April 6, 2022
Ellen: I went to the States for my MBA back in 2017, and in the entire program, only five percent of the population was Asian. It was definitely a new experience for me, being a racial minority. But over this journey, I also saw the strength of a diverse team; different perspectives help you tackle challenges creatively.
After I graduated, I joined Johnson & Johnson in their global HR leadership development program, where I got the chance to build diversity and inclusion initiatives from scratch for the company’s China organization. With this experience, I learned how to make D+I relevant to Asian and Chinese culture and how the D+I experience can expand people’s careers, which I brought with me when I came to Danaher last year.
For example, the work Helen and I do for the Women + Friends ARG gives us the opportunity to go beyond our day-to-day focus in HR and logistics to work on broader Danaher initiatives in China. I’m glad I get to use my experience and position as ARG Chair to establish an inclusive culture at Danaher where women can achieve their goals and be their authentic selves.
Ellen Chen
Helen: I also joined Danaher recently, when I came to Cytiva in 2021. I was in Switzerland at the time and excited for the opportunity to move back to China and transition into the healthcare and life sciences industry. Before then, I worked for nine years in the oil and gas industry, which gave me the opportunity to work in different countries, where I got exposed to many different cultures. This experience really taught me that diversity and inclusion—respecting differences and recognizing strengths—is the key to making sure teams work together more efficiently.
With that in mind, I was excited to hear about the formation of the Women + Friends ARG when I attended a Danaher women leadership summit last July. I knew immediately, I wanted to join the ARG committee and contribute however I could.
Helen Qiao
Ellen: Given the unique culture here, gender is the most pressing aspect of D+I. Danaher now has nearly 8,000 associates in China, but only a third are women. As we strive for the global goal of achieving 40% female associates by 2025, China is an important area of focus for increasing representation.
Our global Women + Friends strategy focuses on five pillars: Authenticity, Equality, Community, Visible Achievement and Career Navigation. After examining data and feedback, we’ve decided to prioritize three of these pillars for China for 2022: Authenticity, Visible Achievement and Career Navigation. Authenticity means creating an inclusive culture that encourages associates to be themselves at work; Visible Achievement means having diverse leaders in visible roles to serve as role models; and Career Navigation means establishing clear and transparent career-progression roadmaps to minimize bias and increase diversity in leadership. The ARG steering committee—the leadership of the group that includes me, Helen and eight other women—designs and implements programming to work toward these three strategic pillars.
Helen: I especially connect with Visible Achievement. As I mentioned earlier, I worked many years in the oil and gas industry, which is very male-dominated. When you go into a meeting room and see almost everyone is male, it really makes you understand why women have a hard time envisioning themselves in an industry. If we give more women the opportunities to lead, they will gain the confidence and experience to continue leading. So, for me the Women + Friends ARG is all about giving women associates the space to feel comfortable and confident. At the same time, men will see our programs and gain more awareness about the need for diversity and inclusion.
Ellen: We have many events, from webinars to salons to mentorship programs. For example, the “Radiance of the Orchid” salon we held in January focused on self-care in a fun, appealing way. We discussed balancing home and work life, taking care of physical and mental health and cultivating a professional presence.
Our next event, happening in April, is what we call “Boss for One Day.” Nine senior leaders, either platform presidents or general managers of our operating companies, are volunteering their time for career shadowing. Some of our female associates will get to spend a full eight hours with a leader and really see how it feels to work as a senior executive. We hope this unique experience empowers our female associates to grow their leadership skills and envision their career progression. Obviously, these opportunities are limited and in demand. Already 140 women have registered! So, beyond job shadowing, we will also offer individualized career coaching with our most experienced HR leaders, to help women define who they are, what they want to achieve and how they can achieve it.
Helen: And then in July, we will host a second China women leadership summit. It’s really exciting, because the ARG was formally established thanks to the first summit. So this year we will celebrate our one year anniversary and really get the chance to build up more awareness and impact all around. We already have about 800 members, and I’m excited to bring in more women and allies.
Ellen: Danaher’s D+I office has been tremendously helpful. I have regular check-ins with Allison Blackwell, Vice President of D+I, and her team. They make sure we have the time, support and funding we need to establish the ARG and host various programs here in China. Locally, Danaher leaders from the very top level to front-line people managers all appreciate the need for D+I. The president of the company here in China, Jason Peng, is the executive sponsor of the ARG, while Jacqueline He, the Vice President of Human Resources in China, provides more day-to-day coaching and guidance.
Helen: Absolutely. I can also add that, though my daily job is not about D+I or Human Resources, my manager really supports me and my need for extra time to work on ARG communications. He’s always checking in with me, asking, “Hey, do you need any help from me?” He’s a great ally, and I really appreciate the support.
Helen: This coming year, from a communications perspective, I have two major goals. First, we need to continue building communications within China with regular ARG newsletters, emails and our official account. Led by our ARG Engagement leader, Annie Ji, we’re also revising the ARG mini app we use through WeChat. It’s already a success, but we want to make the interface more user-friendly and past content more accessible. Second, I hope to build one main communication channel, so we can share ARG programs and events better, while also building a strong community with long-lasting impact and wide exposure.
All this is crucial for making sure we showcase our dedication to D+I and reach as many people as we can within our 8,000 Danaher associates in China. We want the entire ARG process—from learning about the ARG, to registering, to actively participating in our programs—to be as smooth as possible. We want women to know that we care about them, both their career development and their wellbeing.
Ellen: Since the ARG is only a year old—an infant!— there’s incredible potential. The top priority for our steering committee is to build up the ARG’s infrastructure so that it can grow to meet changing demands in the coming years. Right now, we want to focus on female associates, but down the road, we want to engage male allies as well. We want women to see our programming and say, “Hey, Danaher is the best place for me to progress.” The ARG should provide the knowledge and skills women need to grow and be fulfilled at work.
