We, Human Assets, are a team of occupational psychologists conducting research in the investment management industry to identify the organisational barriers and enablers for people from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds to:

• have successful careers in the industry
• reach senior levels
• thrive and be retained once they reach these levels

We will be conducting research interviews with people in a range of organisations in the investment management industry to explore the specifics of what helps or hinders people from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds to achieve the above.
 

As a volunteer, what will I need to do?

The interview will take one hour. We will start by asking you some brief questions recommended by the Social Mobility Commission to ascertain socio-economic background: Social Mobility Commission – employers’ toolkit. We will then ask what you think helps or hinders you in pursuing and advancing your career in the investment management industry. For example, we will be asking for your views on organisational culture; career opportunities; recruitment and progression processes and pathways; access to role models/sponsors.
 

Data collection & storage

All collection, processing, transfer, storage, and disposal of personal data will be in compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

All of your personal study data will be pooled with study data from all the participants and held on computers under the sole control of Human Assets. Your data (and the data from all other participants in the study) will only be identified by a unique identification number (not your name or email address) in this analysis.

Human Assets will be acting as the Data Controller for the data collected in the study. If you would like to learn more about Human Assets’ data processes, please see our data protection and data retention policies.

Human Assets has implemented processes to ensure compliance with the strict regulatory requirements for data protection (e.g. General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR).
 

Confidentiality, anonymity and reporting

All information we collect from volunteers during the interviews will be collated and anonymised and used to write:

• an overall report across organisations. We will aim to publish this report, making the results available to a wide audience of organisational and political leaders.
• an organisation specific summary report pinpointing the organisation’s specific enablers and barriers.

We stress that individual data will not be reported but we might, at the end of the interview, request your permission to use selective verbatim quotes, on an anonymous basis, to reinforce the impact of points you are making.
 

Researchers’ contact details

If you have any questions, please get in touch.