning’ every day and kiss goodnight every night.
What does ‘flexible work’ at Willis Towers Waton mean to you?
To me, flexible working is #adulting. I am trusted by the organization to deliver quality work, on-time while balancing other personal responsibilities. I’m thankful to the organization for having a progressive mindset and entrusting us to be productive colleagues, whether we’re physically together in the office or at home.
How has Willis Towers Watson made flexible working easy for you?
I appreciate the communication provided by local leaders and Global Operating Committee that working from home is the preferred approach at this time. The organization has been flexible to the reasonable needs of colleagues as well as our clients where possible.
As part of the local HR team, I have learned to appreciate the consistent message of care and warmth from our leaders during this pandemic and I’ve seen this translate to sustained excellent work from our colleagues.
What tips/tools would you recommend to others working from home at this time?
Mental resilience is important. I have typically seen my house as a place to rest and unwind. It’s been a journey of mental resilience to understand that things have changed now.
Compartmentalizing has also really helped me. Having a dedicated place to work made me more aware when it is time to work vs time to rest. Recently, I decided to wear the same clothes, scent, and watch as I would normally in the office, and change into more relaxed clothes when I’m done with work.
Seeking help is critical. At certain times during our local community quarantine, I had to ask for the help of my family members to keep our house clean, bathe the kids, and of course taking out the trash. I certainly do not mind doing these things, but it has been humbling to admit that I could not do it all by myself (at work and at home). Now, with even my 5-year old daughter and 9-year old son pitching in at home, I’m thankful that we’re all doing our fair share!
Seek help and be thankful.
What have you learned from this ‘new normal’ so far?
Looking at this new normal with a glass-half-full mindset, I can certainly see how to be a better colleague and father at the same time.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
To stay informed about new openings: Join our talent network
#MyWTW: A Day In The Life Of Shadab Hemani, Analyst, Mumbai
Shadab Hemani, Analyst, talks us through his Willis Towers Watson experience and what his typical day looks like at our Mumbai office.
How long have you worked at Willis Towers Watson?
5 years.
What are you responsible for at Willis Towers Watson?
A few of the things included within my role are: the co-ordination with brokers and client managers for strategy meetings; preparing pre-renewal documents for client meetings; managing accounts receivables and preparations for WEM audits.
Basically, I remotely perform all the tasks that an Assistant Client Service Specialist would perform in a local US office.
How does your day usually start?
I don’t need an alarm as my two angels wake me up. Family is my source of energy, so I spend some quality time with them before I head to work.
What are some of the other activities that you might do on a typical day at work?
My day starts with checking and prioritizing the daily requests received from the US office. I will usually call my colleagues in Texas to discuss tasks and strategize further actions. I’ll then co-ordinate with our other Mumbai teams to get the work completed. I sometimes also play table tennis during my breaks to rejuvenate myself!
What is your favorite part about your role?
Performing tasks remotely from Mumbai is the most exciting aspect of my role; it is more like virtually working in a local US office.
What is your favorite part about working for Willis Towers Watson?
I am an active participant of the Hobbies @ Work biking group. This gives me an opportunity to fulfil my passion of long rides on weekends.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
To stay informed about new openings: Join our talent network
#MyWTW: From Retirement Graduate To Actuarial Analyst
Basil Al Hatoum, Actuarial Analyst and former Retirement Graduate in Toronto, discusses his experience at Willis Towers Watson.
Can you tell us about the day-to-day responsibilities of your job?
I am a member of multiple client teams. As the most junior person on the team, I am generally responsible for preparing data, doing benefit calculations for our clients, setting up processes in our programs that reflect the plan we are working with, preparing deliverables for clients, and much more.
What was your greatest challenge or learning in this role?
The key challenge for me, especially at the beginning, was learning about all the different pension plans that clients set up for their employees. They are all unique either in their plan benefit formulas or their assumptions, or in the benefits they offer. While the basic idea of a pension plan is simple, clients’ needs vary greatly and their plans will reflect that.
What is your proudest achievement since joining Willis Towers Watson?
Definitely my first in-person client meeting. I was given the opportunity to deliver a portion of the presentation that we had prepared. The senior consultants on my team had faith in me, and that gave me the confidence I needed to deliver calmly under pressure.
With the WTW Toronto Basketball Team:
How would you describe the culture at Willis Towers Watson?
People who like to work hard and are self-motivated will do very well at Willis Towers Watson. If you put your hand up and ask for interesting new projects, you will get them! The more you put into your work, the more opportunities you’ll have to lead new projects or work on things that interest you. People here are very supportive and like to have fun as well. I’ve had the opportunity to play sports in many corporate leagues with my co-workers, not just from Retirement but from the entire Toronto office.
What do you like best about working at Willis Towers Watson?
Definitely the people. My colleagues are supportive of my work and have become great friends as well. We regularly go out for lunch, play sports outside of work, and we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Also, the business casual dress code of ‘dress for your day’ is amazing!
What is your hope for your career in the future?
I would like to continue to grow within our company. I don’t think of progress as a role or a title, I’d like to get to a point where I’m using my experience to simplify problems for my clients. I’d like to solve real world problems.
Based on your experience, what advice would you give someone considering a graduate opportunity at Willis Towers Watson?
Obviously, the technical skills are very important, but what recruiters are looking for are great people they can connect with. Having a meaningful conversation with a recruiter where you can demonstrate your people skills is a great first step.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.
To stay informed about new openings: Join our talent network
#MyWTW: Anxiety, Autism And Successfully Completing An Apprenticeship
Mathew Stewart, Cloud Delivery Analyst, shares his experience of applying for and joining Willis Towers Watson.
Tackling Self-Doubt And Learning A New Skill
This may be a long read, but in order to understand the impact that working for Willis Towers Watson has had on me, it’s probably best to start with a bit of a background.
Before joining Willis Towers Watson I had been out of employment for some years. Being a person who is on the autistic spectrum, as well as a long-time sufferer of anxiety and depression, I had always held a somewhat bleak outlook about my future. I’d shy away from social interactions or anything that I considered myself to be incapable of dealing with, which meant I spent a lot of time at home alone. For too long I just accepted my issues and resigned myself to feeling like my life was stagnant and would not become any more than it was.
However, I eventually concluded that fighting against my own issues was essentially fighting against a part of myself, so I began to change my way of thinking to one where I could work with my problems instead of trying to avoid or ignore them. I initially decided that a job involving working from home could be an ideal fit as I could still be productive even when having difficult days, which would see me not wanting to go out and face that big scary world that lay beyond my one bedroom flat in Ipswich.
I began to make use of my free time to start learning IT skills with the help of whatever free internet materials I could find. It was hard and frustrating work, but over time I improved, and my confidence grew so that I felt ready to apply for a role that would let me build on the basics I had learned.
A New Challenge: Applying For Jobs
I had previously signed up to several job websites and one day received an email update which included a listing for an apprenticeship at Willis Towers Watson. I didn’t think there was a chance anything would come of this, but eventually I decided to apply and completed the online aptitude test. “This is pointless, it won’t happen,” I told myself.
But days later I’d receive a call from Jolie, a recruiter at Willis Towers Watson. As expected, she was interested in the gap in my work experience, but we also talked about what I’d been doing in my free time and how I’d been trying to learn new skills in an effort to make myself more employable.
We also talked at length about my interests, hobbies, and even about my issues and how they affected me (something I always found difficult but in this instance, it was surprisingly easy; Jolie was a good listener, kind, encouraging and made me feel really comfortable). Jolie took the time to get to know more about me as a person and not just what was on the CV in front of her. She spoke with me at length for some time before saying that she was aware of another possible position in another team that might suit me better and would speak to the hiring manager about a possible interview. It didn’t take long until I received an email confirming this and providing all the details.
Conquering Interview Nerves
Fast forward to the day of interview.
I almost didn’t go! I spent well over an hour at home arguing with myself because my clothes didn’t fit as well as I might like, my hair wouldn’t stay quite the right way and telling myself a hundred different reasons why it just wasn’t meant for me.
However, I decided that regardless of the outcome this would still be a learning experience and I could at least ask for feedback on why I hadn’t been offered the role.
I wasn’t as nervous as normal in the interview. The people interviewing me were really friendly, open and wanted to get to know more about me, my hobbies, interests and the conversation seemed to flow really well. They also took the time to make sure I was comfortable and happy to go ahead. I was able to remain calm and answer all the questions well; I made an effort to make regular eye contact and engage in conversation rather than using the typical question and response style most interviews take.
I left feeling like the interview had gone really well, but didn’t think I had a chance to actually get the role: I kept telling myself not to get too excited because there was bound to be someone with more experience, more qualifications, or that little something extra… That is up until that evening when I received a call from Jolie asking me how I was and how the interview went and, to my surprise, tell me I GOT THE ROLE!
My Willis Towers Watson
I began working at Willis Towers Watson in September 2018 and I’ve seen myself grow from strength to strength. The support and encouragement of my team (Cloud Enablement), my buddy (Jackie Hay) and other colleagues, plus the general culture embraced by the company has not only made me feel welcome, comfortable and engaged, but has also enabled me to grow.
I have learned technical skills and picked up knowledge from my apprenticeship and other team members. I’ve learned to deal with challenges and obstacles in a different way and have grown in confidence. What’s more, my role has not only seen me regularly leaving the house, but travelling to London (which I’d avoided for some years) and even leaving the country. This was big for me!
The team are always happy to take the time to help with my learning and development: whether that be stepping back and giving me space or getting involved and hands on, even giving me opportunities to expand my learning outside of the apprenticeship.
More Than Colleagues
Even with the above, the biggest impact has been on a more personal level. The rewards have also flowed over into my life in general and I feel like I am now on the road to becoming the person I was meant to be, which I can only attribute that to Willis Towers Watson. Particularly the Cloud Programme Director (Karen McDonagh-Reynolds) and Cloud Delivery Lead (Adrienne Hipkin) who are a constant source of support, encouragement and praise and to the Head of Cloud Engineering (Stuart Wright) who has sought to challenge me outside of my role in learning more technical skills and expanding my capabilities. These are people (amongst many others) whom I have come to think of not only as colleagues but also as good friends and have changed my entire outlook for the better.
So, that is my story which I wanted to share to let others know what life is like at Willis Towers Watson, to say thank you to those who supported me and to inspire other people who are thinking of applying. It goes without saying that I would definitely recommend anyone considering a role here, as I didn’t just gain a job or an apprenticeship, but also a part of myself.
If you would like to learn more about Inclusion and Diversity at Willis Towers Watson, you can find out more here or you can take a look at our current roles here.
Cloud Program Team: Myself, Adrienne Hipkin (Cloud Delivery Lead) & Karen McDonagh Reynolds (Program Director)
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