HSBC talent – Thinking Differently
Enabling Academy graduate and HSBC Global Service Centre (GSC) Malaysia Global Support Executive, Sri Laxman Sri Ramesh (centre) with Vice President Credit Control Services, Sheilla Devi Salitoray (left) and Enabling Academy Job Coach, Catherine Chin (right).
When Sri Laxman Sri Ramesh joined HSBC Global Service Centre (GSC) Malaysia, he was not used to a new environment, the working environment.
As an adult on a high-functioning autism spectrum, he found it quite difficult to stay focused at one place. And so, he needed more frequent breaks than other colleagues.
As one of the Enabling Academy’s Partner Companies, HSBC is happy to accommodate Sri Laxman’s additional needs.
As time went by, he got used to the company’s culture and processes. It only took him a year to show progress. As the company’s Global Support Executive, he is now regarded as the glue that binds his team together.
“He doesn’t just actively contribute in the workplace but also outside of work. As his supervisor, I noticed he has a talent for organising team building activities. He even organises a little Zumba exercise for our colleagues at work,” Vice President Credit Control Services, Sheilla Devi Salitoray shares.
As a business operating in markets all around the world, HSBC Group is noted for stating its diversity and inclusion values. The Group is committed to create an inclusive culture that supports equal opportunities among its employees by continuously bringing different people and cultures together.
Like other forms of neurodiversity, autism can cover a broad range of experiences within the spectrum. These may differ from individual to individual, and may also change over time. As a company, they are highly aware that some people will probably need day-to-day support, while others are able to live independent lives but find social communication a challenge.
HSBC Global Service Centre (GSC) Malaysia Centre Director, Neeti Mahajan says that their agenda on diversity and inclusion is ever-evolving.
Supporting the organisation’s values, HSBC GSC Malaysia Centre Director, Neeti Mahajan commented that there is a constant need for people, and especially hiring managers to be more open to working with people who are diverse and differently-abled.
“One of the things we do within the organisation are things like sensitisation trainings where we try to understand different and diverse sets of team members. This allows us to think of different ways of working we can adopt,” she added.
Sri Laxman Sri Ramesh is not the only neurodiverse employee in HSBC as it is their commitment to building a workplace where everyone regardless of differences are embraced, valued, respected and supported to fulfil their full potential and thrive. Such commitment is in line with Enabling Academy’s crucial role towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) in promoting sustainable employment for people with autism in Malaysia.
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