Redefining narratives, fostering diversity: what we learn from working with refugees

“Your unique collection of character stories and experiences differentiate you from every one of the eight billion plus people who live on our planet today. Everyone has a story worth telling.”

Those were words spoken at a recent Oliver Wyman networking event in London, specifically tailored for refugees to empower and enhance their lives and careers in the UK. 

There were indeed so many inspiring stories told in the room, but more importantly, the feedback from the refugees present was amazing – hopefully, they now feel more supported on their career journeys. 

The event, held earlier this month, was organised by our marketing and recruiting teams at Oliver Wyman, in collaboration with Brandable & Co, the people-brand strategy agency founded by the UK’s leading personal branding expert Sallee Poinsette-Nash, along with charity RefuAid and non-profit social enterprise Renaisi. 

It was the result of 18 months of hard work and detailed planning, in particular from Oliver Wyman’s senior recruitment manager Joanne Thomas and head of growth Andrea Steverding who have been supporting us recruiting and mentoring incredible talent from the refugee community.

Oliver Wyman is passionate about inclusivity and ensuring individuals have the best chance at life, no matter what their background or circumstances. Refugees, the most dispossessed people in society, have become mere statistics or else weaponised pawns in the ongoing culture war but every refugee is an individual with a story worth sharing, a unique life journey from which we can all learn. And here we aim to make refugees’ ongoing journeys less bumpy: we want to help people build communities, create opportunities and therefore a sense of security that will stay with them. 

Our vision became action back in 2015 when we initiated a refugee hiring programme to offer refugees from around the globe job security or a new career pathway. 

Founded by our former CEO Scott McDonald, now CEO of the British Council, created and led by our global head of change, sustainability and social Impact Nikki Davis, and supported by our CEO Nick Studer, the programme has seen the integration of refugees into various roles across our company, with four joining the European marketing team alone. 

They include people like Katya, whose life changed forever two years ago today, on 24th February 2022 when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Scared, lost, and heartbroken, forced to leave home and without a job, she came to the UK on a refugee visa and, after two months of job hunting, was welcomed into our Oliver Wyman family. She further strengthened our resolve to support more people displaced from their homes due to war, persecution or disaster.

In addition, Katya’s story became something of a catalyst to make our programme more visible and thanks to her video, Alya, who is now one of our marketing coordinators, pitched herself to join us. I was so proud to see them both inspire us all at the workshop.

Through initiatives like this, we’ve gained many insights, often very humbling, and a deeper understanding of not only the challenges refugees encounter, but also how much they can contribute to our business and to wider society. During the event we have encouraged them to build their own communities, to reach their objectives with the help of others. It only takes two people at the start and it only needs a two-way exchange: I give and I get. (And it was fantastic to play the Noi Club signature Web of Connections game with a ball of yarn!) 

We can learn much from the resilience of refugees, but what’s crucial is to see the whole person. Being resilient is a gift but only after it has been a challenge – and sometimes the challenge is all we see. The most important lesson for potential employers is that refugees shouldn’t be wholly defined by their origins or present situation. While their refugee journey will forever be part of their personal story and has undoubtedly shaped them, it needn’t define them as individuals.

At the workshop Sallee reminded us all that we are in charge of our story – we choose which parts to keep private and which to share. And for the latter there will be people happy to walk alongside us as we open up – and help smooth the path ahead. 

With the refugee unemployment rate currently four times the national average, the opportunity to make a positive impact is within employers’ grasp. One in five refugees are in low-skilled or low-paid positions, unable to fully utilise their expertise. By accessing this untapped talent pool, employers can not only enhance their workforce, but also play a crucial role in successful refugee integration.

At Oliver Wyman, working with refugees goes beyond mere hiring initiatives. It’s about redefining narratives, fostering diversity, and actively contributing to the betterment of displaced individuals. It’s our honour and pleasure to truly listen to and support them. We want to reframe what being a refugee means for those keen to get on with their lives and build a future in another country. This community has so much to teach others - it’s not just about their struggles or resilience. To those ends, we’ll be organising more networking events and workshops soon. If you want to get involved, please drop me a message. 

Ultimately, being a refugee is just a moment in a person’s journey. To put it in Sallee’s words: “Today is a page. Refugee is a chapter – and you get to decide the name of the book.”

Paola Garbini is executive director and European head of marketing at Oliver Wyman.