“Sometimes I feel like people don’t always appreciate the way I look at situations or how I have been shaped by experiences I’ve had, so I was keen to take the platform to explain my truth and share with a leader so they could understand my position.” The chance to connect with a more experienced, senior woman at Amazon sounded invaluable to me, as I was excited to connect with someone who could challenge my thinking and push me on in my career. “There can be so many thoughts floating around in my head – progression challenges, imposter syndrome, wondering if I fit in, ideas for the business – and I didn’t know how to channel them. “It allows you to navigate through things and express honestly how you’re feeling about situations. “In reverse mentoring, you’re able to talk about things without getting judged,” said Flo. Everyone has their own unique journey and should have a platform to share it.”įlo Wilkinson - UK Space Planning Program Manager, Amazon Fresh Stores Internationalįlo joined Amazon in 2021 and is part of the reverse mentoring programme, where she has been partnered with Sophie Wilshaw, Director of Customer Experience and Marketing for Amazon’s European Hardlines retail team.

We need to normalise sharing with each other and remove the stigma. “I’m keen to promote role models who aren’t shiny and perfect, as the best way to learn is by hearing from real humans who have tenacity and resilience to me, that’s far more aspirational than perfection. “Mentorship provides a way for people to show up and learn from each other, which creates authentic allyship,” said Ria. The programme has since been scaled across Amazon’s global offices and is open to employees in all teams and businesses.

The aims of the programme are to champion intersectional, lived experiences and encourage employees at different stages in their careers to share their stories. In 2021, she created and launched Amazon’s reverse mentoring programme, which matches senior team members at the company with junior members of staff to learn their stories. She is passionate about creating spaces for people, especially those from marginalised communities, to share their stories and build emotional connections. Ria joined the Amazon in 2019 and is a Program Manager and UK Chair of Amazon’s People with Disabilities (PwD) Affinity Group.

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