Bronwen Bastone
Chief People Officer
Enfusion
The following interview was conducted as part of a series for Women's History Month, featuring various women employees at Enfusion.
Q: What makes Enfusion a great workplace for women?
A: I believe that Enfusion is a great workplace for anyone, not just women. It is a place where you can have a strong impact. I have been fortunate enough to work for companies where you can really see the impact of your hard work, and Enfusion is one of them. Ownership and passion are paramount here, and everyone is encouraged to speak up and lead with innovation. As a growing company, we seek out ways to innovate and scale on behalf of our clients, and there are so many opportunities to contribute. Our mission drives each and every employee, and there is a real client-centric approach in everything we do. Our clients are our north star and our product is how we deliver for them.
The opportunities at Enfusion are immense and all employees are empowered to own their work and career growth. We invest in the success of our employees by ensuring that they have the right training on our product and industry, as well as management and leadership skills. Our employees have access to professional development programs, mentorship and career advancement. All of this leads to higher engagement when people are given the tools and paths for growth and success. It's a win-win. We know that Enfusion is just one part of an employee's life so we enable work-life balance for all stages of an employee’s personal and professional life, through programs such as generous parental leave and unlimited paid time off.We respect the individual and recognize that people want to have long careers at a company that matches their values and interests.
Q: How can allies better support women in the workplace? What impact do you think allyship can have on women’s advancement?
A: Mentors and allies can have a huge impact on your success. Allies should be able to advocate for your voice to be heard and for you to have a seat at the table. Their support in paving the way and ensuring that you have growth opportunities is key. I also believe that allies and mentors need to have a very transparent way of communicating and giving feedback. Having that relationship where you receive constructive feedback and support from someone who will help your professional development and advancement is critical. It is with this support that women can contribute diverse perspectives and have the opportunity to develop their talents.
Q: Who is a female leader you admire? What qualities do they have? that you aspire to possess?
A: There are so many female leaders that I admire, it is hard to pinpoint one. One that comes to mind for me is Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai. Her passion, determination, and drive to be an agent of change in a world where others want to silence her with violence and intimidation is inspirational. The courage that she shows by persevering no matter the challenges is admirable, and her lessons are some that I draw on when I have inevitable moments or days of self-doubt.
Q: What advice do you have for younger women entering the workforce?
A: When I look back on my career journey and think about the factors that led to my success, it’s pretty clear, and something that I tell my children and quite frankly anyone who will listen. Love what you do but, more importantly, love who you do it with.
When I first started my career it took me a few years to find my true passion. Fortunately for me, I found that passion in the same industry I had been working in moving from the trading floor to Human Resources. Over the years, I have realized how important this path was, and having a commercial understanding of products and clients made me a strong partner in HR.
- Once you find a career that you are passionate about and a team you want to foster that passion with - it’s smooth sailing. A few other pieces of advice:
- Find yourself mentors from different industries and with different levels of experience from both inside and outside of your firm – the network will be invaluable.
- Network, network, network. Building your network is something that takes a tremendous amount of time and effort but will be priceless. You must work for your network as much as you expect your network to work for you – it should be part of your daily routine.
- Embrace failure. In life we fail way more than we succeed so get comfortable with it. If you believe in yourself, set goals, and make continuous learning part of your day-to-day, you will eventually succeed. It’s important to understand that success doesn’t happen without challenges and setbacks.
Q: What are the qualities you feel make an inspiring female leader?
A: When I think of the female leaders who have inspired me throughout my career, it is their passion and drive. A resilient mindset with a determination to achieve their goals and dream bigger. Each of my mentors had a clear vision of what success looked like to them. Their ability to visualize success and then map out how they would achieve it was just second nature. Empathy, authenticity and trust are also key in anyone’s journey to becoming a leader, and the ability to communicate your vision to those around you in a way that motivates them to support that vision.
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