‘I Love My Job’: How My Company Supports, Empowers, and Listens to Me as a Leader in Finance

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 Adonika Watkins, Complex Assistant Manager at RBC Wealth Management, a company she’s been with for almost 17 years!

During her time at RBC Wealth Management, Watkins has discovered that the company is truly invested in employee growth, and that they should remain open to the many opportunities that will come their way. “You never know where you can be headed at RBC Wealth Management,” she tells us. “I went from becoming a Client Associate (CA) to a Registered CA to a Complex Assistant Manager (CAM)” at the company. During her time at RBC Wealth Management, Watkins notes that she had the chance to learn about many different products and services, as well as work with a lot of high-net worth clients, giving her experiences she may not have found elsewhere.

And, today, Watkins is being that supportive force for others. Using her 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, she always makes time to share her knowledge with others. “One of the things that I enjoy the most is my opportunity to shape my staff in the complex,” she shares. “My background is in education, so [I take] any opportunity that I have to reach out to my staff and provide a teaching moment and share any kind of knowledge that I've had over my years… Any opportunity that I have to stop and make a connection with someone is important to me.”

In the video below, Watkins tells us more about why she loves working at RBC Wealth Management. 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 Vimeo.

How would you describe the culture at RBC Wealth Management?

RBC Wealth Management is a large firm, but it's one that feels very familiar. We know each other and we know our clients. As a result of that, we trust one another. Our CEO and managers are all approachable; they’re visible. We constantly get emails from our CEO and leaders informing us of new initiatives, encouraging and supporting diversity and inclusion within our complex.

We try our best to make sure that everybody feels supported and empowered, and that's what I try to do with my interactions with my staff, too. Our day-to-day gets busy, so it's important to take a step back and to make sure that we're checking in and communicating with them to ensure we provide all of the resources that they need.

What is your favorite thing about RBC Wealth Management?

RBC Wealth Management listens to its employees. Every year, we get an employee engagement survey that asks questions about your experience, your managers, CEO, technology, and more… [Due to this feedback,] over the past year, our technology has exploded… So, my favorite thing about RBC Wealth Management is the fact that they listen to their employees and are willing to make changes that are needed, even if they are tough ones.

How does RBC Wealth Management support you?

RBC doesn't have a one-size-fits-all approach to work-life balance. We have different programs to address mental health issues, such as a program called Living Well that supports our employees. So if they are having any kind of challenge, they can reach out to them for help with issues regarding mental health. There are even some fun things that can help with bringing the offices and community together.

When I started in this business, I only had one child, and I had challenges with daycare. RBC Wealth Management was very supportive, and my managers were all supportive in trying to make it work for us. 

[At RBC Wealth Management], we try to look at everything in everyone's situation individually and see how we can help them. We encourage an environment where people can speak up and provide feedback so that we can get better at making sure that their work-life balance suits them.

What advice do you have for other women looking to work at RBC Wealth Management?

You definitely want to join RBC Wealth Management. It's such a welcoming environment and company. With today's ever-evolving workforce, we have more women who are the head of the household, who are becoming CEOs, who are in management positions, and who are becoming investors. So, I think it's important that we have more women in the financial services industry.

The second thing that I would say is once you do join, learn as much as you possibly can and ask questions — take control of your career. If there are opportunities out there, take advantage of them. If there aren't any opportunities, then make one, even if it's a small one. It's so important that you show that you can impact your own career and possibly somebody else's career as well.

Fairygodboss is proud to work with RBC Wealth Management. Find a job there today!

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

• 'I Love My Job’: How My Company Supported My Career Pivot From Finance to Technology