In this compelling episode of The Digital Executive, Brian Thomas converses with Nancy Lyons, the CEO and co-founder of Clockwork, about her mission to transform the workplace into a more inclusive, flexible, and adaptable environment. Nancy shares her personal journey of navigating through rigid and exclusive work cultures, which inspired her commitment to fostering workplaces where diversity, empathy, and adaptability are paramount. She stresses the importance of organizations making a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels, recognizing unconscious biases, and creating policies that accommodate various life circumstances.
Nancy also emphasizes the need for open dialogue and safe spaces where employees can express themselves freely, highlighting the significance of acknowledging and valuing individual differences. Drawing from her book, "Interactive Project Management: Pixels, People, and Process," she advocates for a human-centered approach in digital product management, where understanding end users' challenges and aspirations leads to more effective and satisfying outcomes.
Measuring success in creating human-centric workplaces, according to Nancy, involves a blend of qualitative and quantitative metrics, including employee engagement scores, retention rates, diversity and inclusion metrics, and the organization's adaptability to change. She underscores the essence of a successful workplace as one where employees feel genuinely supported, valued, and connected to their work, the organization's purpose, their values, and each other.
This episode not only provides practical steps for organizations to become more inclusive but also delves into the broader implications of such changes on product development, team dynamics, and overall business success. Nancy Lyons' insights offer a roadmap for leaders looking to cultivate work environments that truly work for humans, driving better products, experiences, and work lives.