Case study: Young Professionals Development Program at a Leading Swiss Investment Bank

The Brief

We were tasked with creating a development program for young professionals at a leading Swiss investment bank. The aim of the program was to help individuals forge a clear career path by giving them greater access to tools, networks and learning opportunities. At the same time, we designed a program to equip Line Managers with the skills required to support the young professionals through their career within the bank.

As with many companies, the bank was concerned with how it could retain young talent. By investing in its young professionals’ development while also offering ongoing support to them via their Line Managers, the bank intended to reduce its attrition rate.

The Desired Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes were twofold: firstly, to give the young professionals the confidence to thrive within the bank by sharing a number of tools and techniques to expand their soft skillset. Secondly, by introducing Line Managers to tried-and-tested coaching models, the bank was ensuring that the young professionals were fully supported on their journey. As with all Actualize programs, the participants were given opportunities to practice all the models they’d seen along with advice on how to adopt them in their daily work lives.

The Program

The program for young professionals was designed around making genuine connections with others and working as part of a team. We shared models around building trust and active listening, among others.

Becoming A Career Coach is a program designed and delivered by Actualize to the Line Managers. The aim of the program was to share tools and techniques with Line Managers to enable them to coach the young professionals as they progress within the bank. Using Actualize’s unique Head, Heart, Body, System (HHBS) approach, we ensured the learning was embedded with the full support of senior management.