‘I Love My Job’: How I’m Building an Open & Inclusive Culture as a Head of Talent Management and DEI

Welcome to I Love My Job, the series where we hear from women who really love their jobs. In this edition, we sat down with Keisha Bell, the Head of Talent Management and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at DTCC.

Bell’s favorite aspect of working for DTCC are the “brilliant, caring, vocal, innovative, and empathetic” employees, who she says are the foundation of DTCC’s culture. And Bell highlights how DTCC makes sure to empower these exceptional employees with support that goes beyond DTCC’s wonderful benefits and work-life balance. 

“I feel supported at DTCC because I've always been able to bring my whole self to work,” shares Bell. “As a queer woman in a same-sex relationship, it was important for me to work for a company that was vocal about their support for same-sex relationships and marriage equality.” DTCC does just that and puts action behind their words, too.

At DTCC, I found a company “that was willing to stand up for same-sex relationships, domestic partnerships, and treat all of their employees with the same with respect and inclusion,” Bell says. “And, ultimately, that created a wonderful sense of belonging for me.”

In the video below, Bell shares more about why she loves working at DTCC. We also provide lightly edited highlights from the video discussion in the following article.

In case you have trouble watching this video, please click here to watch it on YouTube.

Can you tell us about your career journey at DTCC?

I started at DTCC 19 years ago as a Business Analyst and Project Manager. Since then, I’ve moved through a number of roles at DTCC, including Project Manager in Wealth Management Services, leading reporting governance analysis and program management in the Risk Organization, and launching Diverse Talent Management and Advancement.

And, now, in my current role, I’m leading all of talent management as the Chief Diversity Officer of DTCC.

What do you find most exciting about your work?

The evolution and growth of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at DTCC. Twice a year, we measure employee sentiment via a survey, and we ask four specific questions about respectful treatment, fairness, inclusion, belonging, and equal opportunity, which ultimately derives our DEI index.

Since we began measuring this index, we’ve scored at least three-to-seven points above benchmarks on the individual questions and on the index itself. Even during the pandemic, when we were all scattered in various parts of the globe, the continuity of care for DEI, which could have been compromised, didn't decline.

In fact, our employee resource group engagement increased to 40% as of our most recent survey, which is an indicator of our continuity of care during the pandemic and thereafter.

How would you describe the culture at DTCC?

I would describe the culture of DTCC as open. As I just alluded to, 40% employee resource group engagement is significant, and it underpins a really strong and connected culture. DTCC is a great place to work, with colleagues who are respectful, inclusive, engaged, and empathetic. If I had to use just one word to describe the organization, it would be familial.

A lot of people have been here for a number of years, and you develop relationships and connections through your shared sense of purpose. Our sense of purpose is rooted in the pivotal role we have in protecting and supporting the growth of global financial markets.

What advice do you have for other women looking to work at DTCC?

Come and apply to DTCC! Something really great about DTCC that my diversity team started about three years ago and that really ramped up during the pandemic is a program called Reemerge. Reemerge is about attracting talented people who have had career breaks to the organization. 

We know the pandemic had inordinate effects on women who were caregivers, caretakers, and especially Women of Color; there are women who have significant breaks in their career for two, three, even four years because of their responsibilities. I would encourage those women to not be discouraged by that career break and to come to DTCC and be a part of our Reemerge program. We don't look at that career break as negative — we look at it as a positive! We also don't discount your previous career experience. You don't just suddenly lose the experience you had because you were out of the workplace for a few years. So, don't be discouraged by that, and don’t take lesser roles. Come to DTCC and explore our Reemerge program.

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Check out other posts in the ‘I Love My Job’ series:

• ‘I Love My Job’: This Innovator’s Decisions ‘Help to Influence the Entire Financial Industry'

• ‘I Love My Job’: The ‘Tremendous Amount of Growth and Opportunities’ That Helped Me Become a VP

• ‘I Love My Job’: Electrifying Work, Positive Energy, Collaborative People, & ‘Endless’ Opportunities

• ‘I Love My Job’: I’m at a Company That Will Love & Support You No Matter What

• ‘I Love My Job’: I’m Helping to Make the World a Better Home as a Sustainability Manager