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Re-Thinking Disability in Tech: How Workplace Inclusion Can Drive Growth

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Girl reading book with a coffe mug - VMware News and Stories

Upskilling Is the Answer to Closing Tech&#8217;s Gender Gap

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Team collaboration - VMware News and Stories

Team collaboration

Dr. Moogega Cooper interview the Duncan Hewett at VMworld 2021.

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The Value of Perseverance: Why Rocky Starts Can Make Us Stronger

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ESG Report 2021 &#8211; Facebook_1200x628

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VMware Power of Difference Community DEI - VMware News and Stories

Real Change, Powered by Human Difference

VMware Power of Difference Community DEI

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Businessman with disability having a video call at his desk

Businessman with disability having a video call at his desk - VMware News and Stories

VMware Joins the Valuable 500

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Building the Future of Work as a Place Where We All Want to Work

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Empathy: The New Nonnegotiable Leadership Trait

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Betsy Sutter_Headshot_2021 - VMware News and Stories

Betsy Sutter_Headshot_2021

Once you see inequity, there’s no way to unsee it. The first time I really understood this was during my first year at the University of California, Berkeley. College in America was a culture shock—so different from the life I’d left behind in Johannesburg, South Africa. But what surprised me most was just how much my classmates knew of and cared about what was going on back home.

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Berkeley had been at the center of America’s anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s, with protests held on Sproul Plaza against South Africa’s racial segregation policy. I had spent my entire life up until that point in Johannesburg, and I had never really grappled with the injustice playing out in my own country. Going to Berkeley rocked my world view.

I had grown up in a bubble. And by the next time I returned to South Africa, that bubble had burst. I saw my homeland through new eyes. I still loved my country—but I now understood the systemic injustice for what it was. How it needed to change. And how I needed to change with it too.

That experience taught me that inequity thrives in darkness and misinformation. It feeds off fear. It is amplified by systems of all kinds. So when people ask me why equity is important to me and why it plays such a prominent role in VMware’s <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html">2030 Agenda</a>, the answer is simple: because it has to. Because combating inequity is a shared responsibility. Because there is no such thing as a sustainable future without an equitable future.

Equity, of course, comes in different shapes and forms. It can be a complex concept with multiple dimensions. VMware’s own origin story can be traced back to one such dimension: digital equity. Our co-founders laid out a simple vision: that our technology free people and businesses from the digital constraints holding them back from reaching their full potential.

VMware’s approach to equity today is rooted in this simple idea. And today we’re going much further by striving to embed equity into every part of our business, from the products we make to the outcomes we create for all our stakeholders.

Our efforts span from the individual to the organization and industry. It starts with creating a diverse and inclusive work environment that allows every person in our organization to feel a sense of belonging and part of a community. Creating this environment is a collective effort that we empower every employee to take part in. For example, our numerous <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">geographic- and identity-based employee groups</a> called PODs (Power of Difference) help to connect, network and grow our diverse community of leaders.

Responsibility also spans to the team. One of the most profound insights I gained from our very first diversity training at VMware was that unconscious biases are part of the human condition. Even when you recognize them and work to combat them, they can be persistent. As leaders we therefore must create systems that short circuit these biases to drive more equitable outcomes in our teams. This is where VMware is concentrating a lot of our efforts, particularly when it comes to how we recruit, hire and promote people.

Expanding outward, we have commitments to driving equity as an organization and within our industry. As a big company that makes a lot of purchasing decisions each year—and by prioritizing supplier diversity through our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/responsible-sourcing.html">Responsible Sourcing</a> program—we can intervene in the procurement system and direct our dollars to have an impact in our communities. As part of our 2030 Agenda, for example, we have committed to spending a cumulative $1.5 billion with diverse suppliers by 2030.

At the product level, we’re making equity a desired outcome for our solutions by focusing on accessibility. And at an industry level, our technology like <a href="https://www.vmware.com/solutions/anywhere-workspace.html">Anywhere Workspace</a> solutions are supporting social equity by enabling people to work where and how they choose and access greater opportunities through remote and distributed work.

Finally, we recognize that technology is driving fundamental changes in the world and that it has the potential to serve as a bridge—or as a wedge—between people. That’s why we’ve made the conscious decision to do our part to be a bridge—using our expertise and technology to promote digital access and transformation for communities that need it. We’re doing things like providing students and women returning to the workforce with digital skills training, and helping nonprofits design and build technology that helps them accomplish their missions.

VMware—like all companies and organizations—still has a long way to go before we can achieve true equity. Equity work is a constant practice that requires ongoing learning and action. And even with all the good work we’re doing, we recognize that we most likely still have unconscious biases and areas we could improve. But we are committed to remaining curious—to being part of a community of learning that is constantly asking questions, testing assumptions and striving to get better.

In the end, the only way to make progress against inequity is through dedicated, consistent and collective action. There’s a quote I like from Desmond Tutu, one of the world’s most prominent activists and a key figure in finally ending apartheid. He said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

As I reflect during this time of year, I can say with confidence that people at VMware are doing their little bit of good. There is certainly more to do. And my great hope is that our actions can inspire—and enable—others to do the same.

Why is equity so prominent in our 2030 Agenda? Because there’s no such thing as a sustainable future without an equitable future.

Why is equity so prominent in our 2030 Agenda? Because there’s no sustainable future without an equitable future.

Equity Requires Doing a Little Bit of Good, Wherever You Are

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Equity Requires Doing a Little Bit of Good - VMware News and Stories

Posts

Nicola Acutt

Why is #equity so prominent in our #VMware2030 Agenda? Because combatting inequity is a shared responsibility. Because there’s no such thing as a sustainable future without an equitable future. #ESG

I truly believe that the vast majority of tech firms want to do a better job of supporting workers with diverse needs. DEI initiatives are proliferating across our sector, and not before time.

But when it comes to disability, we are still a long way from true representation.

I’m glad that we’re making progress. In the U.S. for example, VMware's self-identification rate of employees with disabilities is 3.2%, up from 1.8% in 2019. But that’s far short of the U.S. <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.nr0.htm">population-wide figure of 18%</a>.

Today, on the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it’s time for all of us to ask what we can do to increase the rate of change.

The answer, I believe, is to fundamentally re-frame the way we think about disability in tech.

Inclusion is, of course, a worthy goal in its own right. But bringing more people with disabilities into the workforce shouldn’t just be seen as a noble cause; it’s not something to be bestowed.

The reality is that fostering the inclusion of people with disabilities benefits everyone who works in tech – and, ultimately, gives companies a competitive advantage.

We know, for example, that firms that demonstrate leadership on disability employment and inclusion are outperforming those with more modest achievements in this area.

An <a href="https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/companies-leading-in-disability-inclusion-have-outperformed-peers-accenture-research-finds.htm">Accenture study of 140 US companies</a> participating in the Disability Equality Index found that those in the index’s top tier achieved double the net income and 30% higher economic profit margins over four years than companies ranked lower on the index.

It makes sense: companies that select staff from a larger pool of candidates are likely to enjoy superior outcomes. And as well as raw intellect, people with disabilities may have faced more barriers in life which have led to them developing exceptional grit and determination, which makes them formidable employees.

Meanwhile, end-users are increasingly demanding accessibility from the tech products and services they use.

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I think the biggest innovations in accessible tech are still to come. But I’m happy to say that VMware is already devoting considerable energy to this area.

In 2019, VMware partnered with Singapore’s Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) for an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-KQtj3L7q0">Ideas Hackathon</a> to create an app to help the association’s students tackle the challenges of social, numeracy, and vocational skills, and to make Singapore itself more inclusive.

The winning “Connect Us” pitch aimed to provide a social networking platform for the association’s students, alumni, and potential employers to connect. Further developed by the team with assistance from VMware, it made its debut as the APSNLive app later that year at vFORUM Singapore.

The following year, in February 2020, we kicked off our first-ever Accessibility Week with a summit followed by <a href="https://medium.com/vmwaredesign/vmwares-first-accessibility-hackathon-32fc31d63219">an accessibility hackathon</a>. Five different countries, six different business units, and nine different products were represented.

Ten concepts were developed during the hackathon, including a walk assistant application for Blind/Low Vision; programming that opens doors with the twist or tap of your smartphone; and Intelligent Wheelchair Object Awareness.

The winning idea, opening doors with your phone, was integrated into our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/products/workspace-one/access.html">VMware Workspace One Access</a> product.

These hackathons have been a team-building triumph. We saw how passionately our employees feel about disability inclusion and received enormously positive feedback from staff who were grateful to be playing their part.

But VMware is doing plenty more: for example, we recently completed the roll-out of three largely accessible tools, Fusion, Workstation, and Player, with more to come.

In 2020, we launched a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c822RG-PyVc">Disability Power Of Difference (POD) community</a> which has since rolled out a series of awareness-building learning courses and partnered on our first-time submission to the Disability Equality Index.

These initiatives dovetail with our broader Equity and Trust commitments within our <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2030 Agenda</a>, which we hope will bring us very close to a truly representative workforce and, ultimately, strengthen our company.

In August this year, VMware joined the <a href="https://news.vmware.com/dei/valuable-500" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Valuable 500</a>, a global business collective that is igniting systemic change and unlocking the business, social and economic value of more than 1 billion people with disabilities around the world. Our CEO, Raghu Raghuram, committed to building disability inclusion into VMware’s leadership agenda.

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We are striving not to become complacent. Creating a more inclusive workplace for those with disabilities – and encouraging others to do the same – will require sustained effort and even greater integration of accessibility into our products, services, and culture. 

<a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">DEI</a>, and particularly disability inclusion, must be integral to the way we in the tech sector move forward as an industry. As individuals, we can all play our part by learning more about disability as an aspect of diversity and deepening our understanding of disability inclusion. Because without disability-inclusive policies, no tech firm will be able to attract and retain the talent it needs to thrive in the years to come.

<p>Learn more about how VMware is building a more sustainable, equitable and secure future.</p>

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Finding innovative ways to support workers with disability is a proven means of achieving better business outcomes – and a cause your entire team can rally behind.

Prioritizing Workers with Disabilities is a Win‑Win for Tech Industry

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Re-Thinking Disability in Tech: How Workplace Inclusion Can Drive Growth - VMware News and Stories

Craig Dobson

As the world looks for ways to get more women interested in studying STEM, India’s young women act as a shining example to follow. In India, a country now widely recognized as the new Silicon Valley for technology investments, research, and development, more than 45% of STEM graduates are female. But while there is a large pool of talent in India, the career pipeline is leakier than it should be—in fact, 50% of women fall out of the workforce within eight years of university graduation and never return.

This missed opportunity struck VMware’s Duncan Hewett after he spoke with 250 women at a technology session in 2018 It became the catalyst for VMinclusion Taara—a free, self-paced training program to get female tech graduates in India back into the IT sector. Two years and almost 13,000 women enrolled, VMware’s Taara upskilling program has helped more than 2,000 women rejoin the workforce. It has become one of the most effective return-to-work programs in the country and has put a spotlight on providing women with the skills, confidence, and support to return to the IT sector in India.

VMware’s 2030 Agenda sets specific diversity, equity, and inclusion goals that are embedded in the way we do business. Taara is just one way we live out these goals. Studying the career journeys of just some of the Taara graduates, we’re able to uncover the many reasons that take Indian women out of the IT workforce, the barriers to re-entry they face, and how those barriers can be overcome to add their valuable skills back into India’s vibrant tech sector.

The <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever">pace of digital acceleration</a> and the IT industry’s innovation makes it an exciting place to work. But a career break can mean that you will need to refresh your skills and even more important regain your confidence.

Taara graduate Anusha Subramanium had been part of the IT sector for six years before she put her career on hold to become a mother. Anusha says she understood how quickly IT skills could become dated and continued to upskill by earning an MBA. But when it came to applying for jobs to return to the workforce, she found this qualification didn’t represent the skills prospective employers wanted. Then she discovered Taara.

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Managing new commitments can make it difficult for women to find the time to upskill. After taking a break from her IT role to focus on her newborn, Taara graduate Sagarika Sahoo said she struggled to find time to reposition herself for employment.

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Sagarika completed Taara’s self-paced courses and said connecting with other women through Taara helped keep her motivated. She is now back at work with a leading technology organization.

Another graduate, Sharmila Vaithilinga, said she loved working in the technology sector after joining the industry straight after university. But she decided to take a break after relocating and starting a family. Although she continued to participate in upskilling programs, her break turned into an 11-year absence from the workforce that plagued her self-esteem.

Yet while skills and time are frequent barriers to re-entering the workforce, rebuilding confidence is what many participants find to be the most valuable part of the Taara program. And even though the demand for IT talent continues to surge, a new LinkedIn study has found working women in India are four times less confident that they’ll secure a role than their male counterparts.

VMinclusion Taara started with the idea that talent shouldn’t be wasted, as well as the value that all people, regardless of circumstance, should have an opportunity to re-enter the workforce. Now one of the largest upskilling programs in India, it has supported over 12,800 women and plays a valuable role in creating a more equitable future as part of VMware’s 2030 Agenda.

Taara graduates like Anusha, Sagarika, and Shamila are a testament to the program’s success and highlight the ability of programs like VMinclusion Taara to change women’s lives and bring diverse talent back to the tech industry.

<em>See more inspiring stories in “<a href="https://www.vmware.com/taara/e-book" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Galaxy of Stars</a>”, a new e-book highlighting the career journeys of VMinclusion Taara graduates.</em>

As the world looks for ways to get more women interested in studying STEM, India’s young women act as a shining example to follow.

Upskilling Is the Answer to Closing Tech's Gender Gap

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Upskilling Is the Answer to Closing Tech's Gender Gap - VMware News and Stories

VMware has undertaken the multifaceted task of correcting non-inclusive terminology used in our products and company collateral. Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” As with any societal issue, the journey toward inclusive terminology can’t happen overnight. Rather, it will be an ongoing effort to identify and replace terms and vocabulary choices that appear in our content and products. This journey requires changes in our mindset, awareness and understanding.

<strong>The Beginning of the Journey</strong>

<a href="https://news.vmware.com/company/replacing-problematic-terminology">About a year ago</a>, VMware formed an internal, cross-discipline team to develop and drive processes for addressing the use of non-inclusive terminology companywide. The team engaged with employees across the world, collaborating closely with VMware’s Power of Difference (POD) communities—our version of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). 

We partnered with technology companies spearheading their own inclusive terminology efforts and leveraged technical libraries for guidance on the depth and context of terms usage in technical literature and research papers. The team researched and consulted with trusted advisors to validate that its decisions aligned with industry thought leadership on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and VMware’s <a href="https://www.vmware.com/radius/vmwares-culture-built-epic2-values/">EPIC<sub>2</sub></a> values. Throughout this process, the team learned a lot about the origins and deep-rooted history of terms and the power of words.

<strong>How We're Continuing Our Efforts</strong>

VMware expanded this effort by actively participating in industry initiatives like the <a href="https://inclusivenaming.org/">Inclusive Naming Initiative</a> and contributes to the <a href="https://www.incits.org/">InterNation Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS) Inclusive Terminology ad hoc standards development </a>community. These groups are responsible for establishing inclusive terminology baselines and revisions to style guides across corporations, academia and standards organizations. VMware leverages the findings of these industry and standards groups to validate that our internal initiatives are in alignment with industry best practices.

From the start of the Inclusive Terminology initiative, VMware employees have actively submitted terms that they felt were racist, genderist, discriminatory or non-inclusive. This enabled us to expand the lens of the initiative beyond root terms such as “master/slave” and “whitelist/blacklist.” In parallel, VMware continues its efforts to ensure that our products are accessible. 

To assist with term discovery and remediation, VMware has developed a content scanner and browser highlighting tools which we plan to open source in the future.

While working on this effort, I frequently remember the words of late Congressman John Lewis, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up.  You have to say something; you have to do something. Never be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

VMware’s leadership, product managers, marketing, content creators and engineering teams all have stepped up to drive this ongoing effort across the company. And VMware’s path towards raising awareness and using inclusive terminology continues.

<a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/diversity.html">Learn more</a> about VMinclusion, our diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. 

An update on how we're continuing to correct non-inclusive terminology used in our products and company collateral.

Read about our ongoing effort to correcting non-inclusive terminology in our content and products.

VMware’s Inclusive Terminology Journey

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VMware's Inclusive Terminology Journey - VMware News and Stories

Director, Industry Standards Office, VMware

Eric Betts

Read about our ongoing effort to correcting non-inclusive terminology in our content and products. #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity

Dr. Moogega Cooper, planetary protection engineer for the Mars 2020 Mission, gives her take on what it means to fail. And it's a lesson worth remembering.

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As NASA’s mission team watched on from 396 million kilometers away, the Rover deployed its painstakingly designed drilling apparatus into a promising rock.

But when the bore was examined, it was empty. The rock sample had disintegrated into dust.

At VMworld 2021, I had the pleasure of talking to the inspiring <a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/people/profile/index.cfm?id=23121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Moogega Cooper</a>, the lead of planetary protection for the Mars 2020 Mission.  Her take on what it means to fail is one worth remembering.

<a></a>The NASA team had tested its drilling system hundreds of times on Earth and thought they knew every single scenario.

<a></a>“The team took it well,” Dr. Cooper said.

<a></a>Dr. Cooper told me that after the initial disappointment, the mission team quickly refocused and treated the incident as an opportunity to gain new insight.<a></a> We learn so much from failure, she says. Failure allows us to grow, driving deeper understanding and, ultimately, innovation.

I’d add that a shared experience of failure also helps bond teams together, making them stronger and more capable.

<strong>Hardening Under Pressure</strong>

During an enlightening conversation, Dr. Cooper and I also discussed another crucial aspect of strong teams:  the ability to give and receive frank, fearless feedback.

<a></a>As the lead planetary protection engineer (surely one of the best job titles on Earth), she’s responsible for ensuring that missions we send to Mars don’t contaminate the environment with Earth-borne life and strictly controls what comes back from Mars, too.

<a></a>It’s a high-stakes mission in an environment that doesn’t forgive mistakes. The mission team’s work must therefore be close to perfect.

Achieving this means creating a culture of unflinching feedback, Dr. Cooper said. It means expecting that every time you propose an idea, your peers will stress-test it from every angle, looking for flaws and weaknesses.

<a></a>NASA’s mission team thrives in this culture of critical feedback by staying focused on a common goal.

<a></a>“That common goal may vary from company to company, but it's essentially something to the flavor of mission success,” she said.<a></a> “And so, if somebody is coming at you with a critical opinion, you have to remind yourself that we all want to get this spacecraft to the launch pad and operating successfully.<a></a> It takes a little bit of putting your ego to the side and really focusing on that goal.”

The best way for anyone to succeed, Dr. Cooper said, is to surround yourself with people who have your best interests at heart. This doesn’t mean telling you that you’re right all the time. But instead, telling you what you need to hear.

One of the most encouraging aspects of my discussion with Dr. Cooper was understanding more about the diverse mission team behind the Mars expedition.

<a></a>The lack of diversity in many STEM sectors has been a focus of many people, including myself, for many years. So, I celebrate a STEM team at the absolute pinnacle of its field leading by example.

<a></a>When I was at university studying electrical engineering, just six of my 130 classmates were women. While large, sustained efforts are still needed to get more women into STEM, we’re seeing plenty of bright spots.

In India, for example, 45% of STEM graduates are now women. But, as Dr. Cooper said, having a seat at the table is one thing. Having a voice is something else entirely.

“As we were working towards this mission, I was so pleasantly surprised when I would look around the room and there were many women in positions of power,” she said. “That’s an element that inspires and changes. When you can commit to having people in leadership positions, that’s when you can see real changes are going to be made.”

<strong>The Value of Perseverance</strong>

While Martian rocks may seem a long way from our everyday lives, missions like Perseverance are almost certain to have a big impact on tech you and I use every day. GPS, mobile phone cameras, CAT scans and even the humble computer mouse all have their origin in our efforts to better understand the cosmos.

As we celebrate International Space Week, it’s important to acknowledge an amazing year in space exploration. I, for one, am excited to see what trickles out of today’s efforts to explore other planets.

<a></a>And it’s worth mentioning that exactly one month after Perseverance failed in its first attempt to extract and store a Martian rock sample, it tried again. This time, the process worked beautifully. Perseverance, indeed.

The lead of planetary protection for the Mars 2020 Mission gives her take on what it means to fail. And it's a lesson worth remembering.

Planetary protection engineer for the Mars 2020 Mission gives her take on what it means to fail. And it's a lesson worth remembering.

The Value of Perseverance: Interview with Dr. Moogega Cooper

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The Value of Perseverance: Dr. Moogega Cooper of the Mars 2020 Mission

Duncan Hewett is the senior vice president and general manager for VMware’s business in Asia Pacific &amp; Japan. In this role, Hewett is responsible for VMware’s sales, business strategy and services across the region. He is adept in executing go-to-market strategy across a multi-product and multi-cloud platform supporting digital transformation of enterprises and believes that a customer centric behavior is critical for an organization’s growth. &nbsp; Prior to this, Hewett was leading IBM’s Software business for Asia Pacific region. In his 29 year long career, he has held several senior leadership roles across IBM’s business units, including Enterprise Sales, Acquisition Integration, Subscription &amp; Support and Sales Operations. Duncan joined IBM’s software business through the acquisition of Lotus where he was the general manager responsible for all sales, marketing and services in Australia/New Zealand. &nbsp; Hewett graduated from the University of Sydney with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

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Duncan Hewett

Be a people-centered company that prioritizes choice and flexibility.

With <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/351545/great-resignation-really-great-discontent.aspx">almost half</a> of America’s working population actively job searching, the Great Resignation is top of mind for employers across the country. Is it time to panic? On the contrary: The Great Resignation is a moment of opportunity for employees and employers alike.

It’s first important to recognize what’s driving this surge in talent mobility. And like so many things these days, COVID-19 has been a primary factor. For many people, the pandemic’s disruptions to their daily routines created an opportunity to reassess priorities and think deeply about what they want from their careers.

Some realized they need more flexibility from their jobs. Others crave purpose and are seeking organizations that are in sync with their values. Still others want the chance to develop new skills or contribute in different ways. Whatever they’re looking for, workers are emerging from the last 18 months with more direction—and a new willingness to follow it.

This is something we all should be celebrating. Everyone deserves the chance to go after a job that aligns with their skills, their interests and the rest of their lives. And employers should want this too. Highly engaged employees can transform a company for the better from the inside out, while a disengaged employee that is mismatched with an organization can drag on a team’s morale and productivity.

I call this “worker flow” and it may not be a passing trend. While the pandemic accelerated the adoption of this mindset, it coincides with a younger generation entering the job market with different expectations around how and where they want to work. This means that companies that want to position themselves for success now and in the future should be taking this time to look inward and figure out how they can show up for employees in new and better ways.

We’ve been taking this seriously at VMware since the beginning of the pandemic. As our employees left campus and pivoted to remote work, we quickly realized that business as usual wasn’t going to cut it. Our employees were dealing with so much—new work environments, increased family responsibilities, financial challenges and the pervasive stress of COVID-19. It was clear that we needed to step up our support efforts to meet their needs head-on.

Wellness is such a personal thing, and one size rarely fits all. So our approach is multi-faceted and prioritizes choice and flexibility. Our employees personalize their well-being through generous programs that include:

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As we work toward a post-pandemic future, we have no plans to put away these tools. In fact, we’re adding new ones. We’re letting our employees <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-work-co-created-employers-employees-betsy-sutter">choose where and how they work</a>, an initiative called Future of Work that empowers everyone to choose their own path forward—whether that’s full-time remote work, full-time in-office work or a hybrid experience. We’re also doubling down on our development initiatives so that our best employees don’t have to look outside the company to continue growing in their careers.

These initiatives come back to one key idea: The best way to retain the talent you have and attract the best talent available is to be a people-centered company. A company that cares, gives people choice and flexibility, prioritizes individual and collective well-being, and offers opportunities to grow and contribute. Every employer can show up for their people in this way—it just requires that you listen and act. Organizations that do this won’t have to worry about a Great Resignation—they’ll benefit from a happy, healthy and engaged workforce.

The Great Resignation is a moment of opportunity for employees and employers alike.

Worried about the Great Resignation? Be a people-centered company that prioritizes choice and flexibility. Read more.

Worried About the Great Resignation?

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Betsy Sutter joined VMware in January 2001, where she has shaped the culture and employee experience while leading all aspects of VMware’s people strategies and functions. In this role, she leads the hiring, development and engagement of the best and brightest, as VMware has grown from 100 employees to more than 20,000 globally. As the developer of an ever-evolving human resources organization, including innovative expertise centers, service delivery channels and a modernized HR partnering organization, she has aligned the people strategies with the business goals. Sutter has also built (and re-built) a world-class staffing organization and has overseen the successful acquisition of more than 60 companies. In 2008, Sutter founded the VMware Foundation, redefining citizen philanthropy in the corporate world. She is also passionate about bringing inclusion and diversity away from the edge and into the core of VMware’s priorities and operating model. Prior to VMware, Sutter held senior management roles at Silicon Gaming, Digital Equipment Corporation, Aehr Test Systems, General Electric and Intersil. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Betsy Sutter

Worried about the Great Resignation? Be a people-centered company that prioritizes choice and flexibility. #futureofwork #wellness

VMware is committed to embedding <a href="https://www.vmware.com/company/esg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)</a> into everything we do<meta charset="utf-8">—throughout our technology strategy,  business model and culture. We are applying the same strategic focus to ESG that we’ve used to launch our most innovative products and services and fueled by our EPIC<sub>2 </sub>culture to make sure our progress is meaningful and transparent.  

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Equity Requires Doing a Little Bit of Good, Wherever You Are

Re‑Thinking Disability in Tech: How Workplace Inclusion Can Drive Growth

Upskilling Is the Answer to Closing Tech’s Gender Gap