Client Feedback
Don’t just take our word for it, here’s some client feedback:
“One of the most impactful sessions we’ve ever done.”
Zahid Jiwa, Head of UK&I at Salesforce
“They have fundamentally changed the way our employees think about DEI.”
Principal DEI Partner at Multinational Tech Company
“The reaction across those attending the session was incredible - the immediate learning and aha moments opened all of our eyes to the systemic bias.”
Kath Martin, Manufacturing Director at Kimberly-Clark
“This was exceptional. So impactful in such a short space of time.”
Matthew Coons, Global Head of DEIB at Xero
“This was really one of the best workshops I have ever attended.“
Bianca Eder, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Flora Food Group.
“A powerful and Innovative way to get people to witness and reflect on behaviours that happen every day. Would highly recommend.”
Chelsea Slater, CEO of InnovateHer
“The workshops have been a fantastic chance for the team to get together and discuss how gender bias shows up at work and how we can help minimise the impact though simple tools.”
Clara Benavides-Clark, WELead Co-Chair at SharkNinja
Case Studies
DEI Multilogues - Multinational Tech Company
“The DEI Multilogues have been such an instrumental learning mechanism for our team. They have fundamentally changed the way our employees think about DEI and revolutionised how we teach new diversity concepts as we continue to grow in our DEI acumen.”
– Principal DEI Business Partner
Over the last 12 months, Squash have been working in partnership with a multinational tech company to create a series of DEI Multilogues. A Multilogue is a conversation that is many-to-many. We would lead and record a live session with a group of people leaders and our professional actors. Then broadcast this recording for the wider organisation to watch and respond to via an interactive livestream.
Objective:
The DEI Multilogues followed an eLearning course that set the groundwork for inclusion discussions. The DEI team wanted to bring to life the foundational takeaways, reinforce learning objectives and dive deeper through meaningful interactions about various dimensions of diversity.
Process:
At the start of the process Squash worked hard to get a thorough understanding of the organisation’s culture, values and leadership principles so we could authentically reflect their unique culture through characters and scenarios. We worked alongside the DEI team to identify important stories to share, based on lived experiences from individuals within the organisation. We then brought these stories to life with detailed scripts filled with nuances of the culture and language, performed by our diverse pool of professional actors.
The sessions consisted of a group of leaders in a ‘fishbowl’ discussion, responding to scenarios written and performed by the Squash team. Each Multilogue focused on a different topic including maternal health, equitable talent reviews and generational differences.
The DEI team ensured diverse representation across the groups of leaders taking part, to provide diverse thought when debriefing the scenes. The leaders role-modelled vulnerability and earned trust by speaking openly and sharing their experiences. They spoke about how they were working to ensure equity and where more work was needed.
Squash created workbooks to accompany the playback of the DEI Mutlilogues, to help viewers with their own reflection and learning. We also created a best practice resource that provided further support for learning and equipped employees with the tools to respond to challenging situations, in order to continue to strengthen their culture of inclusion.
Squashing Barriers with Xero
“Squash workshops are powerful, thought-provoking, and truly drive change. Working on these topics with Rachel and her team was such a valuable experience, and seeing the real impact these sessions have has been incredible.”
- Anthony Magee, Head of Performance and Insight at Xero.
Over the course of 9 months, Squash partnered with Xero to design and deliver a bespoke programme of interactive workshops. The aim was to bring to life experiences employees could face in the workplace, spark meaningful conversations and equip participants with practical tools to foster a more inclusive workplace.
Rather than working with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in isolation, we collaborated across multiple ERGs to explore the diverse, multi-layered experiences of employees throughout the business. We carried out research to identify key challenges related to unconscious bias and developed four tailored scenarios to address these areas.
The four workshops focused on:
Neuroinclusion - Understanding the experience of a colleague with ADHD
Equitable Recruitment - Highlighting the importance of diversity and equitable hiring practices
LGBTQ+ Allyship - Exploring the journey of a non-binary colleague joining the company
Maternal and Racial Bias - Examining the unique barriers faced by a Black mother returning to work
Squash created and developed bespoke scripts for each scenario, which were brought to life by professional actors. Each session provided a unique, immersive experience, encouraging participants to engage in open discussions and equipping participants with practical actions they could use to better support colleagues facing similar challenges.
The workshops were designed as a progressive learning journey, with each session building on the last. By the end of the programme, participants had not only deepened their understanding but also gained the confidence to apply their learning in real-world situations - helping them to become stronger allies and to create a more inclusive culture at Xero.
The results
100% intend to take action towards a more inclusive culture.
100% would recommend this programme to an employee.
100% agreed using drama helped them to consider other employees' experiences.
Participant feedback: What did you like about the programme?
“Discussing scenarios and relating it to our own experiences. I thought it was a great session and FAR better than online D&I training!”
“The role-play element makes the scenario very real. It lets the viewer get a first hand view into the type of situations they could encounter.”
“It didn’t hold back, it helped reveal unfortunate harsh realities in a way that was eye opening and informative!”’
“Loved how much it made me think and question my existing thoughts and made me realise there is so much more I can do.”
The Results:
“Squash have been absolutely incredible from start to finish! Rachel gave us a taster session on gender bias, and we loved the approach of using role-playing to bring the story to life. We signed up to four workshops which covered a range of topics. During the planning stages, she met with us on several occasions to ensure the sessions were tailored to fit our needs. The sessions have generated a lot of discussions within Xero and the experiences employees from various backgrounds could experience in the workplace. We're excited to continue this learning journey and appreciation for all our differences.”
– Alex Wing Yue Lai , Xero