Best Operators for Women in Cable
Comcast Cable is getting better as it gets bigger. Over the span of the PAR Initiative, it has reinvented its pay policies and streamlined its leadership programs so that they are stronger, more strategic, and deliver a deeper pipeline of talent to each of the company’s expanding divisions.
As Comcast acquires and integrates other systems and programmers, it is keeping pace with an upward spiral of strong programs aimed at cross-pollinating winning practices among its proliferating divisions. The operator is taking a strong position on diversity, requiring that search firms present diverse candidate slates and tying managers’ compensation to diversity goals.
Comcast also is building relationships with various universities and technical schools for hard-to-locate female talent. Through internships, co-ops and job fairs, promising young female students are introduced early on to Comcast and given exposure to career opportunities within the cable industry.
Comcast introduced one of this year’s few innovations for recruiting women installers. Perceiving that enjoying the physical work demanded of installers is key to retaining women in these gritty, but public-facing jobs, Comcast is now developing relationships with high school sports teams, as well as with those recently discharged from the military, so it can recruit women who enjoy physical challenges.
Best Companies for Women in Advancement Opportunities
As it continues its rapid expansion into new markets, Comcast Cable is keeping pace internally by quickly ratcheting up requirements and supports for advancing women.
This year, Comcast started requiring search firms to present diverse slates for open positions, and it now ties a portion of each manager’s pay to achieving diversity goals. The operator supports this higher standard with its ever-improving leadership development programs for women at all levels.
Realizing that opportunities for promotions weren’t being communicated well to women and women of color, Comcast revamped its internal communications techniques. One key addition was training tech managers, especially, to reach out to rising women leaders to ensure they are included on key projects. Comcast’s “AVP Boot Camp” continues strong, identifying and training early-stage middle managers.