Aero Alliance Employee Spotlight

At the Aero Alliance, we believe that diversity is what makes us better. Diversity of thought and experience helps us deliver more innovative solutions for our customers.? Creating an environment reflective of our customer base, where people bring and freely share their gifts, talents and abilities gives us a competitive advantage.? We know this to be true and we will continue to foster diversity and inclusion across the company.? We welcome and celebrate cultural, gender, disability, multigenerational, LGBTQIA+ & multi-industry diversity.

It’s one thing to have diversity, but to truly reap the benefits of it, we must cultivate an inclusive workplace.? An inclusive workplace is one where we are able to share our differences and where we all feel comfortable being ourselves.?

One of our Houston-based employees recently shared her experience and how it made her feel.?

Name: Sana Wahab

Job title: HR Business Partner & Organization & Talent Development (O&TD) Leader

Aero Alliance: Tell us a little about yourself:

Sana Wahab: I started my career with GE in 2017 as an HR Coordinator, became the part of Aero Alliance JV when it was formed in Nov 2019 as an HR manager, and then was promoted to HR Business Partner and O&TD Leader after couple of years. My client group includes enabling functions such as finance, Digital Technology, Commercial Programs & Governance, EHS, Quality, etc. and I also got to lead and execute various projects such as Glint employee surveys; people leader standard work & toolkits and talent management initiatives such as career progression plans & competency frameworks throughout these years. I enjoy reading books, traveling, and trying new experiences in my free time.

AA: Work-life balance, flexible work schedules and Aero Alliance’s commitment to inclusion and diversity make it possible for employees to find time to do the things that are most important to them. Recently you took some time off for an experience that was special for you. Can you tell us a little about the experience and what it meant to know you had the support of your leadership to make the trip?

SW: I recently went on a two-week Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able; it is the most spiritual event that a Muslim can experience, observing rituals in the most sacred places in the Islamic world.

Hajj involves a series of rituals that take place in and around Mecca over a period of five to six days (June 14-19). This involved staying in a tent outdoors for 3-4 days, staying one night under the stars and various other unique and surreal experiences. For this a person is required to be totally immersed in that environment by participating in various mindful meditations, prayers, etc. I had to be completely disconnected from work for the entire time, focusing on the rituals without worrying about anything else. Having the support from my leader, knowing that I can disconnect from work without any worries definitely allowed me to disconnect and focus completely on my pilgrimage and the experience.

The support from my team was phenomenal! They were not only excited when I was leaving knowing how this meant so much to me but were also super excited when I returned and couldn’t wait to hear about my experience. Some of the managers and employees from my client groups made it a point to check in with me once I returned to ensure I made home safely. Some even set up separate sessions just to hear about my experience.

I feel truly blessed to work in such a supportive environment where you are encouraged to be your authentic self, encouraged to take such well-deserved breaks for your wellbeing, and celebrated when you complete such major milestones of your life.