'Mentoring should also be connected with DEI initiatives of an organisation'

It is essential for organisations not only to train young professionals but also to manage them virtuously. Millennials and GenZs have always put their time and energy into work, and in return, they look for appreciation so that they can be sure of their fruitful contribution to work. Along with the organisations, it is now seen that with the advent of AI, the young pros are more inclined towards it in order to seek help.

These professionals also thrive in an environment that fosters collaboration and adaptability and enables them to drive meaningful change.

Today, the exchange4media’s PR and Corp Comm team spoke to Deepshikha Dharmaraj, chief executive officer, BCW India Group, where she emphasised on encouraging employees to upskill as agencies not only help them rise in their career, but also put them in the growth mindset.

Excerpts:

The PR industry welcomes young people from various backgrounds. They are seen to be enterprising and innovative, but what factors do the current generation lack? 

Each generation is a reflection of the time it exists in. The current generation was born as digital natives. They are agile and exposed to a world of information. However, since they are relatively new to the industry, there are areas they need to work on—building industry knowledge, understanding client needs and navigating the changing media landscape. All that can be addressed if you inculcate a growth mindset in them. This means fostering curiosity, creativity and an openness to learning and taking on new challenges.

Factors like pay challenges make it difficult for companies to retain talent. How is this being addressed?

Pay challenges will always be an issue across organisations and sectors. However, the great resignation was not just motivated by pay challenges but by the bigger issue of employee (dis)engagement.

Our Expectations at Work study released in October last year revealed that in India, over half of the top 10 expectations for employees are around work culture, including the effectiveness of leadership decision-making, leader visibility, internal communication and employee voice. People realise that the nature of the employee-organisation relationship cannot be transactional. Rather, they need to feel a sense of purpose and a vision in working for the organisation. They also need to know that the organisation is invested in their growth and development.

Some of the ways we are managing this is through:

Focus on upskilling: We are emphasising the importance of continuous professional development and skill enhancement and provide regular opportunities to them for it. By encouraging employees to upskill, we don’t just help them rise in their career, we also put them in the growth mindset that I mentioned before.

Engagement and recognition: Engagement is not about having a pool table at work or giving freebies to your teams. It is about a deeper connect with your people, giving them a purpose to get behind, motivation to do their best and recognition when they deliver. 

Open and transparent communication: Regular communication about the company's financial health and growth prospects can help employees understand the bigger picture and make informed decisions. 

Are there any other industry challenges causing hindrances for the professionals? 

A lot has happened in our industry in a very short time and young professionals need to adapt to the changes. The evolving media landscape, the complexities of influencer management, the accelerated pace of digital communication and the sheer extent of information and clutter out there are just some of the changes.

The second big challenge is the dearth of good talent. PR firms need to work closely with educational institutions to ensure that there is a constant connect between them and regular exchange of information and expertise.

And finally, the third challenge is the need demonstrate real measurable impact to the clients. Metrics for PR have changed over time. It is no longer about just coverage. There also needs to be behaviour change and business impact at the end of a public relations campaign.

How is artificial intelligence contributing as a mentor to help young guns adapt to the industry norms? 

Artificial intelligence cannot replace a real mentor. However, AI can help them become more effective by analysing vast amounts of data and consumer insights to uncover unique angles and trends, automating mundane tasks to free up time for creative brainstorming, and offering personalised content recommendations to ensure engaging and targeted storytelling. This is why it’s important to note that AI has to coexist with humans as a tool and that the human intelligence cannot be replaced by AI.

What are the other policies of the agencies taken into consideration for mentorship programmes?

Mentoring needs to be both, embedded in employee experience as well as be an intentional exercise. At BCW and WPP, there are several mentoring programmes for people at every level. Our flagship Associate Learning Programme (ALP) and leadership development programmes LEAP and TLP all have a strong mentoring element in them. BCW APAC has a formal mentoring programme called Edge. At the WPP level, there’s a specific women’s community called Stella for which, again, mentoring is the cornerstone. So, for young professionals, there are plenty of opportunities to be mentored.

Mentoring should also be connected with the DEI initiatives of an organisation. When you have a diverse group of people, they need mentoring so that the organisation can become a more equitable workplace for them.

Before I end, I also want to talk about the impact of mentoring on the mentor. It gives you self-confidence, makes you feel good about helping others and of course, looks good on the resume. So mentoring is a win-win for both, the mentor, and the mentee.