Your well-being matters

Let’s be real for a minute—the last year has not been an easy one. The global pandemic has redefined the concept of well-being at home and at work. Whether you’ve had to adjust to virtual school, working where you live, socially distanced or virtual holidays with loved ones, or any of the other ways the last year has changed how we go about our lives, we could probably all use some time to focus on what our minds and bodies need.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Vanguard, along with our well-being partners, is hosting several events to further support the well-being of crew.

Virtual Wellness Expo: How our well-being vendors support crew

Mental health is more than just acknowledging how you feel. In order to aide crew in their holistic mental health journey, our well-being vendors have come together to create a three-day expo. The event features wellness focused on a variety of topics, including:

• Understanding the relationship between food and mental health.
• Doing desk yoga.
• Assistance in practicing mindfulness.
• Getting to know each of the vendors and how they can support crew.

A special panel with our vendors will give crew a quick overview of how each of the well-being vendors can assist in their wellness journey. Two of our partners are hosting webinars centered on the topic of resilience:

• The first workshop presents a path to resilience via​ practical, research-supported tools designed to help crew develop healthy ways of coping with their emotions, cultivate an optimistic mindset, utilize the power of social support, and move forward toward new goals more effectively. Combined, these tools can promote quicker recovery from life’s setbacks, and even inspire personal growth.
• In the second webinar, crew will see how building resilience can help make daunting tasks seem doable and bring a sense of energy and optimism to difficult situations, which is especially critical for those serving as a caregiver. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this webinar will serve to provide strategies and practices crew can integrate into their daily lives.

Prioritizing mental health

We encourage taking advantage of our new services, especially if crew or a loved one:

• Never really considered using mental health care resources, but are feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed and want to feel better.
• Considered using mental health care resources in the past, but have never tried it. One new vendor makes the process easy and can connect individuals with a resource quickly.
• Had disappointing experiences in the past. Finding a good counselor can be a little bit like dating, it can take a few tries to meet the right person. Our approach tailors recommendations to personal needs, goals, and schedules.

“At first, I thought I didn’t have an issue with working from home and dealing with the pandemic. I was wrong. You don’t realize the mental toll it takes on you, from the isolation to lack of boundaries between work and home. I took advantage of Vanguard’s new services and was able to talk to someone who could help me work out the tornado going through my brain and focus on having a clearer mind.” – Anonymous crew member.

Vanguard offers a variety of resources and programs to support crew health and wellness goals. We’re invested in our crew and in creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Your identity plays a significant role in how you lead. Recognizing and acknowledging your cultural background within your identity shapes your leadership style. Embracing the fact that there are celebrated business leaders from every culture, we can internalize and appreciate there isn’t only one way to be successful. This is the first step to accepting and evolving your personal gifts as a leader. For example, as an Asian female raised by traditional Taiwanese parents, I honed the skill of compromise early in life. Growing up in the U.S., I had many opportunities to practice finding common ground between Eastern values emphasizing collectivism and Western values emphasizing individualism. I am wired to hold and optimize opposing concepts in the same space. As a business leader, I have used this skill time and again to solve seemingly intractable problems with multiple stakeholders.

One of the most important practices in leadership is self-reflection. Through the self-reflection process, you find out all about yourself – the good and the bad. If you don’t accept all you are, you can’t use all you have. There are many aspects of yourself that are there for you to bring to everything you do. Your cultural background is an integral part of who you are. Self-reflection opens the door to discover places you may have overlooked in yourself. This helps you to love your uniqueness. There is, after all, no one like you. You have a perspective that only you can offer and contribute to others.

As leaders, we need to look for opportunities to leverage our identity in whatever we do for our business. It could be as simple as tapping into our personal and professional networks to source diverse clients. Who we are is who we know, and that’s powerful. When we combine our individual networks, we cover a lot of people! For example, Vanguard’s Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP) Crew Resource Group partnered with ASCEND (a US- based, nationwide Asian professional organization) to co-produce an informative webinar featuring two of our own leaders on investing in these uncertain times. Organizations like this help to expand our network and reach new clients.

Our cultural identity is a wonderful tool to further business goals. As managers, we are charged with creating the right environment and equipping our team to drive business results. It is corporate culture that creates those outcomes. Research proves there are better solutions and more creative, collaborative results when you have a diverse group of people. Bringing our identity to the table is not only the right thing to do, it is also an appreciated one that is good for business. Our clients care about the culture in the corporations they are affiliated with. In my role leading a team of investment consultants who advise our Institutional pension clients, I not only represent, but also discuss our corporate diversity and inclusion efforts.

Embracing your cultural background is not just letting people know who you are, it also includes finding out who they are and how you can work best together. It’s often easy to hide your true self, creating an artificial line of demarcation between work and personal. Too often your personal identity is not accepted as part of your business identity. Getting to know others can allow you to see more of who you are.

Being vulnerable and open to sharing your personal story and inviting others to share theirs becomes a powerful and expansive give and take. Leaders should tell their story, as well as listen to the stories of others. There are plenty of appropriate avenues through informal conversations, blogs, and social events, whether virtual or in person. Just remember that while listening, you should be willing to really hear what the other person is saying.

A good tool for understanding your leadership style and learning about those of others is the Deloitte Business Chemistry types. Like Myers Briggs, it talks about different characteristics within four primary categories: Driver, Pioneer, Integrator, and Guardian. This tool provides greater insight into your style, and also helps us understand the behavior of those with different styles.

Remember that whether you’re conscious of it or not, all parts of you, including your culture, show up in all you do. For example, I am a Pioneer and an Integrator. This makes a lot of sense to me. Being part of an immigrant generation is a crucial part of my identity. When my family came to this country, we had nothing and had to pioneer new ways to do things. As a middle child, I was always keeping the peace, trying to integrate everyone and find compromise. The person I have become because of my background and culture is reflected in my business dealings. Today, my leadership sponsors the Open Architecture effort, connecting investment professionals and information technology. In addition, I find innovative ways to craft win-win pricing proposals for clients and Vanguard, and I bring a differentiated perspective to building our pension advisory business.

Throughout my career, I have found adaptation to be an evolutionary necessity, but rejecting who you are in the process is a mistake. My cultural heritage and personal background are strengths that I leverage daily.

-Jean L.

Jean is a co-lead of LEAP and a Principal and Department Head in Institutional Advisory Services, where she leads a team of investment professionals. She embraced and manifested her own cultural differences to rise through the Investment Management Group Division leading teams in the Fixed Income Group, Risk Management Group, and Global Investors Shared Services. Jean has been an active member of LEAP since its inception – as co-lead for the Leadership and Professional Development sub-team, sponsor of all three LEAP Leadership conferences, and an active member of the Advisory Board.

April 22 is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Prior to having kids, I always imagined myself bringing my adorably cute, super well-behaved child(ren) to my workplace and giving them a glimpse of what mom does every day.

Fast forward to March 16, 2020, when a stay at home order was put into effect for Pennsylvania. Overnight, everyday became ‘bring your kids to work’ day. Spoiler alert: it was not as glamourous as my pre-kid self envisioned. It was downright hard. Reflecting on the past year with my husband, who has also been working from home full-time during this period, I recall good times, bad times and hilarious times. Vanguard has been there for us every step of the way and I couldn’t be more grateful to work for a company that has proven time and again how much they value their employees.

For some perspective, I have three children: an eight-year-old, a four-year-old and a one-year-old. I have had at least one child home each day during work hours for over a year (379 days to be exact as my daughter started back at school full time on Monday, April 5). Here are some highlights that we’ve shared together:

The Good Times

• Having multiple family meals together each day.
• Watching my youngest son grow up before my eyes and being present for milestones like sitting, standing and walking.
• Being a part of my third grader’s education and truly understanding what she is working on each day.
• Learning that my four-year-old can nap at any time, in any place – if he’s tired he closes his eyes and goes to sleep.
• Appreciating the divide and conquer approach to household responsibilities that I have with my husband.

The Bad Times

• I lost my four-year-old one afternoon and after 20 minutes of panic and frantic searching, we found him sound asleep under the couch.
• Not only do I play the role of Vanguard professional and mom, but I also hold the title of housekeeper, lunch lady, referee, playmate, teacher, orthodontist and enemy number one (sometimes all in the same day).
• Personal space and quiet time cease to exist.

The Hilarious Times

• When asked what I do for Vanguard, my four-year-old replied that I talk on the computer phone (not entirely wrong).
• I have gotten really good at ignoring the noise around me. On a call one day, one of my kiddos was trying to get my attention by repeating the word “mom” over and over. I was in the middle of presenting a topic and as soon as I finished, I asked if anyone had any questions. Without missing a beat, one of the participants on the call said, “I think someone has a question for mom.”
• My one-year-old learned how to hang up calls on my headset – that was fun.

I can’t think of anyone who would say this past year has been easy. Employers have had a real opportunity to step up for their employees, and Vanguard has done so in a big way. It is OK if my kids pop on video calls to say hi. It’s OK if I need to reserve my lunch hour to make sure my kids are fed. It’s OK if I must step away from a meeting to help my child. Vanguard has welcomed my children into the mix with open arms, and I have never had to make excuses for having a life outside of work.

-Schuyler T.

Vanguard’s Total Rewards Package provides benefits for the unique needs of each of our crew members. Over the past year, it has become even more evident that these needs are ever-changing and different for each person. We continue to offer expanded benefits to fit various definitions of family and work-life balance, and aim to provide crew with the tools, resources, and programs they need to operate at their full potential – in both work and life.

“Every crew member is in a different place when it comes to their needs, wants, and thoughts on how their employer should support them from a benefits perspective. To navigate these differences, we think through our crew members’ own journeys on an individual level to truly understand how they experience our benefits program, which helps us identify where we might – or might not – be meeting their needs today.” -Amy W., Benefits Manager

Benefits and Well-Being

Healthcare

• A medical program that leads the market in both design and cost subsidy. Medical costs are subsidized significantly above competitive benchmark.
• Long-term savings opportunities with access to a Health Savings Account (HSA), allowing crew to take advantage of tax efficiencies now and investment opportunities for the future.
• Coverage and enhanced advocacy support for fertility services that supports all families (same-sex, opposite sex, transgender, and single-by-choice families), including crew wishing to delay pregnancy.
• Enhanced coverage for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, which aligns with the World Profession Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care in 2021.

Financial

• Competitive pay that aligns with market practices, and rewards crew contributions through annual incentives that align client outcomes with crew and company performance.
• Vanguard’s Retirement and Savings Plan (RSP) remains one of the premier defined contribution arrangements with a benchmark participation rate (97%), high average balance (3x national average) and diversified investment offerings. Our crew in the United States are immediately eligible to participate and Vanguard provides a generous match program to ensure our crew are retirement ready.
• Tuition assistance for student loan repayment and an academic assistance program for crew fostering growth inside and outside the office.
• Vanguard’s Dependent Scholarship Program assists crew members in funding a dependent child’s post-secondary education.

Wellbeing/Lifestyle

• Generous vacation and volunteer time off, with a flexible work week for many positions.
• Parental benefits that include paid time for birth parents and non-birth parents, as well as financial support for adoption and surrogacy.
• Wellness centers with on-site health clinics and fitness centers in our Malvern, Charlotte and Scottsdale locations. In response to COVID-19, these services have shifted to virtual platforms so crew can take advantage of them in our remote environment.
• Digital platform and therapy solution to provide care for emotional and mental health—how, when, and where it’s needed, at no cost.
• A new program that offers personalized support to help caregivers tackle the often complex logistical and administrative tasks associated with caring for a loved one. A dependent care FSA and paid family care leave are also provided.

Lastly, COVID-19 presented a unique opportunity for us to enable our strategy and develop new programs to support crew needs in this unprecedented time:

• New time-off programs that provided sick, caregiver, and childcare leave for crew who are balancing new care responsibilities.
• Enhanced access to medical care which removed cost barriers to seeking care for COVID-19 and covered telemedicine visits through Teladoc at 100%.
• Virtual wellbeing options that offered virtual fitness classes and a weekly schedule of mindfulness and resiliency drop-in sessions.

“Helping our diverse crew members thrive means that our benefits strategy needs to be an evolution to meet changing needs and preferences. The program is built on a strong foundation of core benefits like health care, time off and retirement, but also includes many other value-based benefits like education assistance, enhanced mental health support, and solutions to aid caregivers. Our intention is to ensure each program aligns to one of our guiding principles – whether it’s offering a specific digital tool to improve user experience, or simply because it’s the right thing to do for our crew. Crew feedback is an important part of this process as it helps us shape our benefits program, now and into the future.” -Amy W., Benefits Manager

Each year on March 8 we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) to honor the achievements of women, in a variety of fields, throughout history and across nations. March also happens to be Women’s History Month in the United States.

In recognition of both International Women’s Day (IWD) and Women’s History Month, Vanguard’s Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS) hosted a number of experiences centered around the 2021 IWD theme: Choose to Challenge. This theme is all about making conscious choices to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements and to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality.

Through live speaker events, coaching sessions, workshops and a podcast, crew engaged with each other across virtual platforms. Many also participated in a #ChoosetoChallenge campaign by posting photos striking the IWD pose to show their commitment to helping forge an inclusive world.

Lastly, WILS also took this opportunity to recognize and celebrate “women we admire” through a spotlight series. Take a moment to read the insights these crew members shared about their personal career experiences with our WILS members.

Ginene L.
Associate Counsel and Senior Manager, Vanguard Litigation & Regulatory Enforcements Team

Ginene opens up about the importance of being your own advocate: “I’ve experienced many encounters that required me to speak up for myself, even when it came with possible rejection or consequence. But that’s the sacrifice of being your biggest advocate––everyone may not agree with you but, if it’s true to who you are and what you believe, you have to trust yourself and trust your journey. I also learned that it’s never too early or too late to take charge of your career. Oftentimes, the fear of ‘why would they want to meet with me’ or ‘what do I have to offer’ gets in the way of building great relationships that can change the trajectory of our career. Keeping my head down and waiting for the work to come may have worked for others, but that wasn’t the road for me.”

Adriana R.
Head of Institutional Sales for Mexico and South America

When asked how she challenges the status quo in her role, Adriana says, “Building a business in the International division means we challenge the status quo pretty frequently, and our business partners will attest to this. Without their collaborative support and frequent and upfront communication, we would not be able to serve our clients by strategically leveraging Vanguard’s scale and strengths.”

Mara B.
Project Manager, Institutional Investor Services Business Enablement Team

When it comes to your career, Mara believes you control your own destiny: “I am certain we have all been in a situation where a friend, family member, or colleague has questioned a decision you made for your career because maybe it was something you hadn’t done before, or maybe it didn’t follow the typical path of those before you. When those situations happened to me, it was important to remember that I was the only one who could make the decision. It didn’t matter what one person said or what they thought of me after, it mattered what I wanted for my career and what would make me happy. You control your own destiny, and the only person who can stop you is you.”

Sara V.
Personal Experience Lead in Australia

On breaking barriers to achieve success, Sara shares, “Growing up, I was blinded by the idea of needing a stable and reputable career when I went down the accounting path. People often say the only way to succeed in your career is to love what you do. It took time to build the courage to do something about the career I’d built that did not align with my passion. Taking action is important, and I’m now in a more people-focused, dynamic and fast-paced role where I use my strengths every day to make an impact. I am so much happier for it—even on the stressful and challenging days!”

Jessica B.
Education Consulting Services Manager, Institutional Investor Group

Jessica opens up about Vanguard’s culture and how it has afforded her flexibility as a working mom: “Something I greatly value about Vanguard’s culture is the opportunity to leverage flexibility in the workplace to be successful as a working mom. Four years ago, my first daughter was born with complications resulting in many lifelong disabilities. I thought my career was over, as the demands for her doctors’ visits and therapies wouldn’t allow me to be successful in both my career and providing her the care she needs. However, our corporate culture and many influential leaders in the organization have taught me that I can do both; thrive as a mother raising a child with disabilities and be a successful career-driven woman. I have learned to utilize resources such as mobile technology to stay plugged in to work while sitting in doctors’ offices. I have leveraged my ability to work a flexible schedule in order to facilitate my daughter’s physical and occupational therapy sessions. Watching my daughter overcome the many obstacles she is faced with daily has been my inspiration to thrive for success in everything I do, to never give up, and to always find the value in my accomplishments.”

With most of us working remotely, networking has taken a back seat. Gone are the days when you could grab a quick conversation with someone after a meeting, in the hallway, or the galley. In our bubbles, we can’t even meet often with friends outside work. Creative thinking must be called upon. For our personal and professional lives, we need to find fresh ways to connect. Vanguard’s Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP) is offering opportunities to get to know people across the enterprise with monthly Virtual Coffee Chats.

How it Started
I found out about it when I was asked to put together an email for the LEAP Networking and Cultural Awareness Group. The group realized in a virtual environment it’s hard to meet new people. Someone on the team had the idea of virtual meet ups and two members of the group, Annie B. and Vrinda M., ran with it. By taking advantage of our remote environment, it’s now possible to meet LEAP members across the world.

My Experience
I met with Catherine D., who is Head of Direct/Large Market Sales for Institutional Sales. She and I hit it off and found we have a lot in common, but there were also opportunities for us to help each other grow. For example, she suggested specific areas of focus in my learning journey and I gave her tips on writing. At the end of the meeting we agreed we wanted to continue the friendship. Judging from the responses of other participants, the goal of the LEAP Virtual Coffee Chats to unite people is working! I found a new friend and colleague. Catherine has always been a remote worker from her home in Northern California, and I’m in Pennsylvania. She’s a Department Head in Institutional and I’m an Administrative Associate in Information Technology, so the likelihood that our paths would cross was slim.

My second experience was a wonderful conversation with Stephanie S., a PA-based Accounting Operations Lead in Finance. Though she’s not so far away, Stephanie is still someone I would have been unlikely to meet in the office environment. Now I have new connections, broader perspectives, and agreements to keep the relationship going. Two new friends without leaving my chair!

How LEAP Virtual Coffee Chats Work
For those of you who are interested in organizing a similar program, we explained the concept in an e-mail and provided a link for all who were interested to sign up. Annie and Vrinda performed a randomization on the names and came up with pairings. The pairings were sent out in two columns. The first, highlighted in yellow, was the designated person to set up the meeting. The second column was the partner. Those who sign up continue to be included month to month. With each round, a broad email asks if anyone else wants to participate.

What’s Next?
Annie and Vrinda were pleased that in the second month of Virtual Coffee Chats, the number of people who participated doubled! Not stopping there, the two came up with an idea that, every other month, it might be fun to have a Group Chat, centering on a topic selected by the participants. These would be conducted as small group meetings in Microsoft Teams breakout rooms. For the Group Chats this month, due to popular demand, we are looking into providing healthy breaks of meditation and stretching. LEAP Virtual Coffee Chats continue to bring people together and strengthen them.

-Alexandra C.

I distinctly remember where I was, the first time I became acutely aware that I would be treated differently because of my gender. It was Labor Day 1994 and I was headed back home from an awesome weekend “down the shore” with friends. As we crossed the Walt Whitman bridge, my SUV sputtered out and stopped. Once safely on the shoulder, I called my dad and after confirming that we were all indeed okay, he shared, “you have a phone and a AAA card, call if you have any trouble and we’ll see you at the dealer,” before disconnecting.

Approximately an hour later, the tow truck driver arrived and very loudly announced that he can’t tow my SUV because it’s four-wheel drive, chastising me that this was information he needed in order to bring the right tow truck. I politely shared with him that I had told AAA that the SUV had both two wheel drive and four wheel drive and that the optional four wheel drive was currently disengaged.

Me and my Dad today

He proceeded to less politely respond that he was unwilling to take the risk in towing the car and that I was going to have to call AAA and request a new tow truck. I did not want to stand on the Walt Whitman bridge for another hour, so I called my dad and explained the situation. He asked me to pass the phone to the tow truck driver and after a short exchange, the driver handed back the phone, walked away and started hooking up my SUV to the tow truck. My relief was quicky replaced with anger when I asked my dad what he said to the tow truck driver. To my surprise, he had shared the exact same information as I did.

Somewhere on the drive from the Walt Whitman bridge to the car dealership, while in the front seat of a tow truck, I realized that a man’s words would be viewed more credible than mine. It stung, a lot! What I also remember is that my dad never once assumed that I had not given the correct information, he trusted me and my acumen. He was an ally long before I knew what it meant to be an ally.

As I think back, there were other micro moments where I probably should have seen differences, but it wasn’t happening to me, so I wasn’t as tuned in. I should have been.

I noticed it again the first week of graduate school, sitting in the classroom and looking around the room where there were significantly more men than women. My career to that point had centered around staffing and recruiting, an industry where women generally outnumber men. So, although I knew that less women went to business school, it was still striking to see that in person in the classroom. That same year I gained another niece and realized that I wanted her to have a different experience. As she got older, I learned more about the “pink aisle” and suddenly the “fun” aunt role came with a bit more responsibility. I bought her books and toys with strong female characters and wanted to be sure she knew that she could do and be anything.

My niece on the ferry

Two summers ago, my niece called me and wanted to plan a day trip to New York City. I immediately began to see how I could work in a short stop at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to see Fearless Girl. To get to the city, we took the ferry across the bay, passing the Statue of Liberty on the way to Battery Park. We spent a few minutes talking about the symbolism. Together, we read Emma Lazrus’ poem, The New Colossus, and I reinforced with my niece how important it is to be inclusive and welcoming. We mused at just how many women must have traveled these waters on their way to greater opportunity. Later that day, as we arrived outside the NYSE and waited to see Fearless Girl, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of a future full of possibilities I see for both my young niece and women everywhere. It will be a day that I remember forever.

As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day and I reflect on my NYC experience with my niece, I’m reminded how grateful I am to work for a firm that is focused on inclusion and belonging. The theme, #ChoosetoChallenge, struck a chord with me, as it is about being a much more active and vocal ally. As a proud aunt, I choose to challenge for my nieces so they can fearlessly pursue their dreams and feel valued for their voices. As a leader, I choose to challenge to ensure that I am elevating my crew members’ voices and accomplishments and commit to calling out bias when I see it. Collectively, we each can have a profound impact on creating a more inclusive world. Why do you “ChooseToChallenge”?

-Tamara T.

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).”

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.

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.

At Vanguard, we place a large emphasis on the importance of professional development. Why? We want to ensure our crew and leaders feel empowered to learn and build expertise that will not only contribute to their personal growth, but to the growth of others as well. Although the majority of our crew find themselves working at home these days, many have continued to make time for their personal development. When we asked what they were focusing on and the resources they were exploring, here is what they had to say:

Ashley C.

LinkedIn Learning has been very helpful! The program offers plenty of tutorials where you can either learn something new or expand your existing skillset and become an expert on a topic of your choosing. Further, I have found myself reading several professional development books now that I have fewer distractions to keep me occupied.

Tracy C.

I too am taking advantage of LinkedIn Learning. I just started a Programming Online Foundations course. As an Information Technology (IT) recruiter, I know this will help me in further enhancing my business acumen.

Kim D.

An internal tool Vanguard offers that I have been enjoying is the FYI (For Your Improvement) Skills Suite. This resource has allowed me to take a deeper look at the competencies aligned to my role and suggests trainings for the areas in which I’d like to focus my development.

Jo S.

I am really enjoying podcasts at the moment. Some favorites include: Lewis Howes—The School of Greatness and The Learning Leader. For wellness, I’ve been tuning into Dr. Rangan Chartterjee—Feel Better, Live More.

It’s easy to stay heads down in work all day, every day. We’re all guilty of it, especially in this new environment where we no longer find ourselves in collaborative spaces with colleagues, networking with folks over lunch or maybe even heading to a conference off-site. Just make sure you make time for you and your professional development. It can go a long way.