Could you tell us about your career journey before your break? What led you to decide to take a break?

Born in Mumbai, my parents raised my two sisters and me in a modest home. I am married to a wonderful supporting husband and have a naughty two-year-old. Before taking a break, I worked as a manager and had 12 years of experience in the technology space.

I took a career break in 2020 when my daughter was born. I wanted to dedicate enough time to care for her through her initial years of life and felt that wouldn’t be possible with a full-time job.

Was the decision to take a break a difficult choice? What motivated you to return to work?

Yes, it was a difficult choice as I was a hardworking professional who aspired to build a very successful career in technology and always voluntarily picked up complicated coding modules to work on. After some time into my break, I missed that side of my life and was motivated to reconnect with the professional world again.   

Can you tell us about your career relaunch at WTW? What challenges did you face since your return and how has WTW supported you through this transition?

I started my job search towards the end of my maternity break. Companies were hesitant assuming I wouldn’t be able to go that extra mile or stretch beyond regular hours with a newborn but WTW was different.

The interview was very conversational and candid. I was honest about my situation and the interviewers were fully understanding and supportive. Sometimes, all you need is a chance to prove your potential and WTW gave me just that! It took a little while to adjust to getting back to work and spending time away from my child but WTW supported me through this transition both personally and professionally.

How does WTW support and help you balance your personal and professional life?

My colleagues and manager understand that work is important, but family is too. They are extremely supportive and have a rational mindset. Whenever I have needed time off, I have always been honest, and my team has had my back.

The flexibility of being able to work from home has added so much more room to watch my daughter grow up. I get to see my daughter as she wanders off into my office space every now and then!

How would you describe the culture at WTW?

From my time spent here, the first thing that comes to mind is the colleague-centric environment. From everyday conversations to the bigger initiatives the company takes; it shows that people here care about their peers and the company cares deeply about its colleagues.

What advice would you give someone considering a career with WTW?

Change can be scary sometimes. But most changes stop being scary as soon you take that first step. So, if you think that the change will eventually make you happy, then go take that first step!

I have always believed that it’s the value you add to the organization that truly makes a difference and WTW gives you that opportunity to build and prove your potential through the work you do.

To learn more about Career 2.0 and how you can benefit from this program click here.

Can you tell us about your 20-year career journey at Willis Towers Watson?

I joined Willis Towers Watson 20 years ago as an actuarial analyst graduate in London. Almost five years later, in 2006, I was relocated to our expanding office in Atlanta where I joined the Health & Benefits team. Here, I coupled the move to a new country with a change in specialty. This change of scenery, both on a professional and geographical level, led me to quickly realize the value and importance of my analytical and project management skills, as we had to work on a variety of projects with clients from across the globe. Over time, this meant that I ended up frequently stepping outside of the actuarial world and was exposed to other business functions which positively impacted my personal and professional life.

In 2015, a new position was created: associate client relationship director. This is when I decided to embrace the opportunity and venture into the client management world. Six years have passed since then and I am currently a senior director within this business area. Looking back, little did I know that Willis Towers Watson was the company where I would (literally) grow up in and call home almost 20 years later.

What does it mean to be a part of Willis Towers Watson’s Multicultural Inclusion Network (MCIN)?

The MCIN is an incredible colleague-led group that relentlessly works to highlight Willis Towers Watson’s diverse teams and talent. I’m originally from Trinidad and Tobago, so being part of a network that has introduced me to colleagues with similar Caribbean backgrounds has been one of the highlights of my career. I am very proud to be part of this group as it fosters comradery, connection and inclusion which in turn makes us feel comfortable in bringing our true and best selves to work.

Why do you think it is key to have diverse leaders within an organization?

Diversity has always been the status quo for me. Growing up in Trinidad & Tobago and having a diverse ethnic background myself, I’ve been able to witness how diversity in leadership brings diversity in thought and problem solving. This is particularly important for us as a company, as we’re always looking for new ways to innovate in order to provide the best solutions to our clients’ needs.

As a leader I’m always working towards supporting diverse talent and encouraging colleagues to advance their career. That’s why I am also part of the COBALT (Creating Opportunities for Black and LatinX Talent) program and a local co-leader of the Workplace Leadership Group whose mission is to create an inclusive work environment and enhance the overall colleague experience within the company.

How have the Willis Towers Watson culture and values help you adapt to working in different locations and business areas?

Over the past 20 years, I’ve been given the opportunity to work in two different countries and continents. This has enabled me to experience Willis Towers Watson’s unwavering commitment towards delivering excellent work and supporting colleagues’ growth.

When I first moved to the United States and joined the Health & Benefits function, I didn’t have a background in this area, much less in the North America region as I had only worked in Trinidad & Tobago and London before. However, I was incredibly motivated and inspired when my fellow colleagues, managers and leaders shared their knowledge and invested time in my development. This continues to encourage me to keep stepping out of my comfort zone in order to continue growing.

Willis Towers Watson has supported me throughout the various phases of my personal life to date: as a new hire, a newlywed and a new parent working part-time for a period and then returning to full-time. Seeing how the company and my colleagues flexed around my professional growth, ambitions and changing personal circumstances throughout the years, made me realize that this is more than just a company – it is a place where individuals are equipped to become the best, most authentic version of themselves.

What has been your greatest learning or piece of advice that you have received throughout your career journey at Willis Towers Watson?

There are two things that have stayed with me: the first is to ‘be authentic’ which for me is keeping things simple. I am a firm believer that if you can’t say it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. The second is to ‘embrace change’. Embrace the opportunities that present themselves even though you may think they are outside of your comfort zone.

What advice would you give to people (or colleagues), particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, looking to progress their career?

There is a place for you here. We have numerous and incredible Inclusion Networks such as the COBALT group, the Black Colleague Connection club, the Gender Equity Network, the Women’s Leadership Development Program or ‘Out@WTW’ (which is part of our LGBT+ Inclusion Network) that will help you feel comfortable in bringing your true to self to work.

Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.

Can you tell us about your career journey at Willis Towers Watson?

I first joined Willis Towers Watson in 2010 as a contractor working three days per week, a year after having my first child. The company had just completed a merger and I was responsible for integrating Human Resource (HR) policies across Europe. When my contract was almost up, a maternity cover opportunity arose within the HR Business Partner team and I was fortunate to remain with the company longer. Not long after, I then fell pregnant unexpectedly with my second child. During my maternity leave I kept in close contact with Willis Towers Watson, before returning four days per week as a contractor on an HR Operations project. My career took off from there as I then became a permanent colleague and established the Willis Towers Watson Global Recruitment Operations team. This opportunity provided me with a building block to think more strategically about recruitment, build global frameworks and governance, and to look for continuous improvement opportunities. I worked on some incredible global projects, including another merger and some large system implementations. Now, as Global Head of Talent Acquisition for Willis Towers Watson, I am very inspired to further shape the future talent goals within the company.

How do you meet the diverse hiring needs of the company?

Willis Towers Watson decided to re-establish its Talent Acquisition function as a global Center of Expertise, so I am working to build the company’s recruitment function to meet the diverse hiring needs of the organization. Alongside this, Willis Towers Watson is expanding its entry level programs, investing in more recruitment tools and technology, and redefining its operating model which includes better articulation of the hiring manager and recruiter responsibilities throughout the hiring process. Willis Towers Watson never stops striving to be a more inclusive employer. We acknowledge that we operate in some industries that are not as diverse as we would like, but that does not stop our ambition to diversify our workforce. In many cases, if diverse talent is not available at the senior leadership level, then we look at how we can bring diverse talent in at the entry level to train and develop our future leaders. In addition, we have a whole host of inclusion networks around the world and many incredible initiatives that those groups have pioneered. One of our most successful initiatives is a return-to-work program.

How important is employee engagement?

Willis Towers Watson is incredibly supportive, caring, and respectful of its colleagues’ needs. Of course, pay and benefits are important, but wellbeing and care programs can be a major differentiator between employers, and I believe this certainly positions Willis Towers Watson as a magnet for talent. An organization can use all the tools in the book to position their brand with buzzwords and on-trend terminology, but to make a real difference the most successful brands are those that are described by the employees. I think authentic stories about what it is really like to work for an organization make the most impact and resonate with prospective hires. At Willis Towers Watson, we have an incredibly flexible, supportive, and agile approach to work. There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing a self-shot video by a colleague showcasing their working day and being real about how they balance their deliverables with their home life.

What is Willis Towers Watson’s stance on work flexibility?

Willis Towers Watson has been a long-term advocate for flexible, agile working and many of its employees are used to flexing their working patterns pre-Covid. Willis Towers Watson’s flexible working culture has continued post the pandemic with various options to support working from home, hot desking in an office environment, or blend an alternative form of working.

In what ways has Willis Towers Watson demonstrated its support for its employees?

What has really humbled me is the vaccination programs that Willis Towers Watson has supported and rolled out across countries that have not had access to sufficient medical care. In addition, there are dependent care programs, employee helplines and a wide variety of wellbeing resources and support on place for our employees. I believe this exemplifies the organization as more than solely an employer, but truly demonstrates the company’s commitment to supporting and treating the individual needs of its employees. Attraction and hiring are two of our key levers for change and this is where my team can really influence others and make a difference. For example, Willis Towers Watson provides more than just the typical maternity or parental policies. There is real support for parents, care givers, and women who return-to-work, take for example our mentor schemes and impressive return-to-work help and resources. Alongside that support, there is a strong desire from the company to ensure that women are supported in their career aspirations, regardless of their career breaks.
I speak from personal experience; It would be very challenging to undertake the global scope of my role if I wasn’t able to flex my work around my family life and further responsibilities. Over the years, I have been fortunate to work with colleagues who respect my situation, many of whom have not had young families to juggle. At the same time, I can actively support my team members. For example, one of my team is part of a ‘SHE Leads’ program that provides timely career coaching to aspiring female leaders.

What can you say is Willis Towers Watson’s stance on pay equity?

As part of its practices at Willis Towers Watson, there is a consistent focus on pay equity and transparency. Even when the UK Government suspended mandatory employer reporting on the 2019 gender pay gap due to the pandemic, Willis Towers Watson actively chose to submit their UK gender pay gap report. Employer policies, procedures, resources, and support are extensive at this highly progressive company.

What do you like to do in your free time?

When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and taking our dog, a very energetic Hungarian Vizsla, for long walks on the countryside. I also enjoy cooking for friends and family, especially a Sunday roast. During the pandemic, I discovered the Peloton exercise bike and I’m now truly hooked, so I try to squeeze in a ride between my meetings. Additionally, when I get an opportunity on the weekend, I enjoy going to Tottenham Hotspur matches with my husband and children.