We’re doubling-down on talent and leadership development. Around the world, our member firms have large numbers of employees working remotely. We’re committed to providing networking and professional development opportunities for our members, despite the current challenges. More than ever, it’s important to connect with one another and provide support and guidance wherever we can.
Today we’re delighted to announce that Out Leadership is expanding our technology partnership with Ten Thousand Coffees globally this week to offer extended networking and talent development opportunities to members in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The platform matches professionals based on their career goals for conversation—all online. It’s available across our more than 80 Out Leadership member firms, free until the end of 2020.
The move to remote work has been a major challenge for organizations, which is why we wanted to quickly expand the Ten Thousand Coffees partnership.
Keeping professionals engaged and focused on talent development is on the minds of all people leaders. Last year, Cigna reported that remote workers are more likely than non-remote workers to feel alone. Further, lonely workers say they are less engaged and less productive. It’s business-critical to provide professionals with the opportunity to network, build relationships and learn from one another to now, more than ever.
Want to “grab coffee” with another Out Leadership member? No matter your work from home situation, this platform is for you.
With unprecedented numbers of folks working from home, we’re making the OL Café available to all employees, free for the rest of 2020. This is one of several initiatives Out Leadership is announcing in response to the COVID-19 global crisis to support the LGBT+ community and our member firms.
So, what is the OL Café?
The OL Café is an online talent development platform, powered by Ten Thousand Coffees. When you become a member, you will fill out a profile with your career goals and interests and be smart matched with another member every month based on your unique interests and goals. We recommend meeting via video chat, but a phone call works too!
The technology was piloted over the last 12-months with alumni of the OutNEXT Talent Development Program, to help them develop their networks, build their business acumen and support the OL’s mission of helping Out Leaders and organizations realize the economic growth and talent dividend derived from inclusive businesses. Now, we all get to dive into the incredible members of Out Leadership to share a coffee, learn something new and build our networks.
Thanks to our amazing partner, Ten Thousand Coffees, for launching this program globally with us. And a special shout out also to Mostafa Abdelguelil and the Capital One team who are the sponsors of the OL Café for OutNEXT alumni. Without this backing, the OL Café would have remained a dream and not the reality it is today.
Since its launch last year the OL Café has grown to:
- 445 active early-adopter participants from member firms
- 2,670 Smart-match introductions have been made between members to meet with another member outside of their day-to-day jobs
- 95% participants see introduction being a valuable addition to their professional network