Celebrating Black History Month: Jay's story

By Jay Motondo, Senior Marketing Executive

​Senior Marketing Executive, Jay Motondo, from Guidant’s sister brand, Comensura, shares his experience on covert discrimination and the importance of diverse workplace representation.

I’m Congolese, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It’s a beautiful country with an abundance of natural resources but also, unfortunately, a history of colonial exploitation that continues to this day. The Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt ore and coltan, two minerals essential to modern technology due to their use in smartphones, 5G and electric vehicles.

I’ve been working in marketing for the last 15 years or so…
… specifically within IT and managed services. I joined Impellam’s Global Managed Services team earlier this year, looking after Guidant’s sister brand, Comensura.

From past work experiences, racism is rarely overt.
In my experience, the difficulty in tackling discrimination and racism in the UK is that it’s rarely overt, which means it can be difficult to call out. For those on the receiving end, the microaggressions, stereotypical assumptions and unconscious biases at play are obvious.

However, because I’ve always lived and worked in a multicultural city that is London, I have come to understand that there will be colleagues who commute in from areas not as ethnically diverse or whose social circles are predominantly homogeneous.

As humans, subconsciously we are affected by tribalistic drivers that lead us to stick to what we know. Anything that is ‘other’ represents the unknown and, as such, ‘danger’.

During my first few weeks at Impellam, it was evident inclusivity was taken seriously.
I recall one of my first induction sessions was with Comensura’s Managing Director, Hoa Ngo. It was refreshing seeing a woman of colour in a position of leadership. That alone set a tone for the rest of the business.

Within my team, it is a joy to find ethnic backgrounds from England, Scotland, Turkey and Vietnam.

As I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the teams at Comensura and Guidant Global, I’ve met many people from all walks of life. Being able to fit in, as I am, has been fundamental to me settling in quickly and also being able to crack on and work happily.

The cause for representation in diversity and marginalised communities.
I'm a firm believer that increased diversity and greater representation of marginalised communities undeniably acts as a catalyst for better business and economic performance.

Firstly, diversity in the workplace increases the idea pool – widening the range of great ideas shared from different perspectives. This is especially pertinent within my marketing team, where producing public-facing material is always considered with a lens on inclusion and sensitivities across different cultural backgrounds.

Secondly, in diverse organisations, employees would be more comfortable raising contrasting opinions, which often means they feel more supported, and that their knowledge and prior experiences are valued.

Provide a safe space for employees to express themselves – it enables firms to foster a more collaborative and inclusive working environment. Creating a welcoming workplace environment goes a long way – for both its people and the business!

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