Creating More Equitable Workplaces With Upward - Lisa Lambert & Umesh Sachdev - Conversations That Matter - Episode #52

Conversations That Matter, a podcast from Uniphore

As we face potential economic troubles, more and more companies are cutting their budgets for DEIB. Women leaders are leaving their roles at higher than ever rates, for every woman who steps into a director level role, two leave. On this episode of Conversations That Matter, we’re turning up the volume on the conversation around workplace equality, and the steps that companies need to be taking now. Our guest host on this episode is Annie Weckesser, the Chief Marketing Officer of Uniphore. Our first guest on this episode is the Chief Technology & Innovation Officer of National Grid, Founder & President of National Grid Partners, and CEO and Founder of Upward, Lisa Lambert. Our second guest is CEO and Co-Founder of Uniphore, Umesh Sachdev. In this round table discussion, we’ll explore the work Upward does, the challenges women are still facing in the workplace, initiatives companies can take to create more diverse spaces, and the ways that Uniphore is creating a more inclusive workplace.

Takeaways:

• Upward was created in 2013 out of a need to address challenges women were facing in the workplace.
• There are lots of leaders who talk about DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) without actually implementing steps to make changes. To drive true change, you first must understand the why, set clear goals, and hold yourself accountable for those changes.
• Diverse teams are more innovative. When teams are composed of individuals who think along the same lines, it is hard to introduce new ideas. When your team members come from diverse backgrounds, new ideas and innovations are generated more frequently.
• While leadership at companies can drive equality initiatives, all employees need to be participants in creating more equitable spaces. Being an ally, and advocating for better workplaces are important day to day activities that all employees need to do.
• Diverse executive teams often correlate with diverse companies. Diverse executive teams have diverse networks, and diverse networks create diverse hiring pools. By diversifying your leadership team, you create a ripple effect across the organization.

Quote of the Show:

• “A lot of people talk about diversity and inclusion, but very few go to the next level.” - Lisa Lambert

Links:

Lisa Lambert:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-m-lambert-141448/
• Website: https://www.upwardwomen.org/

Annie Weckesser:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-shea-weckesser-6345124/

Umesh Sachdev:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umeshsachdev/

Ways to Tune In:

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-that-matter-podcast-for-contact-center/id1525650658
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Xx9G8w6bntQayIpbkgxc5?si=cNeVuJicSHagsftlpL8-tg
• Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb252ZXJzYXRpb25zdGhhdG1hdHRlcnBvZGNhc3QubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M