Meet & Greet: Anushka Davies, Head of Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion at Softcat plc
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Meet & Greet: Anushka Davies, Head of Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion at Softcat plc

September 7, 2022
DEIAllyship

In this week's Meet & Greet interview myGwork member and LGBTQ+ ally Anushka Davies shares how she creates inclusion and safety for employees as Softcat's Head of Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion. She also provides a glimpse into both her work and social life.


myGwork: Can you tell us a bit about your career journey to date?

Anushka: I started working for Softcat in a sales role after graduating from university with a degree in Computing and Maths. I remained in Sales for 8 years and moved away from leading a sales team to setting up our Learning & Development function due to rapid company growth. My career gave me the opportunity to identify the gaps we had whilst also working on areas that I was most passionate about. My passion for diversity and inclusion grew after having two girls of my own and understanding how I could help make our organization and the IT industry be more diverse and inclusive for all.

myGwork: What's the most challenging aspect of managing people right now?

Anushka: The last few years have been challenging for everyone and employees have certainly taken more time to consider their wellbeing and what they want from their roles and the companies they work for. It has meant that we have had to take on board feedback and accelerate our response to ensure employees remain engaged, love what they do and be themselves at a company that cares about them.

myGwork: What attributes do you look for in new recruits and why?

Anushka: It’s about ensuring that new recruits can bring something different to the company and add to what is already a fantastic culture. We want new recruits to generate new ideas, challenge us and help the company grow and evolve for the future.

myGwork: How important is LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace for you personally?

Anushka: As an LGBTQ+ ally, it’s hugely important to me first as a colleague to create inclusion and safety for our employees. As a business, it’s important to ensure we create an environment that everyone can thrive in, irrespective of anyone’s sexual orientation We need to créate an ‘allyship’ culture so we can all truly understand what others go through to be a friend and colleague.


myGwork: What's your favorite inclusion campaign to date and why?

Anushka: My favourite inclusion campaign has been our Stronger Together – Allyship Programme, which has bought together colleagues from all over the country together to talk openly about the challenges minority groups can face and how to be a better ally. Our PRIDE Network has pulled together some amazing campaigns over the years – everything from raising more trans inclusion awareness, to more awareness about HIV. All of the campaigns we have organized have helped the organization gain a better understanding about the LGBTQ+ community.

myGwork: How do you encourage staff to have a worklife balance, especially with the increase in remote/hybrid working?

Anushka: Softcat are really proud of our culture, so it’s been a big shift to adapt to the flexible ways of working. The shift has been a positive one though and our employees enjoy being able to balance their home and work-life by being able to have some flexibility on the days they are in the office. We strongly encourage employees to collaborate and build relationships, which can be harder when at home. We want everyone to learn from each other and be motivated by each other, and this works particulatly well when in the office. Equally it’s nice to have some quiet time at home too.

myGwork: What's the biggest highlight of your career to date and why?

Anushka: This is hard as there are moments in my career that I have simply seen as a ‘win’ due to people I work with having ‘light-bulb’ moments. I’m really proud of our Employee Network groups – they do such a fantastic job in raising awarness, creating a safe space and are a force for change. I was proud to see Softcat win the Diversity Employer of the Year award in our industry – that was a lovely highlight!

myGwork: What was the last book you read (fiction/non-fiction)? Any interesting take-aways and would you recommend it to fellow leaders?

Anushka: I’m currently reading ‘A Passage North’ by Anuk Arundpragasam, which was a book shortlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize. The book is a memorial for the missing and the dead due to war but highlights the impact connections can have. I like to read books that are set in the past – ones that don’t involve technology and many modern ways of living. I like to take myself into the past and appreciate the trials and tribulations that people from different cultures and countries have faced. It makes me more appreciative of my own life and surroundings.

myGwork: What was your last holiday destination and where do you plan to visit next?

Anushka: We love going to the Algarve in Portugal. We like spending time with family and Friends out there and heading back to the same restaurants which we have been going for years. Pre-Covid we had a wonderful week in Sicily, so I would love to head back out that way – the food and wine is great!

myGwork: What do you to unwind at the end of a hard day?

Anushka: I have two young daughters who keep me on my toes after a hard day, but they are equally great at helping me take my mind off work. I enjoy walking, running and love to cook which helps me unwind. I find yoga really helps me stay balanced as well. I can do an hour of yoga and feel strong again.

You can find more about Anushka and connect with her here.

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