Thinking about how to empower women in your company to take the next step in their careers? Tietoevry found the answer in mentoring. We spoke with their L&D Manager about how the EmpowerHer program was created, why confidence matters as much as skills, and how mentoring helped women across Europe grow their visibility and self-belief.
I’m an L&D Manager at Tietoevry, and I’ve been with the company for several years, focusing on developing programs for talent and future leaders. In my role, I work to create opportunities for growth, learning, and development across the organization. I’m particularly passionate about initiatives that support diversity and help people grow in their careers.
For several years, I’ve been organizing development programs in our company—for talents, future leaders, or high potentials. Most of the applicants were men, which isn’t really surprising in the IT industry. But I knew we had many talented women as well. So I started wondering why they weren’t applying.
One day, I casually asked a few of my female colleagues about it. Their answer really stuck with me because they said they didn’t feel “ready” yet to join such a program. Meanwhile, many of their male colleagues applied “just to try.”
That moment made me realize we needed to create a space that would help women feel more confident to take those opportunities. That’s how the idea for the EmpowerHer program was born—to encourage women to believe in their potential and to grow, whether that means becoming future leaders or developing further in their current roles.
I see mentoring as a powerful tool to support both personal and professional growth. My goal was to provide employees with access to perspectives and experiences outside of their immediate teams to help them see their development from a broader angle.
One of our main goals was to increase the visibility of women across the company and help them build stronger self-confidence in their skills and potential.
The feedback we’ve received from participants has been incredibly positive. Many of them shared that the mentoring experience gave them more confidence to speak up and take on new challenges.
I can mention one nice ripple effect: one colleague started a “Lunch Club” for women in tech, creating a space for connection and inspiration. Others have become more visible in the company, taking on new roles or projects.
It’s not always easy to track the impact, especially because our EmpowerHer participants come from all over Europe and even beyond—one of them joined from China! But it’s clear that the program helps women gain confidence and a stronger voice, wherever they are.
I would say mentoring is a fantastic tool, but it works best when expectations are realistic. With clear goals and active support from managers, it can truly unlock potential, boost confidence, and create meaningful growth for both employees and the company.
I’m so happy to see the impact this program has on participants. Many of them are experiencing mentoring for the first time, and they actively recommend it to each other. Working with Femme Palette has been both professional and heartfelt. It’s clear they put people first and truly care about the participants’ growth.
Has the mentoring experience at Tietoevry inspired you to bring mentoring to your company? Check out Femme Palette’s Mentoring program for companies to learn more about our offer and solutions. We’ll be happy to talk to you about your company’s needs to build the best possible experience for you!
