Meet & Greet: Jacinta (Jess) McNicholas, Managing Director of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity, State Street

In this week’s Meet & Greet interview, myGwork member and LGBTQ+ ally Jacinta (Jess) McNicholas provides insights into her diversity and inclusion leadership role at State Street, and why she values workplaces that embed LGBTQ+ inclusion in the company’s culture. She also provides a glimpse into her work and social life.

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

Jess: I have worked in various roles in finance, marketing, business support services and corporate citizenship in the financial services sector for more than 25 years. I have spent the last 10 years of those in the diversity, inclusion and equity space.

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

Jess: The remote hybrid work environment can be a challenging work model to adapt to as it can take longer to develop relationships, which otherwise naturally develop when you are in the same office space together. 

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

Jess: Someone who can bring a different perspectives and opinions, is enthusiastic, not afraid of challenges, and treats everyone fairly and respectfully.

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

Jess: My best friend of 30 years is gay and I have witnessed the bias and homophobic behaviour he has endured over that time, both in the workplace and in society. Consequently, I know and value environments where LGBTQ+ inclusion is embedded into a company’s culture.

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

Jess: Two campaigns stand out for me. First, the roll out of our Global Ally program, which galvanized our commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion and educated the entire workforce on the importance of allyship. More recently, our 10 Actions against racism and inequity campaign.

These campaigns include tripling our Black and Latinx leadership, engaging all our employees in learning and conversations around racism and inequity, increasing our spend with diverse suppliers and reviewing our board diversity. They also aid in leading an effort in the asset management industry to increase Black and Latinx representation, supporting organizations addressing racism through funding from the State Street Foundation, establishing a company-wide day of reflection to continue spreading awareness and understanding of racism and its impact on our society, leveraging our asset stewardship business to learn from others’ best practices to establish ourselves as a reputed organisation and combating racism. 

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

Jess: Managers are encouraged to maintain regular and open contact with their team members to check on their wellbeing and ensure they are offered support and guidance if needed. Last year, we rolled out an additional ‘disconnect day’ leave to all staff encouraging them to take some time out and disconnect. Our Be Well team rolled out a series of wellness events including mindfulness sessions, guided mediation courses, mental health fundamentals training, and one-on-one and group sessions with our in-house wellness coaches.

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

Jess: I am lucky to have had a few highlights, particularly during my time working in the diversity and inclusion sector. This year, I was delighted to be listed on INvolve’s LGBT+ 100 Executive Allies list. This was a real honor as I was nominated for this recognition by colleagues, which made it even more special. 

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

Jess: Atomic Habits by James Clear. I found it an interesting and thought-provoking book about how making tiny changes to your habits can have a transformational effect on your life. Although I am still waiting to make my changes, I would recommend it to anyone curious about making a change to improve their quality of life.

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

Jess: My last overseas visit was to Ireland to see my family whom I had not seen for almost 20 months due to COVID-19. My next holiday destination is Ireland again for Christmas!

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

Jess: At the end of weekdays, I mostly sleep. However, on weekends I enjoy nice food and good wine with my family and friends.