How Women at BlackRock are Defining the Future of Work

Concerns for the health and safety of our employees and candidates are leading us to make decisions that put people’s well-being first. This has become a filter for all our processes, programs and decisions during the coronavirus pandemic. It started by enabling more than 95% of our workforce to work from home and shifting interviews from in-person to virtual. It led us to decide not to make any COVID-19 related layoffs this year and to honor our commitment to summer interns and full-time graduate analysts to whom we had extended offers. It spurred us to re-think the onboarding experience for employees who are joining the firm in an entirely remote setting. And it pushed us to survey our colleagues more frequently so we can learn how they’re doing, what they need, and then act on their feedback.

This behavior of putting people first is not shortsighted, it’s being absorbed into the culture of our organization. For example, Kelsey, who creates professional development content for BlackRock noted, “I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how understanding and engaged managers have been with their teams during this time. Many leaders have come to our team for help because they’re worried that they won’t do right by their employees.” Specifically, we’ve noticed an increase in requests for learning & development content from managers so they can make sure the people on their teams are supported in the ways they need most, and we’ve observed hiring managers get more involved in the onboarding process since they haven’t been able to greet their new hires and welcome them in person.

We’ve seen that technology can enable flexible work environments and help people feel supported in a remote workplace. One way this has presented itself is in the amount of control we have over our day, whether that means taking a call while walking outside, prioritizing childcare at a certain time of the day or making time to buy groceries for ourselves or our neighbors, we have more freedom to manage our time. Brooke confirmed this in her own experience sharing, “I have felt that people are more understanding. Do what you need to do for yourself. Manage your own calendar. Tell people what’s going on. Don’t hide your personal life.”

As leaders, managers and organizations, we will need to continue to demonstrate the ability to prioritize both personal and professional lives. And it gives all of us a moment to reflect on the role we want work to play in our lives, to be clear about our needs and to ask our employer (or future employer) to support us.

As a global company, we’ve always collaborated across teams and time zones by building virtual relationships with colleagues in different offices but when conversations with our local colleagues became remote, it meant there was less of a distinction between relationships with colleagues we typically see in person and colleagues in other geographies. “Last year, I spent 3 months on the road and I truly believe the in-person presence is something that can’t be replaced. But what I’ve learned, is that by keeping a steady connection point with the people I work with across the world, I’m able to achieve just as strong of a partnership,” shared Noreen McEnaney, Director, Talent Acquisition in BlackRock’s New York City office.

Photo credit: Victoria Didilica (Associate, Campus Recruiting, London)

New challenges are amplifying our natural inclination to collaborate across teams, to crowdsource ideas and to share tips. “With the need to shift our campus recruiting events and programs to be delivered virtually, we were suddenly in a situation where there were a lot of new activities going on,” noted Victoria Didilica, Associate, Campus Recruiting in our London office. “But we weren’t afraid to ask for help—help from lateral recruiting, from the wider HR team, from the tech team and others. And at BlackRock, everyone is always willing to help,” she said. As we grow as a firm, we will continue to build input sessions into our projects and processes so we can benefit from the collective brainpower of our peers.

With more of our interactions moving into virtual formats we will also find new opportunities to engage potential employees with varying perspectives spanning academic majors, socio-economic backgrounds, gender, ethnicity, ability, veteran status, and other seen and unseen diversities. Candidates can also take advantage of this inclusive mindset by reaching out to people at organizations they’re interested in and having conversations with companies they might not have considered in the past.

The future of work will be one where leaders drive performance through empathy, where people stay at the forefront of our minds and where collaboration across diverse teams is key to our work.

For people looking for a new opportunity, this presents a chance to think about potential employers through a wider lens. Do your research on how committed each company’s leadership is to flexibility, benefits and learning & development. Dig into each company’s culture, learn how they’ve reacted to challenges in the past and ensure their values align with your own. And explore the long-term sustainability of the organizations you’re considering to ensure they are set up for future success.