If everyone adopted mentorship as a lifestyle, the world would be a different place, said actor Malik Yoba, who spoke on June 12 at the culminating event of Edward Jones’ cross-cultural mentoring program.
“My life would not be where it is without the people that have fed into me,” Yoba said, “and even more importantly the people whose lives I’ve fed into.”
For the seventh year, the firm’s St. Louis office – which is also the company’s national headquarters – offered a cross-cultural mentoring program. Here, any employee can make a one-year commitment to serve as a mentor or mentee to someone within the firm. The program is voluntary, but every year anywhere from 400 to 600 employees participate.
“The impetus for the program is to encourage more cross-cultural mentorships, because people tend to mentor or be mentored by someone just like themselves,” said Emily Pitts, principal of inclusion and diversity for the firm.
Arica Harris, project leader in the operations department, said Pitts makes a good point. Sometimes it takes more of a formal approach to urge people towards mentorships that put them outside of their comfort zones, she said. And often these are the just the relationships that employees need to push their careers forward, she said.
“It’s a great launching pad,” she said. “And it puts you with someone who is not like you.”
Harris started at Edward Jones two years ago and decided to join the program as a mentee, even though she holds a leadership position at the company. Her mentor was David Reifschneider, general partner of branch office administration, talent acquisition and performance.
“Since I was new to the firm, he helped me to identify people I should meet,” Harris said. “He helped me understand more about the culture of the firm, to listen to what is said and what isn’t said.”
Harris learned that Reifschneider was a family man and previously a financial advisor. He always made sure she walked away from their conversations with something helpful, with some readings or some good tips on her project, she said.
Harris really appreciates that the company tries to make sure “everyone is on the same page in terms of what’s important.” With more than 11,000 offices spread across all 50 states, the firm has more branch offices than any other brokerage firm in the country.
The company also pays attention to diversity and inclusion, she said. “That’s important if we are going to continue to grow,” she said. “We are going to need to look like our clients. From an employee perspective, I think the firm is doing a great job at making sure we have an inclusive environment.”
As far as numbers go, the firm has a ways to go before they reflect the nation’s minority and female population. In 2013, six percent of Edward Jones’ advisors were people of color and about 18 percent were women. The firm’s Inclusion and Diversity Office told the St. Louis American that since 2013, their minority financial advisors have increased by 24 percent and by 17 percent for women.
Despite this, Pitts said Edward Jones has been recognized in the industry for their inclusion efforts. “And we are always looking for diverse talent to help contribute to our firm’s success,” she said.
As far as the mentor program, Pitts said they wanted to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to learn from the experience and knowledge of leaders at all levels.
She said, “The reality is we all stand on the shoulders of others, and it is a great way to pay it forward.”
