Archive for category: Culture
What was presented at the 2020 event?
The theme of this year’s Collaboration Summit was “Working Together in Times of Uncertainty.” Keynote presentations were provided by executive leaders from Microsoft and Deloitte and focused on Microsoft’s PowerPlatform (low/no code technology) and working remotely in the ‘new normal,’ respectively. Various sessions were held during the two-day event. Topics included:
Crew were provided with breaks throughout the day where they could participate in instructor-led chair yoga and/or browse our virtual 3D Expo Hall and speak to representatives via Microsoft Teams Meetings. If crew were not able to attend the event, all content and sessions were recorded and provided for them to view after the event was complete.
Crew feedback
Response to this year’s virtual event was overwhelmingly positive. Crew feedback was collected throughout the event for keynotes and sessions. Here are a few highlights:
“Great information, I LOVED the back and forth between the two presenters, as it showed connectedness and wisdom from both. I felt it was balanced in the time spent with the two people talking. The chat interaction was GREAT! I felt engaged and took a lot out of the presentation.”
“This was a great session to remind individuals they need to disconnect. The 100% remote working environment, coupled with the lessened number of activities makes it easy to forget to focus on work/life balance.”
“I thought this was a topic that isn’t covered very often (Accessibility as a Differentiator) and was thrilled to see it here. It was very informative, and I really enjoyed it.”
One million. That is the number of students Vanguard’s My Classroom Economy (MyCE) program has reached since its launch just under a decade ago. My Classroom Economy is a free financial literacy program and classroom management system for teachers that allows students to learn financial responsibility through hands-on learning. My Classroom Economy, and its sister program My Home Economy (for parents and guardians), are entirely powered by volunteers across Vanguard. These crew dedicate time and talent outside of their “day jobs” to fuel a “passion project” that is part of Vanguard’s suite of community programs. For me, my “day job” is in our business that serves financial advisors, specifically Registered Investment Advisors. In my role as Channel Lead, my team works with our sales group and clients to develop and execute strategy for how we can best serve this important client base. Within MyCE, I’ve volunteered in a number of roles and am proud to currently serve as the Program Chair.
Anyone that knows me has heard me say that MyCE is the perfect marriage of two of my passions- education and personal finance. Before I came to Vanguard I completed the Teach for America program, teaching seventh grade math at a school in Charlotte, North Carolina. I found my way to Vanguard by following a tip received from teammates on an intramural kickball team and channeling my finance degree. I started at Vanguard in Client Services, helping clients meet their investment needs. I remember a colleague leaning over my desk and making the connection that as a former teacher, I might want to learn about this financial literacy program Vanguard offered. I went to an information session and was hooked. My Classroom Economy linked what I loved about my pre-Vanguard career with my current one, allowing me to stay deeply connected to the education community, while growing professionally with a company I love.
I’m exceptionally proud of our recent milestone of reaching one million students. But to me, it is more than just a milestone. It is a million lives impacted and put on a more responsible financial trajectory because of the dedication of their teachers and the passion of a volunteer team. In pausing to celebrate this manifestation of how volunteer hours have made a real difference, I also was struck not only by what I’ve given to the program over the years, but what it has given me. My time with MyCE not only helped me continue to feel fulfilled professionally, but it also has played a pivotal role in driving my career at Vanguard. My peers in the program would say the same about their own experiences. Again, more than just a milestone.
After seven and a half years and several different “day jobs” at Vanguard, I’ve realized that my volunteer roles allowed me to learn new skillsets and pursue interests before making career leaps. I took on a strategic assignment with MyCE, analyzing options for a potential program expansion before joining Vanguard’s Corporate Strategy group as an analyst. MyCE helped me learn how to be a people leader, first by leading the MyCE team in North Carolina and then stepping into the Program Chair seat, leading the full volunteer team of roughly 150 crew. Along the way I’ve had the chance to sharpen skills in public speaking, stakeholder management and even sales, all of which have translated to my “day jobs”.
As I think about the next million kids that My Classroom and My Home Economy will impact, I’m confident that impact will continue to extend to those volunteers behind the scenes who power the program. I think it is so important to find a place to give back that allows you to pursue a passion. That passion will be what keeps you coming back to give your time year after year. And while you’re there, embrace the opportunities to sharpen your skills and learn new things. You might not realize it at the time (I certainly didn’t), but you might just be laying the foundation for your next career move.
-Meg T.
My Classroom Economy Financial Education Program
To help students learn financial responsibility, our crew developed a free curriculum that enables teachers to build the financial literacy of K–12 students through fun, experiential learning. Through the program, students gain money management skills and learn the importance of long-term
planning, responsible budgeting, and delayed gratification.
Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program
Our signature charitable initiative, the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids ProgramTM, gives young children growing up in poverty in Greater Philadelphia, Charlotte, Phoenix, and London the opportunity to grow, thrive, and learn, with a focus on improving school readiness. Our philanthropic program is supported by our crew’s volunteer time and talent along with generous contributions during the annual giving campaign, including a 100% company match and additional corporate dollars.
Hometown Grants Program
The Hometown Grants Program provides community grants to nonprofit agencies in the communities near where Vanguard operates. Funded by the Vanguard Group Foundation, the program is run by local Investment Committees made up of crew volunteers who select and vet the giving strategies and grantees. These grants complement the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program by targeting needs in a community outside our strategic focus on early childhood. The Hometown Grants Program currently operates an invitation-only grants process from Vanguard’s Greater Philadelphia, Charlotte, Phoenix, and London offices.
Matching Gift Program
The Matching Gift Program, available year-round, enhances crew’s ability to give collectively with focused impact on early childhood and to magnify personal giving to other charitable causes.
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.
I’ve been the Operations Lead for Giving Season for the past three years. As soon as the pandemic hit in spring, our Giving Season team pivoted to determine how this program – beloved by our crew and more important than ever to our community – could be adapted for our new reality. Running our traditional campaign was definitely not in the cards, but we were able to work with Vanguard’s Community Stewardship team to introduce an online gift giving platform that delivers to nonprofits. This allowed us to stand up a “virtual” Giving Season with our partner agencies this year. It could be described as a “gift registry” experience. We are so pleased that the Vanguard crew here in the U.S. exceeded our targets for the campaign. Crew also had the opportunity to donate money directly to Toys 4 Tots, since we couldn’t be on campus to do collection bins this year. What’s more, Vanguard provided matching funds for all of our gifts! The spirit of giving is certainly still strong at Vanguard! – Mark O., RIG Project Manager
In lieu of our annual gift wrapping pizza party, the Office of General Counsel (OGC) Systems team met virtually over lunch to play a Thanksgiving trivia game and do some online shopping for families in need. It was convenient to have a few different options for giving this year, and the opportunity to double our gifts with Vanguard’s 100% match was wonderful! At Vanguard, Giving Season is not just about buying presents or donating money; it’s also about coming together as a team to help others in our community who need it most.
– Joy U., Technical Project Manager
In this environment, selecting a charity to give a donation to couldn’t be easier. You can purchase goods, provide a monetary donation to your favorite charity, or shop for holiday gifts for children. You can donate as an individual or work with your team to make a group contribution. Thanks to Vanguard for making it easy for us to give! – Barbara W., Change Analyst
For two decades, Vanguard crew have donated gifts for children in our communities around the holidays to deliver joy to families in need. As our 2020 virtual environment extended from winter to spring to early summer, it became clear that we were going to need to pivot quickly to ensure we could still make an impact while also keeping our crew and partners safe. Through the hard work and imagination of several dedicated crew, we developed a virtual solution in partnership with several charitable agencies that enabled crew to shop securely online in a custom registry based on wish lists provided by the children our program supports. While it felt different this year, crew were thrilled to still be able to make a difference at the holidays! – Will S., Senior Product Owner and corporate program manager for Giving Season
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.