How long have you worked at Willis Towers Watson?

I recently celebrated my first year at Willis Towers Watson.

What are you responsible for at Willis Towers Watson?

My role involves assisting various Technology and Administrative Solutions clients. As the global pandemic developed, our clients started working from home, which resulted in an increased volume of client queries. However, I was able to successfully meet the service level agreements that we have with our clients. This was a rewarding experience that increased my expertise, strengthened my confidence as a professional and gave me the opportunity to participate in new client-facing projects.

How was your experience of joining Willis Towers Watson as a speech and hearing-impaired colleague?

Joining a new company can be overwhelming and this is especially true when you are differently-abled. Being speech and hearing-impaired, I’ve always been apprehensive about communicating with new colleagues.

On my first day at Willis Towers Watson, I was amazed to find out that the company’s Mumbai Inclusion & Diversity core committee and the Talent Acquisition team had partnered with Eklayva Foundation to conduct a two-day workshop for my team to get acquainted with the basics of Indian sign language. This made me feel welcomed and provided an insight into the company’s culture and commitment to make everyone feel comfortable in bringing their true selves to work.

How has this differed from past experiences?

My experience as a new colleague at Willis Towers Watson was completely different from what I’ve encountered in the past. In other organizations, I would sometimes struggle to communicate with other colleagues. My former team members and I would type out messages in order to have conversations with each other which was very time-consuming.

The fact that a few Willis Towers Watson colleagues already knew sign language made it easy to not only coordinate tasks but also strike a conversation, express myself, and build healthy relationships.

How did Willis Towers Watson help you to seamlessly communicate with other colleagues?

Colleagues who work closely with me attended the Eklayva Foundation workshop that the company had organized on sign language, which helped to set good foundations for communication. This was the first time that a workshop like this had taken place at Willis Towers Watson India, so I was very grateful to experience the results of it on my first day.

How did you adapt as we transitioned to working remotely during COVID-19?

I am used to working with colleagues and teams in person. As the pandemic continued to develop, I started feeling anxious and stressed at the thought of working from home, since this could potentially impact how I communicate with other colleagues. However, this was not the case thanks to Willis Towers Watson’s support and internal communication platforms.

I must say technology has played a crucial role in my work from home experience. Since some of my colleagues understand how to use Indian sign language, video conversations are mainly what we use to communicate during trainings, one-on-one meetings and daily interactions with the team. Also, popular messaging apps help me to stay connected with fellow team members.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or who was integral to your experience?

I am extremely thankful to my colleagues, Asha and Rajiv, for always being there for me and making my experience so fruitful. I also appreciate the technical support and workshop on sign language organized by the company that has made communication seamless and effective.

What is your favorite part about working for Willis Towers Watson?

I love to work across the different areas at Willis Towers Watson and my team has always guided me to excel in every task. The company culture and the values leave no stone unturned to make every colleague feel appreciated, I truly respect this.

I also appreciate the fact that Willis Towers Watson’s unwavering commitment to I&D truly gave me the tools to carry out my daily operations confidently. Each of my colleagues has exemplified the inclusive culture of the company. They clearly know how to create connections between the hearing and hearing-impaired world. These thoughtful efforts are a direct reflection of the culture and this is truly inspiring.

What advice would you give to a differently-abled person that is looking to apply for a role at Willis Towers Watson?

I would encourage them to join an organization like Willis Towers Watson in order to experience the all-inclusive culture that connects colleagues and creates an environment where they can reach their full potential.

Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.

How long have you worked at Willis Towers Watson?

I’ve been at Willis Towers Watson for just over two months.

What are you responsible for at Willis Towers Watson?

My team is responsible for ensuring the timely detection, triage and appropriate escalation of security events that might affect the availability, confidentiality and integrity of Willis Towers Watson’s data and systems.

How did you find the virtual recruitment process?

It started with one of our recruiters reaching out via LinkedIn who told me that Willis Towers Watson was looking for a Head of Global Security Operations based in the Philippines. Although I wasn’t looking to change jobs, the recruiter’s friendly and professional approach, along with Willis Towers Watson’s good reputation and culture, made me look into the opportunity and apply.

What did you like most about the recruitment process?

I was impressed with the level of detail and effort that recruiters put in to make me feel comfortable and ensure that the process ran smoothly. For example, I received timely and detailed communication about my interview schedule, interviewers’ names and technological specifications (since all the interviews took place virtually due to the lockdown).

I was also very pleased with the fact that my recruiter reached out regularly to let me know about the status of my application and next steps.

What would you recommend to a candidate who’s preparing for an online interview at Willis Towers Watson?

When you are invited to an online interview, you need to make sure that technology will be on your side. This means planning ahead:

• If your internet connection is stronger at certain times of the day, see if you can arrange your interview during that period, while bearing in mind the time zone of your interviewer(s)
• Check you have installed the required conference call software – this also includes checking that your audio and camera are working. Remember to pick a quiet, private place where you won’t be interrupted
• Join the interview a couple of minutes early – that way you’ll be able to check that everything is working and relax into your interview

Starting a new job can be a stressful experience. Did you have any concerns about starting a new role virtually?

I cannot deny the fact that sometimes starting a new job can be a bit stressful, particularly because we’re still adapting to the ‘new normal’. However, I was still very excited and enthusiastic. I was concerned about how teamwork and collaboration might be affected by starting a new role virtually. While I don’t think we can replace the benefit of interacting live in person, technology has empowered me and my colleagues to stay connected through video calls.

How do you stay connected with your team and other colleagues?

With the current situation, we have had to get creative about staying connected online. While normally team building activities with colleagues is something typically done in person, we have moved this to the virtual sphere. As well as being present on team catch ups and organizing one to one sessions with my colleagues, we have built a Microsoft Teams group where we share some of what we do outside of work hours. This has proven to be a great tool to find out about my colleagues’ hobbies and interests outside of work!

How was your first day and week at Willis Towers Watson?

The local HR and IT team managed to safely send to my home all the necessary equipment ahead of my first day. I also received a welcome package from the company with some helpful guides on how to get started and with some important contact information.

During my first week I focused on introducing myself to my team and to other colleagues around the globe. My manager was also very helpful and involved me in meetings that helped me dive into the work and understand our main priorities and projects. Even though I’m quite new within the company, what I love the most about working here is the opportunity we’re given to collaborate with different teams and meet colleagues from different business segments and parts of the world. These first couple of months have been exciting, different, and full of positive experiences. I’m looking forward to what the future will bring for me and my colleagues at Willis Towers Watson.

Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.