With the arrival of the 2024 Summer Olympics this month, HR leaders may be watching the next crop of athletes who could be transformed into highly valued corporate employees.
That was the case for professional services firm EY during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Executives, including HR leaders, representing EY, a sponsor of the 2016 games, met and interacted with top athletes during the event, sparking an idea for the firm’s Athlete Programs that would tap into an additional talent pool.
The executives recognized former Olympians and professional athletes as potential talent with different backgrounds, educational experiences and skill sets from other candidates, says Dan Black, global talent attraction and acquisition leader at EY. Such distinct skills and qualities include adaptability, resilience, self-motivation and a strong desire for feedback, he says.
The Athlete Programs are designed to attract elite athletes and help them make their career transition. Under the program, athletes are offered a six-month internship to help them move from professional athletes to corporate employees. The program also provides training and support in areas including career guidance and interviewing skills.
EY’s involvement with the Rio Olympics boosted leadership’s interest in supporting athletes, attracting the former track Olympian Joice Maduaka, who competed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2000 and 2004.
Maduaka, who competed as a professional athlete for 18 years, joined EY in 2019 as a project manager for its Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence. In 2022, she applied for the global lead position for the Athlete Programs.
“I did a slow raise of my hand and remember meeting with Dan [Black] and saying, ‘I’ve lived this. I’ve sat on both sides of the table; please put me in, coach,’ ” Maduaka says. “I’ve done both worlds and am definitely glad I’m on the other side of the table now and got through the transition because it can be pretty brutal.”
Although EY is not involved with the 2024 Olympics, it is finding other ways to support elite athletes with its programs. Maduaka and Black recently sat down with Human Resource Executive for a video interview to discuss the firm’s Athlete Programs and its impact on recruiting and talent management efforts.
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