When Srilakshmi Dasari, Software Asset Administrator at Weir EnSci in India, was given the opportunity to become an Inclusion and Diversity Ambassador, she jumped at the chance to make a positive difference by supporting the business to foster an even more inclusive and diverse environment.
Tell us about your role and what you enjoy about it
I work under IT Core Services, part of Weir EnSci, and I manage all of Weir’s software. If a project or need comes in, they approach me to help understand what the best software would be and if we already have something in-house we can use.
I love all the different people I get to speak to. We’re a global company with offices around the world and I get the chance to talk to people from all different countries to understand their requirements. I can be speaking to people in Australia in the morning then people in the US and Canada in the evening, and their requirements can all be very different. People approach me when they have a problem and I really like the fact that they trust me to find a solution for them. We’re here to support them.
In September last year I was given the Star of the Quarter award within Weir EnSci which aims to recognise achievement within our area of the business. I manage all the software licences for Weir and last year we had a renewal of one major publisher. I was part of the team working on that and we managed to achieve a number of benefits for the business, which is why I received the award. It is a real achievement for me and a highlight of my career.
What is it like being a woman working in IT?
My older brothers are all in the IT industry and at school I was always interested in maths and science. I graduated in Computer Science and when I joined my first company, we were a team of around 30 people but only two or three were women. Sometimes I’ve been the only woman in a team. I used to wonder why this was always the case – especially in IT.
Weir is the fourth company I’ve worked for and it’s great to see women in leadership positions, as well as recognising the actions that Weir is taking to become even more diverse. It inspires everyone. I have never missed an opportunity here because I’m a woman – my manager and leaders have always encouraged me to take opportunities and to take a chance.
I’d advise other women hoping to work in IT to always be ready to learn something new, because technology is changing all the time. You always have the opportunity to learn and take a risk. Keep focusing on what you want to be. We all have goals and dreams and if you focus on them, you can achieve them.
Tell us about your work with the Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Steering Committee
One of Weir’s core values is ‘Respecting Each Other’ and caring for and encouraging each other which is also an important part of our culture. When everyone has a chance to talk and have their voice heard, the team and the company will perform better – that’s how we can all play a part in taking ownership for our company’s success.
Those who sit on our I&D Steering Committee are called I&D Ambassadors. It is our role to listen to what our colleagues are saying to gauge what’s going well with regards to I&D, and what we can do better so we can consistently improve.
I wanted to be involved in the committee because of how few women I saw when I first started my career. When I was given this opportunity, I thought it was something I could do to contribute and help enable change at Weir. I was approached and asked to join, probably because I always like to think about team building and it’s important to me to talk to people to understand what they need. When I received the invitation email from John Heasley – Chief Financial Officer and Group Executive Sponsor of I&D, to join as an I&D Ambassador I was very happy. It’s my chance to do something and make a difference.
In 2019, I&D Ambassadors from all over the world gathered together at Weir’s Head Office in Glasgow. It was the first time I’d travelled out of India and I got the chance to talk to John Heasley and Rosemary McGinness our Chief People Officer, and meet the other I&D Ambassadors in person. We’d originally planned to meet up in person again last year but the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily put a hold on this. Hopefully we’ll be able to come together in person again when the world is more normal. Until then, we continue to meet virtually and it’s great to hear the updates from all the other ambassadors on a regular basis.
Why is diversity so important?
Diversity isn’t just about gender balance, it’s also about having people with different mindsets, ages, education, experience, background and abilities. When we have that kind of diversity, there are different perspectives and different thoughts, which will lead to creativity and innovation and bring success. You need all those different voices.
There’s a lot that people can do individually but it’s important to listen to views from everyone, talk to colleagues and always take the opportunity to speak to people and hear their opinions. It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man, we’re all equal and we can do anything.
