The bigger your voice, the bigger your impact with Shareen Luze Episode 60
Episode Summary
In this episode, Christine speaks with Shareen Luze, head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management-U.S. Shareen holds a very unique title and role within financial services as it’s a newly created position within the firm designed to address employee well-being at a time when, thanks to the pandemic, employees everywhere are feeling the strain of the complex and competing roles they fill at work and at home. Shareen is a 15-year veteran of the firm and as the former head of human resources, she led the firm’s efforts to support employees during the pandemic as they struggled to balance roles as caregivers and professionals. She was the driving force behind several initiatives to make sure people had the resources they needed, including emergency school closure leave, coverage for the cost of emergency childcare and expanded benefits to cover virtual medical care. Shareen speaks about her unique career path in the finance world and, as a vocal advocate for removing the stigma surrounding mental health, she shares her personal struggles with anxiety and the tools she’s used to find her voice along the way despite challenges.
Episode Notes
We discuss:
- Advice surrounding the importance of empathy and leveraging it in the workplace, regardless of gender.
- Fierce advocacy for employees and how the pandemic shaped her proactive “treating employees as humans first” approach at RBC.
- The significance of maintaining an “always-be-learning” mentality.
- Helping women find their voice in their careers, Shareen’s personal journey with discovering her own voice amidst a variety of challenges, and how this has empowered her to mentor others to this end.
- The bigger the voice, the bigger the impact.
Resources: InvestmentNews | Christine Shaw | RBC Wealth Management-U.S. | Shareen Luze
Guest Bio:
Growing up in a household where equality and equity were a core value, Shareen Luze, head of culture and field experience for RBC Wealth Management – U.S., is dedicated to ensuring that our unique culture remains at the core of everything we do as we accelerate our growth and continue to be an employer of choice in the U.S.
Shareen provides oversight and counsel on workplace strategy and serves as the company’s key champion of the employee experience. She also oversees the implementation of a new 360° Diversity and Inclusion strategy and serves as co-executive chair of the firm’s Diversity Leadership Council and executive sponsor of the Women’s Association of Financial Advisors (WAFA).
Shareen has been with RBC for 15-plus years, first joining in 2006 as an associate general counsel. She transitioned to Human Resources in 2008, and became director of the U.S. Employee Relations team. In 2012, she took on additional responsibilities for workplace risk management before she was appointed Head of HR in 2018. Prior to joining RBC, she worked as a senior associate counsel at a Minneapolis law firm, practicing in the areas of employment counseling and litigation.
Luze received a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Michigan and graduated cum laude from Hamline University School of Law. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Tubman Center, which promotes safe and healthy individuals and families through education and support services.
When she’s not in the office, Shareen enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.