Marsh’s story: Actionable Tips for Fostering Asian Inclusion at Work

Almost 1 in 10 people in the UK are of Asian heritage.

Yet, when it comes to Asian inclusion in the workplace, many UK recruitment businesses are still falling short of fully leveraging the immense potential this demographic brings. In a country where people of Asian heritage represent a vibrant and significant portion of the workforce, embracing their skills, perspectives, and contributions is not just a moral imperative. It is business-critical.

 What’s in it for you? For modern recruitment agencies, championing Asian inclusion in not about ticking diversity boxes. It is about tapping into a talent pool brimming with untapped expertise, cultural insight, and global networks. It’s about helping your clients future-proof their teams with individuals who bring new dimensions to problem-solving and market understanding. And, crucially, it is about setting yourself apart in an industry where inclusive hiring practices are becoming a key differentiator for employers looking for a recruitment partner they can trust. Last but not least, this work helps you retain the best talent in your business making sure that they are safe to be innovative.

While there is no one-size-fits-all, we want to share Marsh’s story to help REC members start this development in your businesses. Based on our story, here are a few practical tips for starting your Asian colleague inclusion work:

Establish your “Why?”

We have all heard the phrase “culture eats strategy for breakfast”. Understanding what it is you are trying to achieve and how it connects to your business strategy will help to alleviate the confusion at the beginning of this development. Also, it will help you remain authentic!

You do not need to be an EDI expert.

To introduce a transformation into your organisation you must first understand the current landscape. Explore what structures and practices are already developed in your business. See how you can build on what works. Make sure you provide space for all your colleagues to bring ideas. This can be done through a survey but you can also simply talk to your colleagues!

Leadership support is key.

No change can be sustainable without leadership support. Make sure your leaders are not only aware of your work but are actively involved.

Be patient (and flexible).

Culture transformation will not happen overnight, so sustainable development requires patience. This also gives you continuous opportunity to adjust your approach and innovate!

Have fun!

Do not forget that EDI work is about helping colleagues and yourself to feel great at work. While there are challenges to be overcome, do not forget to enjoy the richness diversity and inclusion brings!

To share more practical tips of our own development we interviewed the founders of our Asian Colleague Network, Shilpa Pagonda and Santpreet Arora. At the end of the blog we added a summary of steps to start this development in your business.

SP: Shilpa, let’s start by giving some background on MOSAIC and its role in promoting diversity & inclusion within Marsh McLennan?

Shilpa: The core of our inclusion efforts is MOSAIC (Multicultural Outreach and Support for   Advancing Inclusivity and Community), a Colleague Resource Group for Marsh McLennan group companies, whose aim is to Foster an open & inclusive environment for colleagues   of all cultures to learn, share and develop when engaging internally and externally to enhance successful working relationships and drive personal and professional growth. The Asian Colleague Network forms a part of MOSAIC.

Shilpa: What made you start the Asian Colleague Network?

SP: Asian Colleague Network (ACN) has been formed to connect colleagues of Asian heritage/ethnicity/nationalities to come together to network, discuss their shared experiences /challenges, find relatable mentors; and spread awareness about the rich Asian heritage through fun events and festivals.

When I joined the insurance industry in London in 2022, I attended my first Dive-In     Festival, which is a week-long festival dedicated to D&I space within the insurance industry. I was pleasantly surprised at how much more receptive the industry was towards promoting diversity within the workplace in insurance. For someone belonging to an ethnic minority, this was a huge boost, and in that moment, I experienced clarity of thought that I wish to contribute to the D&I space in insurance. 

After a bit of asking around, I found out about the Marsh Multicultural Network (now MOSAIC) and got in touch with the members who ran the network, which also included you Shilpa. MOSAIC was tinkering with the idea of starting a group for Asian Colleagues (on the lines of the existing Black Colleague Network), and it just felt right to take up the initiative and contribute towards raising awareness about Asian colleagues, their heritages and their challenges. I am grateful you all put your trust in me – someone who was new to London Market and did not have any prior experience of running a colleague support group.

Over a period of next few months, with your support, what was an idea has slowly evolved into a tangible reality.

SP: Could you enlighten our readers with the Core Mission of Asian Colleague Network?

Shilpa: ACN’s core mission is to create a safe place for our Asian colleagues. We created this group to empower all Asians in the organisation. They can share and ask for support at work and openly discuss various topics that are of concern. In addition, we reach out to colleagues who are new to Marsh and make them feel comfortable in the new set up.

We also work towards protecting the core Asian culture by organising events that aim to promote and share the Asian experiences across Marsh.

Another aim is to reach out to colleagues who have recently moved to the UK and maybe        struggling to understand the lifestyle challenges they face in day-to-day life.

Shilpa: Let’s talk about the initiatives taken by ACN and its future plans.

SP: Networking! First and foremost – it’s networking. Networking is the first step towards achieving the objectives of the group. Every initiative or events planned by ACN has networking at its core.

It is through networking that conversations move from “Weather’s so grey today!” and              “Oh, you also think the office elevator is slow?” to “Oh, you’re also facing the same       struggle as me?” and “What can we do about it collectively?” Networking is how we realise that no matter how different we seem from each other, Asian cultures have a lot more similarities than we care to admit.

With that in mind, the very first event organised by ACN was a coffee mixer for its members which was followed by events for South Asian Heritage Month and Diwali.

Shilpa: Further, we at ACN aim to organise events that are related to different regions from    Asia. This is to encourage and highlight the culture and rich heritage that various parts of Asia bring. The events reflect the rituals Asians do during their festivals, new year and other special occasions. Our main idea of these events is to plan activities where everyone from various backgrounds can participate and enjoy the culture.

Some of the events that we organised in the last 12 months have been to celebrate South Asian Heritage month, East and South-East Asian Heritage month and Diwali.

We also plan to organise Lunch & Learn webinars. The speakers at these sessions are usually the Senior Asian colleagues, who share their experiences and challenges they faced in their career. In addition, we also organise sessions with young professionals from Asian background to share their challenges to work through the professional environment.

Our aim is to make these sessions interesting and interactive.

SP: For our readers who are interested in starting similar initiatives in their respective organisations, what’s the best way to go about it?

Shilpa: We created this group to create a safe space for colleagues to speak up about any issues they are facing and seek suggestions from the experience of the other members in the group. If you are planning to start a similar group, we would suggest conducting an open session where colleagues from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, ethnicity, gender etc; come and contribute their experiences and suggestions. This will help in understanding the pulse of the issue, which in turn will support you in taking this idea forward to your management. Any group you start will need an Exec sponsor, who will support you and guide you in this journey. We had some amazing support from our      Management in starting this group and they contributed both personally and financially. In addition, we have some great success stories from the members of the group who benefitted from being a member of the Asian Colleague Network.

SP: To add to what Shilpa said, communities and resource groups take time to build up. It’s like exercising. You do not see transformational results in the first week of starting a workout routine, but you keep at it regularly and you will notice a positive difference over time. Similarly, resource groups require patience and determination. They need to be nurtured to see them turn into vessels of change. At the end of it all, if a resource group can create a safe space for colleagues to talk and can help make a positive difference to even one colleague’s life, it’s worth it.

Diversity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a driver of innovation, resilience, and growth. It is vital for organisations to actively engage in inclusion efforts to attract and retain the best talent but also to grow your client base and build your brand.

As a big employer, Marsh understands that it is essential for recruiters to prioritise EDI —not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s crucial for business success. When recruiters embrace EDI, they bring forward a wider, richer pool of candidates who bring fresh perspectives, unique skills, and innovative ideas. A diverse workforce isn't just more reflective of the world we live in; it’s proven to drive better results, foster creativity, and enhance company culture. We want a recruitment partner who understands this, one that actively works to eliminate bias and widen the lens through which they view talent. Together, we can build teams that don’t just fit in, but elevate our organisations by making them more resilient, forward-thinking, and welcoming for everyone.

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