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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
Legrand was selected as a 2023 Campus Forward Award Winner for their unwavering commitment to seeking out and hiring early career talent, their emphasis on diversity & inclusion, and investments in nurturing and retaining the next generation of talent. Please see below for the highlights of their approach to early career recruitment.
Demonstrated Investment in Early Career Hiring
Legrand’s commitment to innovation begins with fostering new talent who share the same curiosity and purpose that drive everything they do. Its Early-in-Career Development Programs offer recent college graduates real-world and hands-on experiences. This allows them to develop confidence and competencies while making valuable contributions to the company. The emphasis on early-in-career talent allows Legrand to build a strong internal talent pipeline. Even in economically challenging years, Legrand has made a conscious effort to continue hiring early career talent. Legrand is excited by the new, fresh perspectives that each generation brings to the workplace.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
Legrand was excited to bring back in-person interviews for its rotational programs this year. Interviewees come on-site for final-round interviews, where the evening prior includes a Q&A panel of past and current participants, as well as a meet-and-greet for all candidates, interviewers, and program representatives. In order to foster an environment of inclusion, Legrand makes a conscious effort to assemble a diverse panel of interviewers for the rotational programs. All interviewers are required to complete an Inclusive Leadership curriculum, including e-learning and virtual instructor-led components. After the interviews, candidates are notified within a week and specific feedback from the interviewers is shared. During the time between offer and start, Legrand engages with the candidates through events such as personal budgeting training and virtual meet-and-greets. To ensure candidates are fully equipped for the workplace, Legrand seeks feedback from managers and program participants about ways to adapt pre-hire activities.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of Legrand's values and growth strategy, and play an important part in the company’s success. The company leverages the diversity of its employees across the organization — and the world — to help achieve the goal of transforming the spaces where people live and work, including their very own. Legrand ensures professional equality and equitable treatment for all employees, but particularly for women, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGTBQ+ associates. Each Legrand entity shares this commitment, which forms the basis of the diversity charter, in accordance with its specific characteristics. Legrand's aspiration is to mirror the diversity of the communities where it operates, provide a positive employment experience for all Legrand associates, and lead and advocate for a better shared future. Legrand has implemented several policies, as well as created an Executive Committee solely focused on diversity.
Impactful Internship Program
Most of Legrand’s internships follow a unique model. Rather than being limited to just the summer, its local university partnerships allow interns to work throughout the school year, flexing their hours to accommodate the semester’s schedule. The longer duration allows interns to work on and potentially lead impactful projects, often presenting them to members of senior leadership and other key stakeholders. While at Legrand, interns are considered integral members of the team and are relied on to get products and projects out the door. Legrand’s interns are equipped with both robust technical experience and professional skills to facilitate a smooth transition from university to office.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
Legrand’s early career rotational programs offer a high engagement and high exposure experience. For their first week, employees attend an on-site onboarding, which includes presentations from senior leaders across the company. Once the new hires officially start at their assigned site, they receive a 90-day onboarding plan that includes training and meetings with key individuals. In year two, participants receive a senior-level mentor within their function. Throughout the duration of the program, Legrand offers participants monthly training, bi-annual onsite program events, and travel with their direct teams. Even after graduating from the program, program managers stay in touch with graduates to assist with their career paths. Since the programs officially started nearly 10 years ago, Legrand has seen high retention and promotion of participants. Legrand annually reviews the career aspirations of the graduates with senior leadership.