Thankful at Vanguard

November 18, 2020/in Advice from crew, Culture crew, daily basis, environment, family, feel, holiday, home, jim c, learned, lessons, new environment, people, share, team, time, together, vanguard, work, working, working from home /by marcin

Thankful at Vanguard

Change has been one of the biggest themes of 2020. But one thing that won’t alter this holiday season is our hope and gratitude we have for friends, family, and co-workers. Vanguard crew have been resilient, adapting to the new environment. In this blog, they share the silver linings and lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Working from home has provided extra time to connect with family members and colleagues. We asked crew what have been some of the great, unexpected outcomes of our virtual working environment.

Many things about the current work environment are challenging—my toddler has been home from daycare, my husband’s business has been shut down, and I’ve been getting ready to welcome our second child. In the beginning I struggled to feel like I was doing my best at work or at home, but one morning, I realized how special it was to have breakfast together as a family. I typically would head to the office before my husband and son were out of bed. Now it’s something I look forward to everyday! – Lindsay B.

The biggest silver-lining for me has been the personal relationships I have been able to foster with those I work with. I really pride myself on engaging with people at the human level, and this new environment has really opened the door for an entirely new level of connection. We are getting to share a more authentic version of ourselves—seeing my colleagues interact with their kids and pets has been really special. I know at times we try to hide these things because we are “working” but I love the imperfect nature of our new environments and enjoy seeing our guards lower to be more human. – Shannon M.

I have gained the commute time and can now be with family more. I also never spent so much time with my partner on a daily basis, apart from when we were on holiday. It’s actually nice to work separately, but together, everyday! – Colette v.U.

Being away from the office and the people I have worked with for so long has made me appreciate the wonderful relationships I have made over so many years. It has also reminded me of the immense value of being together on a daily basis for better collaboration in carrying out our core purpose at Vanguard: “To take a stand for all investors, treat them fairly, and give them the best chance for investment success.” – Jim C.

When asked about the best leadership lessons learned during this time, our leaders weighed in.

The best lesson I have learned during lockdown is listen to yourself and be honest with yourself and your team about how you feel. I’ve enjoyed open conversations with team members and crew from around the world on how we have all been feeling and valued the support we have all given each other. – Lisa H.

Just talking to people has become so much easier—and more important. Whether it’s chatting on video or over the phone, the power of connecting with others is unmistakably important, especially now. It’s an absolutely wonderful way to work and the entire team has taken to it very well. – Michael M.

Be patient. People are dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Be sure to connect with everyone in the department at some point and let them know you care about them. – Christine F.

Living through uncertain times can be scary and make us feel like it is new and unprecedented. However, perspective is important. Remember that those who came before us also faced adversity and moments of crisis. Talking with others about our feelings really helps in making connections and understanding that we are not alone in how we feel. – Jim C.

Just say hi. It’s so easy to reach out to someone you haven’t seen or talked to since working from home started because you’re not bumping into them in the cafeteria or between buildings. I’ve been actively trying to say hello apart from any kind of business justification for getting in touch. It’s nice to get an email in your inbox that isn’t asking for anything other than a friendly response. We’re all consumed with making sure our work gets done, but it’s refreshing to read a note about what someone did for their Father’s Day, or what summer plans they have, or what great show they’ve watched recently. It’s easy to take a few minutes to reach out to a couple people to just say, “Hi.” – Brian B.

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Risk and reward down under

November 11, 2020/in Culture, Training & education, Voyage to Vanguard 2020, career, colleagues, crew, develop, experience, firm, joined, joined vanguard, know, looking, opportunity, risk, role, sense, started, team, time, vanguard, working /by jortega

Risk and reward down under

In late 2019, after working in a multitude of roles across a variety of financial services organizations, I felt it was time for a change and started exploring my next career move. First and foremost, I wanted to join a firm that ‘made sense’: I had to buy into its purpose, conviction and how it benefited society – all these things were vitally important to me. When I started looking a little deeper into Vanguard, its history, direction and people’s experience of working with and within the firm, things started stacking up. The interview process cemented my interest and upon being offered my role, I was excited at the prospect of working with such a highly respected and regarded organization. So, I took the plunge and in February 2020, I joined Vanguard Investments Australia’s Enterprise Risk Management Team.

Upon starting, I was regularly told to “take the opportunity to get to know Vanguard”. I took some time to really appreciate what was being said. Onboarding at Vanguard is more than simply turning up, being shown your seat, receiving a laptop and being told to ‘get on with it’. People are delighted to have you on the team, want to get to know you and help you find your place. From day one, you’re a valued member of the ‘crew’ and with that established, you can take the opportunity to lay the groundwork to build working relationships that are instrumental to your own and the firm’s success. I’d liken it to being welcomed into a family that incorporates Vanguard’s Clients, Community and Crew. It just makes sense.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for were the many challenges that 2020 was going to throw our way. While I’m as anxious as the next person trying to navigate the ‘new normal’, I’ve also been grateful for both the support and opportunities that Vanguard has provided during these times. For example, a little more than a month into my new role, a request came through to assist with our business’s operations dealing with social distancing and unprecedented market turbulence. I answered the call, and while it took me out of my comfort zone, the experience paid-back tenfold as it provided me with real hands-on insight into how Vanguard works.

I completed my LUMA Human-Centered Design practitioner certification, a course that I had commenced within a month of joining Vanguard. Learning new ways of working are now more important than ever and being provided the opportunity to gain and develop such skills, while getting to know my new colleagues was fantastic. It was a great way to introduce myself and learn about the people I’d be working with going forward.

More recently, I’ve stepped into a leadership role, providing me with a chance to manage a team of my risk colleagues. Again, being provided with another opportunity to develop and showcase my skills has been welcomed. My managers and other specialists have been supportive throughout the experience, and I’ve gained an opportunity to learn, influence and deliver upon Vanguard’s mission both here in Australian and abroad.

Presently, like many of my colleagues, I’ve been working remotely at home, away from the office for many months now. The Vanguard family has helped me and everyone else adapt to these necessary changes with a host of resources, including the provision of the latest collaborative technologies, ensuring that that our home office setup is suitable, and regular formal and informal check-ins with crew. Everyone’s looking out for each other and doing the best they can to pull through this period together. It’s during such challenging times that the true character of a firm becomes apparent, and I for one am glad that I’ve joined Vanguard.

– Jason B.

If you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our Data & Analytics and Information Technology & Security career opportunities.

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Making virtual connections

November 5, 2020/in Culture, Diversity & inclusion ayesha, ayesha's career, chats, coffee chats, connect, crew, dajuan, engagement, engagement team, human resources, inclusion, inclusion and engagement, inclusion and engagement team, people, people to connect, team, vanguard, virtual environment, workforce planning, working /by marcin

Making virtual connections

In this blog, we sit down with DaJuan L. and Ayesha B., two crew members who are on Vanguard’s Human Resources (HR) Inclusion and Engagement Team. They recently established a new friendship and working relationship in our virtual environment. This is their story:

How did you come to meet?

DaJuan: Ayesha and I met through the HR Inclusion and Engagement Team. In this group, we pitched the idea of scheduling coffee chats with someone in HR who you may not know well. The hope was for this concept to extend beyond our team, to all of HR. Given that I am a newer member of the team, Ayesha and I thought it would be a great idea for us to connect to learn more about each other.

Ayesha: I have been leading HR’s Inclusion & Engagement team for just over a year. DaJuan was highly recommended as someone who is passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging, so we invited him to join our initiative! Our team focuses on many elements of inclusion, including creating an environment for authenticity and fostering connections. Recently, we wanted to look for ways for people to connect in a virtual environment due to the pandemic. This led to the creation of the #coffeeconnect, #teatime or #nocaffeinerequired hashtags, which encouraged HR crew to connect with someone new. Given our shared passion for diversity and inclusion, I was excited to get to know DaJuan better.

What has made you a good pair? What have you learned from one another?

DaJuan: I would say our common passion for inclusion coupled with our different work and life experiences made us a great pair to connect. I greatly benefited from learning about Ayesha’s career prior to Vanguard, what brought her to Vanguard and what sets the company apart from other firms. I was also able to understand the role the team plays in reinforcing inclusion within HR. Ayesha was able to learn about my experiences at Vanguard as well given that I have grown up here at Vanguard. Candidly, thirty minutes was not enough time for us to chat. In my opinion, we were just scratching the surface on the range of topics that we could have expand upon. I look forward to connecting with Ayesha again in the near future.

Ayesha: Ditto to what DaJuan wrote. While I continued to learn additional Vanguard jargon from him, I also appreciated his genuine passion for emerging leaders at Vanguard and setting them up for success. I admire that.

What has the Inclusion and Engagement Team done to encourage new connections among crew?

DaJuan: It has socialized coffee chats through internal communications as well as creating other avenues for crew to engage with each other. Working remotely has impacted our natural methods of connecting. We believe by curating ways for people to connect, we can lessen the impact of not seeing each other in the workplace and foster networking.

Ayesha: We have encouraged #coffeeconnect chats for new people to meet one another HR events with HR Executive Team members on a quarterly basis for those new to the firm, a #HRfromhome campaign where people posted photos of their new offices during COVID, as well as fireside chats with topics including mental health, family responsibilities, and more.

More about the authors:

DaJuan is an Emerging Leader Development Program Manager in Charlotte, North Carolina and has been with Vanguard for five years. While in undergrad, he decided that he would pursue a career in Academia. With the goal of becoming a college professor, DaJuan wanted to experience Corporate America first to gain real world application and to identify what his domain of interest would be. After searching for opportunities, he came across VADP (Vanguard Accelerated Development Development, predecessor to ELDP) and applied. With little experience in investing, DaJuan was nervous about what to expect but he says once he arrived on the Charlotte campus, he was smitten by Vanguard’s culture. Although he envisioned staying with the company for a short period of time before pursuing a doctorate degree, he’s expressed he now has no desire to leave.

Ayesha is the Head of Workforce Planning in Malvern, Pennsylvania and has been with Vanguard for three years. After graduating from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, she spent roughly seventeen years in the hospitality industry working in Boston and New York City with a focus on finance and accounting, revenue analysis and sales, and marketing analytics. The latter half of Ayesha’s career in hospitality was spent working from her home office once she moved to Malvern after marrying her husband, who is a long-tenured Vanguard professional. Through her husband, she had heard positive things about the culture at Vanguard and specifically about the opportunities for rotations within various areas. Ayesha joined Vanguard as Finance Director, supporting the Office of the General Counsel, roughly three years ago, where she was able to bring her technical Financial Planning and Analysis skills into a new industry while learning the ropes of the Vanguard business. After almost 2 years, Ayesha accepted her current role on the Human Resources Strategic Workforce Planning team, where she enjoys a strong collaborative spirit.

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A look back on Hispanic Heritage Month

October 21, 2020/in Culture, Diversity & inclusion all age 16, born, born in philadelphia, culture, department head, family, first latina, heritage, hispanic, hispanic heritage, hispanic women, home, illeana c, jennifer f, latina, lynnette d, puerto, puerto rican, puerto rico, sheyla c /by mfield

A look back on Hispanic Heritage Month

Last week concluded Hispanic Heritage month. Like many companies, Vanguard has had to get creative about how we celebrate and honor the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino crew members while we continue to operate virtually.

This year, the Hispanic Organization for Leadership Advancement (HOLA) and the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS) – two of our crew (employee) resource groups – interviewed a few of our phenomenal Hispanic women leaders. We talked about their backgrounds and the impact of their culture on their personal and professional lives. Here is what they had to say:

What does your Hispanic heritage mean to you?

Being Latina, to me, is about putting family first, exuding a warm spirit, and the richness of our food and music. Growing up Puerto Rican, I learned that, for us, everyone is family, which is why my abuela (grandmother) taught me to always cook more food for dinner than your immediate family could ever eat, just in case unexpected guests came to our home! It is a tradition that I still follow today. My neighbors love it! Thankfully, they all love Puerto Rican food!

For me, speaking Spanish has never been a fundamental part of my identity. Since English happened to be the first language for both of my parents, they have frequently said that they tend to “think” in English more than they do in Spanish. Therefore, when I was growing up, we mainly spoke English at home. People are often surprised when I say I don’t speak fluent Spanish. Some folks have even said that I’m not “really” Latina because I’m not fully bilingual. I beg to differ. I’m proud to have grown up very culturally Puerto Rican, with most, if not all, of the traditions that have been passed down through my Puerto Rican family. – Illeana C., Enterprise Sales CRM Senior Program Manager

What were the most inspiring values you gained growing up?

Community and togetherness. There is no “I” without “Us”. I was raised by many family members who came together to help pave my way. At age six, my aunt and extended family played a critical role in my life at a time my parents didn’t have the means to provide for me. When my family moved to the U.S. we counted on the support of another Colombian family, as well as close friends, who made every effort to make us feel safe and at home. “Family” in our culture is not limited to immediate biological ties. A sense of community is prevalent in what motivates us to do more for others. We typically speak less in terms of “success” and more in terms of “happiness,” “wholeness,” and “togetherness.”

During my years in the U.S., I have been fortunate to meet and build relationships with people from many other Latin and Spanish countries, and in the process, I have been able to learn about, experience, and appreciate the similarities and also nuances of what Hispanic heritage means for different people. Our traditions, regardless of country of origin or descent, always have components of bringing people together, growing together, and advancing together. The things that make me happy are tied to my Hispanic identity: family, savory foods, Caribbean rhythms, traditions and festivities, and celebrating and helping others. – Sheyla C., Global Product Plan Manager

Are there any Hispanic women who have inspired you and what impact have they had on you?

There are many women I’ve admired for paving the way after facing challenges that would have made many others quit, such as Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina astronaut in space, Rita Moreno, the only Latina with a PEGOT (Peabody, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court, and Celia Cruz who made a name for herself in a mostly male-dominated salsa world. However, the main woman who has consistently inspired me has been my maternal grandmother. She is the most resourceful person I know.

After coming to the US with only a fifth grade education, she managed to work full time as a seamstress for a designer, maintain an alterations business on the side, and cook Colombian tamales on the weekends and holidays to bring in additional income. She had side hustles before the term was identified! With no formal guidance, she knew saving was important for the future, so instead of buying clothes, she tended to make them and dreamed of buying a multi-family house. After accumulating enough cash for a down payment, she and my grandfather bought the home they currently live in and eventually were able to buy the home next door as a rental property. As I got older, I was encouraged to not pay anyone’s mortgage other than my own. These homes have funded my grandparents’ retirement for decades and will eventually pass on wealth to my mother and uncle. My grandmother’s foresight to push against my grandfather’s belief that “real estate in New York is not a good investment” changed the trajectory of my family’s experience. I’m forever grateful to her ambition for a better life. – Lynnette D., Americas Internal Sales Support and Client Services Manager

How have you been able to share or celebrate your culture with others at work?

I became part of a community who embraced and celebrated the Hispanic culture when I joined HOLA. A few years ago, I was even able to meet Soledad O’Brien, a woman who was always an inspiration to me, through an event I helped plan! When I saw how welcoming the broader Vanguard community was to her, I felt more comfortable speaking to different aspects of my background. Through multiple HOLA engagements, I learned that Hispanics are less likely to have formal mentorships in comparison to their Caucasian peers. With this newfound knowledge in hand, I asked my department head to help me gain these types of relationships. My department head, who also has a diverse background, supported me from a place of compassion and understanding and to this day, we still talk about all things diversity and inclusion. The mentors I gained have shaped my career and confidence. One of my mentors, a Hispanic senior leader, understood my unique experiences and knew how to guide me through difficult times. Other mentors embraced my heritage and were curious to learn about my background. Bringing my culture to work was not something I thought I’d ever do, but now, I feel comfortable sharing my unique perspectives on topics and explaining how my heritage plays a part in that view. Now more than ever, I feel a responsibility to share. After spending time with my HOLA colleagues, I bring my full, authentic self to work. If it wasn’t for me sharing my heritage, I would not be in the place I am now. – Jennifer F., Retail Strategic Support Project Manager

More about the authors:

Illeana C.

“I was born in Philadelphia. My family is from Puerto Rico. I call myself a Phila-Rican! My dad was also born in Philadelphia and my mom was born in Puerto Rico. She came to Philadelphia when she was 5 years old.”

Sheyla C.

“I was born in Colombia and lived there until age 16. My city of birth is Bucaramanga, which is a located along the edge of the Andes Mountain range. The city is known as the “City of Parks,” there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy due to its geographic location. At around the age 6 I moved to the city of Barranquilla, along the Atlantic coast, until age 16, and travelled every year to Bucaramanga to spend time with my family.”

Lynnette D.

“Both of my sets of grandparents moved with my parents from Cali, Colombia to Queens, NY in the early 70s (separately). My parents met in high school and after a story that is deemed for a screenplay someday, were married in the early 80s. I was born in Houston, Texas because my dad’s family had moved there, but when I was six weeks old, my parents and I moved back to Queens to where my mom’s family still lived.”

Jennifer F.

“My mother is from Venezuela and my father is from Peru. They both left their respective countries within days of each other to attend college in the U.S. and met here. I am a first generation American, and was born with multiple citizenships (fun fact).”

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National Intern Day 2020

July 30, 2020/in Culture, Day in the Life, Training & education Mid-level specialist able to connect, alex, camila, college to corporate, computer science, intern, interns, natasha, plan access, retirement plan, retirement plan access, rising junior, team, university of michigan, vanguard, vanguard retirement, vanguard retirement plan, vanguard retirement plan access, virtual intern, working /by kkilgarriff

National Intern Day 2020

College to Corporate internships looked different for students joining the crew at Vanguard this year– but the foundation remained the same. Whether it was teamwork, community outreach, or bonding with peers, interns were virtually welcomed into departments across the company, where they made lasting contributions. In this video, a few of our interns share insights from their experiences:

Camila: Hi everyone my name is Camila, I attend the University of Texas at El Paso. I am a College to Corporate Business Intern, and I am currently working with the Vanguard Retirement Plan Access Department this summer.

Alex: Hello everyone, my name is Alex I am a rising junior studying computer science engineering at the University of Michigan and I am a College to Corporate Application Development Intern, working with the Enterprise Advice division at Vanguard.

Natasha: Hi! My name is Natasha and I am C2C Investment Management intern this summer under the Transaction Cost Analysis team. I’m a rising junior at the University of Michigan, pursuing a dual degree in finance and computer science, with a minor in Music.

Camila: And I’m going to show you what a virtual intern does on a day-to-day basis. So since I am a virtual intern I am working remotely from my hometown and I basically made my kitchen into an office. This is my kitchen table.

Natasha: Welcome to my room converted into an office.

Alex: Due to the remote nature of our internship, we use Microsoft Team and Outlook mainly, to stay connected with each other.

Camila: I get to meet with leaders, I get to talk to my managers, really cool things that I didn’t know I was going to be able to do from home.

Natasha: I can still stay fully connected with rest of Vanguard. We have a lot of different events like game shows and community service.

Alex: Even though the internship is remote, the company has also done a great job to make sure we’re still able to network and connect with the other interns. Two weeks ago, we had a virtual team building session where we bonded with all the other interns remotely.

Camila: I have been able to participate in Vanguard events, and trainings, and so many things virtually.

Alex: Later today I have an intern project meeting around lunchtime, to update our technical leads on our progress. I am currently working on a project team with four other interns to develop an internal web application.

Natasha: For some of my project so far, I’ve been working mostly in the FX and Treasury Future space.

Camila: So for my project I am actually working in my department of Vanguard Retirement Plan Access. And I’m helping with the Sales Territory Map Analysis. As you can see I have a lot of meetings so I do my project work in between.

Alex: Vanguard also assigns each of us a buddy and a pod leader that acts as mentors, and we have regular meetings with them as well.

Natasha: As part of the internship, I get two buddies. One of them is on my team, and then the other one is in the rotational program. Having a buddy helps me to get acclimated to both the company as well as my team, and acts as a resource that I can just ask quick questions to.

Alex: Overall, the College to Corporate Internship gives us a view into how Vanguard uses technology to solve business problems, and to help people achieve their financial goals. Right now is also a very interesting time to work for Vanguard, because technology is a key strategic focus for the company. This provides ample opportunities for us to work on cool projects, which will be used by real customers and/or business functions.

Camila: My experience so far has been an amazing one. I have been able to connect with leadership, I’ve been able to connect with my interns that have really enhanced my experience here. I feel so fortunate to be a part of a company that really goes out of their way in making sure that their interns get an amazing virtual experience.

Natasha: As you can see, despite the virtual internship experience, everyone at Vanguard can still stay fully connected with each other. I hope you enjoy this little insight into a Vanguard intern’s life.

Alex: Thanks for watching.

Natasha: Don’t forget to follow @lifeatvanguard.

Camila: On Instagram and all other social media. Thank you.

Alex

Camila

Natasha

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My connection to Vanguard’s history

I have always been an individual who thrived on making connections. I have the need to make connections with my family, community, work, and college (Go Penn State!) to feel like I’m spending my days with a purpose much bigger than myself. When I found a career at Vanguard 13 years ago, my need for a connection was no different. I found a company with a purpose that aligned to my values and it all started with our founder, Mr. John Bogle..

If you know anything about Vanguard’s history, you know that Admiral Horatio Nelson held a special significance to Mr. Bogle. An enthusiast of naval history, Mr. Bogle named the company after Admiral Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and believed that the name “Vanguard” resonated with the themes of leadership and progress. To this day, the nautical theme is embedded in our culture both domestically and internationally.

I’ve had an amazing career at Vanguard rotating through a number of interesting roles in Finance and Human Resources. I’ve met incredible people and worked on fulfilling projects, but my time here is about more than the work I do each day. For me, a successful career is about feeling connected to the people I interact with daily and having a deep understanding of a company’s history, mission, and values. That deep understanding of a company’s shared history and the feeling of connection to a broader purpose make my work rewarding and much bigger than myself. When I joined Vanguard, I immediately felt welcomed and had a sense of belonging. The strong sense of culture is everywhere and the ideas of leadership and progress are evident in Vanguard’s commitment to not only its crew, but also to its shareholders. Mr. Bogle’s vision and passion, which are still felt 45 years after the company was founded, have continued to influence and guide not only my work, but the work of all crew. Before Mr. Bogle’s passing in 2019, he would often visit the Galley only to be greeted as if he were a celebrity. According to many long-tenured crew members and fans, he was a celebrity.

Representing Vanguard during a hike
to Nevis Peak.

This past winter, my family and I took a vacation to Nevis, a former British colony in the Caribbean, and learned that Admiral Nelson called Nevis his vacation island. Given his connection to Mr. Bogle and Vanguard, I immediately wanted to learn more about Nelson.

Admiral Nelson visited the island of Nevis in March 1785 and met a widow named Frances “Fanny” Nisbet and her five-year-old son, Josiah. Nelson conducted his courtship with formality and charm, and two years later the couple married in Nevis. Nelson would often visit the island and spend his free time looking for approaching enemy ships at what is now called Nelson’s Lookout atop Saddle Hill. After my vacation, I’m not at all surprised he fell in love with the island; it is naturally rich in history, foliage, and animals.

The history of Vanguard and the mission Mr. Bogle created for Vanguard is deeply rooted in the company’s work and its crew members. I’m grateful to work for a company that continuously strives to exemplify our founder’s mission and contribute to the leadership and progress made for our shareholders. So here’s to you, Mr. Bogle.

Feeling that connection to Vanguard’s history makes me love my #LifeAtVanguard.

– Erica E.

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Managing it all while working from home with small children

Everyone sees the perfect parents on social media. They create schedules, bake banana bread, and plan creative activities for their children every day. But that might not look like your household. Vanguard’s Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS), an employee resource group, sponsored a virtual chat to discuss the realities of working from home with small children as part of its “Managing it All” series. Panelists included Theresa Westwood, a department head in Vanguard’s Financial Advisor Services, Tiffany Haley, Principal and Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Rashanda Perryman, Program Officer of Vanguard Community Stewardship, and Liz Waldron, Head of Digital and Marketing in Europe.

Here are some of the tips they shared:

You’re not alone in this. What I learned fairly early on was that despite what I was seeing on Pinterest and Instagram, this is not going to be the moment when I become the best ever version of myself – not as a wife, mother, a friend, etc. I made all of these plans – set up a fancy home school in the living room, build a family command center complete with a whiteboard, and finally make those meal plans – but literally none of this is happening, and it’s ok. You know why? There’s a pandemic. It’s hard out here. They make it look so easy on Instagram, but that’s just not my life. I had to set a better standard for myself.
— Tiffany

In my home, we practice “I need a minute” moments. Everyone from adults to children can call a time-out and take a breather…alone. To collect themselves, to go to a quiet space, to play alone – whatever they need – and we all have learned to respect that time each of us needs. Even my four year old has learned what it means “to need a minute.”
— Rashanda

Don’t compare yourself to others. Comparison often leads to discontentment at the best of times – but now it can be even worse. Live your own story and know that your best is good enough. Your children’s mental health and happiness is more important than doing that extra piece of work. Focus on achieving the key things, like numeracy and literacy, and don’t stress about the rest. Accept that perfection is impossible and learn to let go.
— Liz

I’d offer the guidance to just be kind to yourself and try to stick to a routine. It’s not possible to be a full-time parent/teacher and full-time worker and be 100% at both at all times. What I’ve found that works for me is to try to keep the kids on a schedule. We get up and eat breakfast at the same time we normally would, start and end school around the same time, etc. And, I block chunks of time early in the day before meetings, at lunch, or where I can to help them with homework and to engage with them. On weekends, I try to spend as much time as possible with them and be present. It’s hard to juggle it all, and every day isn’t a good day, but we’re all doing our best during this time.
— Theresa

Tiffany Haley

Rashanda Perryman

Liz Waldron

Theresa Westwood

For those without children, the group discussed how they could support those trying to work from home with small children amid the pandemic. Tips shared include checking in with their employees with children, providing flexibility to get work done at the time and in a way that worked for their schedule, and showing empathy during this difficult time.

Theresa shared, “I feel fortunate to work for a company that has offered a lot of flexibility and benefits to allow me to still achieve my personal goals and to be there for my family.”

Further, Rashanda chimed in, “We’re all struggling to figure out what this new normal means. I think there’s an opportunity in this situation for us all to show empathy to each other, whether we are parents or not.”

Interested in reading more from the WILS Managing it All series? Click here for the first installment.

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A voyage of discovery

June 17, 2020/in Culture, Diversity & inclusion d&i, diversity, diversity and inclusion, employee, employee resource, europe, european, group, inclusion, journey, knew, learn, learning, open, resource, role, role in inclusion, team, work, world /by kkilgarriff

A voyage of discovery

My inclusion journey at Vanguard began about three years ago when I was working in marketing. The European business was in the process of setting up a local branch of the employee resource group, Out Professional Engagement Network (OPEN), and one of my friends on my team, Alice, encouraged me to get involved. I jumped at the chance because, while I think of myself as forward-thinking and educated, I also knew there was so much more I could learn.

And my goodness, I have learnt a lot. I moved into Human Resources in 2018 to take up my current job as Learning and Development Manager for Europe in the U.K. and, in this role, I get to dive a lot deeper into the world of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). I’ve since helped to set up a group dedicated to mental health awareness, which has proven to be very timely, given where we are today. Additionally, I also chair our European Diversity and Inclusion Council, which helps to ensure all of our work on this topic is consistent.

It’s been a steep learning curve for me. But although I have picked up many new skills and D&I terminology, what I have really found is something I knew all along: that the world is a much better place if we are curious to learn about others and respectful of each other’s differences. That’s a mantra that I hope I have passed on to my children as well as those that I lead, both formally and informally.

Thinking about today’s unique circumstances, inclusion has never been more important. Often, it’s the small things that count. I’m fortunate to have a comfortable house and a lovely family to help me through lockdown, but I always try to remember that others may not be so lucky. So I’ve made a point of reaching out to people that I miss from the office who may be struggling. It only takes a few minutes to have a quick video exchange and it can brighten my day and, hopefully, theirs.

It’s also been an honour to be part of the team that has re-shaped Vanguard’s course for crew, Your Role in Inclusion, for a virtual world. It’s a great example of how combining different perspectives can create a better outcome.

By the time this is published, I will have facilitated the first pilot session alongside my friend Cathy, who is the chair of OPEN Europe and has put such a lot of positive energy into our D&I work in Europe. She deserves a lot of credit for role-modelling inclusion in her daily work.

I often muse that, with London being one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, D&I is a different challenge here compared with the U.S. The past couple of months have brought out the best in the UK population, but they have also reminded us that there is still tension lurking below the surface. We all have further to go on our D&I journey, and I’m looking forward to taking the next steps as I continue to work with our employee resource groups in Europe to roll out the global Your Role in Inclusion virtual sessions more broadly.

—James B.

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Managing it all while working from home

June 3, 2020/in Culture, Diversity & inclusion all amber, amber c, best practices, home, laura, laura s, members, panel, principal, shared, time, vanguard, virtual, virtual panel, wils, wils members, work, work from home, working, working from home /by fanwar

Managing it all while working from home

In the month of May, the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS) crew resource group coordinated two internal webcasts focused on working from home featuring female leaders from across Vanguard. I had the opportunity to facilitate the first virtual panel discussion with Amber Czonstka, Principal of Institutional Large Market Sales, and Laura Symon Browne, Principal of Broker Dealer Strategic Sales, both of whom have worked from home offices for several years. These two fantastic leaders shared their insights and best practices with nearly 1,200 Vanguard crew members from around the globe and talked about how life and work are different now during the pandemic.

While I was nervous to facilitate an event with so many coworkers eager for advice (wifi don’t fail me now!), supporting WILS members is very important to me as a program lead for Vanguard’s retail division. I also know how challenging the shift to work from home has been for many, myself included.

Since mid-March, my husband and I have both been working from home. During the day, we barricade ourselves in our shared workspace – a spare bedroom in the attic. We feel very lucky that we have assistance during the day with our two-year-old daughter and three-year-old son, who get the run of the rest of the house. At first, my children hated us being home without having access to us all day. Now that we have a loose routine, we all look forward to lunch together and I can check in on them throughout the day without triggering a meltdown. I shared with the virtual panel attendees that it has been much harder for me to focus now that life isn’t “compartmentalized” into work and home. As I’m sitting in virtual meetings, I might be thinking about the laundry piling up. As I’m eating dinner with my family, I might be tempted to send a few work emails. The way that I’ve combatted the distraction is by taking a little extra time in the morning to do the house chores worrying me and making really strong to-do lists for the workday so that I know what I need to accomplish before I leave “the attic.”

Amber also talked to the panelists about the importance of “preserving the morning commute” and taking that time to get active or do something for yourself. This really resonated for me. When I begin my day by going for a long walk with the dog, I’m just much more grounded. I also find that I’m more productive if I get out of the sweatpants and put on a blouse and jeans at a minimum. It boosts my confidence, makes me feel like I am dressed for my day, and separates the week from the weekend.

Laura had great advice for those who are trying to maintain and deepen team connection remotely during this very challenging time. She emphasized how critical communication is when working from home, and shared that she supports her teams by encouraging cross-sharing about the frustrations, challenges and concerns everyone is facing.

Laura S. with her work from home companions

Amber C. in her home workspace

Speaking with the panelists personally following the event, here is what they had to share:

Amber C: As I talked with Laura, Danielle, and our WILS members, the power of community became clear – particularly during a time like this. It might feel like we are all facing different challenges, from caring for young children while working, to worrying about family members on the front lines, to professionally advocating for ourselves in a virtual working environment. But there are members of our tribe who are dealing with similar issues. Sharing best practices, ideas, and stories with each other and creating a safe space to be vulnerable makes us all stronger, healthier, and more productive. The WILS network matters now more than ever; we can learn so much from one another.

Laura S.: The opportunity to connect with my female and male colleagues across Vanguard who are facing many of the same issues was special. It’s a reassuring feeling that we have each other’s back during these times, and that we’ll all emerge stronger and more convicted in our passion for investors as a result of this.

I’m looking forward to this two part series expanding in the future as we all support one another during this unprecedented time!
—Danielle C.

Stay tuned for a recap on the second panel focused specifically on parents managing small children and work from the home. It features Theresa Westwood, a department head in Vanguard’s Financial Advisor Services, Tiffany Haley, Principal and Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Rashanda Perryman, Program Officer of Vanguard Community Stewardship, and Liz Waldron, Head of Digital and Marketing in Europe.

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Three steps for breaking the mold

May 20, 2020/in Advice from crew, Culture build, career, challenge, crew, feedback, group, hiring, hiring process, leader, leaders, leadership, leadership team, people, people leadership, process, role, senior, technology, understand, vision /by kkilgarriff

Three steps for breaking the mold

I began my school career with a passion for building things and anything involving numbers. The spread of computers and the Internet led me to study Engineering and Math. I hold a Bachelor of Technology degree from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) and a Master of Science from Pennsylvania State University (University Park). I joined Vanguard in 2001, and after several roles, I am now a Senior IT Program Manager supporting Vanguard’s Office of General Counsel, responsible for providing technology solutions for Legal and Compliance teams. Additionally, I am a member of Vanguard’s crew resource group, Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP).

Posing with colleagues.

Beliefs, values and cultural stereotypes can keep you from seeing how far you might go in your career. If you choose, it is possible to change your perspective and challenge preconceived notions about what you can do. As someone who never considered people leadership as a viable career option, I have learned a few things along the way which allowed me to break out of the mold. Growing up in an Asian culture, I focused more on building subject matter expertise only, always deferring to authority and never speaking up unless asked. These rules influenced how I saw my career options, especially in an American corporate culture where my strengths didn’t necessarily align with typical leadership traits.

Looking back on my journey, here are three approaches that helped me:

1. Use Feedback

I’ve always stayed open to feedback, whether it was from my leaders, peers or crew reporting to me. Feedback enables you to figure out how to create a concrete path forward to achieve your professional goals and prepare for your next role. I give credit to my leaders and peers for providing ongoing feedback that helped me grow into the leader I am today, despite my somewhat limited view of my career trajectory. I still vividly recall when I was seeking advice from a leader and he brought up the idea of pursuing a people leadership opportunity. My immediate response was, “No way! What makes you think I can do that?” The thought had never occurred to me. When I reflected on the recommendation, I realized I had mentally blocked the idea as I hadn’t seen a senior leader who looked or acted like me.

Being able to observe someone who has similar experiences and background enables you to see outside the mold. But role models are not always readily available. My recommendation would be to build a strong support network and actively seek feedback from that group to understand the opportunities that might be available to you. Remember, feedback is a gift.

2. Be Fearless in Taking Risks

My career has taught me it can be transformative to experience discomfort. Even if it feels scary, taking a leap of faith can move you into new realms. Having the courage to speak up and express my thoughts was a big challenge for me. I appreciated how my leaders encouraged me throughout my career to share my thinking and put forth my ideas for tackling problems.

An example I can share is from my role as the Head of Workforce Planning for Information Technology (IT). When I was first asked to consider the position, I was reluctant since it didn’t align with my strengths. The job responsibilities were completely out of my comfort zone, not requiring any direct IT skillsets, like using technology to build products. After my initial hesitation, I decided to take it on as a way to build additional skills. For one of my early challenges, I was tasked with scaling up our crew hiring from 30 people per year to over 300 per year. At the same time, I wanted to modernize our hiring process so it fit the needs of the new, fast-moving IT group. Working with the IT Senior Leadership team and HR, I created a new hiring process. This included real-time programming tests, as well as hiring managers asking more deliberate, open-ended questions to truly understand the candidate’s thinking process. My leadership team stood behind me, and the new approach proved successful at identifying the right people as we continued to meet our growing hiring needs while keeping the bar high for talent.

3. Expand Your Vision

I believe a critical skill for being a successful leader is to have a strong vision. As your career journey evolves, you need to look farther afield for strategic advantages that can help define a future state for your business and assure its success for years to come. To build this vision, it is important to understand how the world is changing, from both a business and a technology perspective. At Vanguard, by setting our sights beyond the technology and financial services industries, new inspiration can bring innovative solutions and new ways of working. I find it equally vital to have the conviction to follow your vision, even if it is unconventional.

I believe that with an open mind and a willingness to take risks, you can challenge and break out of molds.

—Srinath C.

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