SIC’s Career Spotlights: Sanchia Alasia
Sanchia Alasia is an award-winning Diversity and HR Specialist, and an EU Affairs Expert. She’s also a renowned public speaker, a facilitator at #iamremarkable, and was previously Mayor of Barking and Dagenham.
A photo of Sanchia Alasia from the chest upwards. She is a black woman with straight, black hair in a ponytail. She’s smiling at the camera and has warm, brown eyes. She’s wearing light makeup, and is in a black blazer. The background is white.
What motivated you to enter your field of work?
I developed my passion for diversity whilst working at Transport for London and becoming the co-chair of the BME Staff network. Hearing from staff on the ground about the discrimination they faced gave me an impetus to work with the diversity team and senior management to put mechanisms in place to try and change things for the better. I have now been in the field of diversity for over 15 years now.
How do you think being chronically ill has changed your approach to how you do your job?
It means that I am very open that I suffer with endometriosis as it does interfere with my working day sometimes. I have agreed flexible working practices that means that I can work from home a bit more often if I need to and take more rest breaks when needed. This means that when I do have a flare up, I can take a step back more easily.
What is your career advice for those who aspire to do a similar role?
I would say go for it and do not let your condition define you and put a limit on what you would like to achieve in your career. Do have the conversation with youth line manager about what support you need and if your line manager is not supportive do seek help from other sources. This could be from HR, your disability staff network or your trade union who have disability reps. There may be times of course depending on your condition where you need to take a career break and that is ok too as your health and well-being comes first.
Did you experience any set-backs when you started working, due to your chronic illness? How did you overcome them?
When I did some work experience when I was at university studying for my first degree, I had always had painful periods, but I had not been diagnosed with endometriosis at that point. I had to take a day off from my work experience and when I returned the next day the CEO pulled me into her office and told me off for taking a day off for what every other woman just got on with. I was quite upset, but quite young and inexperienced at the same so did not really challenge her.
As I have gone on through my career, I have realised that I do live with endometriosis and any employer needs to accept that and support me. If not, they are the ones that will be losing out.
What practises do you have that you would like to be mirrored in other workplaces?
Our HR team provide guidance to managers around supporting staff with chronic illnesses and it is important that a pro-active and supportive approach is taken with staff. This will help to get employers to get the best from their staff.