Our approach to ensuring diversity has always been dual-pronged. On one front, we actively showcase a wide array of voices from diverse backgrounds and communities, supporting writers from various walks of life. Alongside nurturing the literary aspirations of authors from diverse communities, we’ve introduced a new imprint Penguin Swadesh, which is dedicated to publishing literary works in Indian languages, preserving our nation’s rich literary heritage. On the other front, we strive to replicate this diversity within our talented team, who serve as the creative force behind our stunning work.
Embracing talent beyond resumes
In our pursuit of building a dynamic and inclusive team, we’ve broken the conventional norms of recruitment. At our company, it’s not just about resumes; it’s about embracing diversity and recognizing talent in all its forms. To achieve this, we’ve implemented several strategies in our recruitment process.
Firstly, our job postings are crafted to appeal to candidates from all backgrounds, creating an inclusive and engaging atmosphere. We focus solely on the essential qualifications and skills required for the job, omitting personal details like name, age, and ethnicity. Accordingly, our selection process is based on assignments that gauge the candidate’s abilities, rather than solely focusing on their past experience and other expertise. Further , a diverse interview panel ensures individual biases are minimised and feedback is collected at the end of the process to prevent any preconceptions from affecting the assessments of other panel members.
This approach allows us to assess each candidate’s potential to contribute to our team regardless of their background or previous roles.
Equity Encompassed: “Our Inclusive Benefits Package”
We’ve developed a range of inclusive policies that cater to all gender identities, guaranteeing the fulfilment of every employee’s needs. Our health insurance benefits, for instance, are available to people of all orientations, whether in same-sex or traditional partnerships. Moreover, our leave policy is built upon principles of fairness and inclusivity, devoid of any gender or sexuality-based restrictions. In addition to conventional leave options, we offer Parental and Child Adoption Leave and Sabbatical leave, accessible to all primary care givers irrespective of gender or relationship status.
Breaking Bias
It is of utmost importance that we learn the art of approaching our work and decision making without any biases. Recognising our inherent biases and opening our minds to different perspectives is critical. To foster the same and to overcome hidden prejudices our people undergo workshops such as “Uncovering Unconscious Bias”, “Creating Psychological Safety” and “Gender Sensitivity”. Through such initiatives, we ensure that our Progressive Policies contribute to foster an inclusive and welcoming culture. We provide opportunities for continuous learning about inclusion through Influencer series which brings authors and subject matter experts from all walks of life to champion the path breaking conversations with our people e.g., conversations on “Women in Leadership roles” , “LGBTQ+ Inclusivity at Workplace”. Moreover, initiatives such as “Skip Level connect “ and “Townhalls” ensure that we actively create safe spaces for open dialogues and discussions, encouraging colleagues to share their thoughts, questions, and experiences.
The foundation of all the mentioned strategies rests upon our Leadership team and the Diversity and Inclusion Council, tasked with upholding our commitment to Diversity, and Inclusion, establishing D&I objectives, and cultivating an environment of belonging and empowerment. We are delighted to announce that 70% of our senior leadership comprises women, underscoring the inclusive work environment we’ve cultivated. Their dedication is deeply rooted in amplifying diverse perspectives and fostering an inclusive publishing ecosystem.
In summary, our goal is to cultivate a diverse and innovative workforce that enriches PRH India’s success with its wide-ranging perspectives and ambitions. We don’t confine D&I to a mere metric; rather, our emphasis lies on the qualitative experience. While significant strides have been made, there is still much more to accomplish.
