March is a special month because it honors the contributions and achievements women have made throughout history. The theme for Women’s History Month in 2024 is inspiring inclusion, which recognizes the importance of embracing everyone and excluding no one. At Intuit, we recognize that individuals are multi-layered, and their experiences shape who they are. The key is leveraging their uniqueness to bring diverse perspectives to the workplace and inspire innovative ideas.
With this year’s theme in mind, we spoke to women at Intuit on the importance of advocating for inclusivity and what inclusion means to them.
Who inspires you and has had a lasting impact on your perception of inclusion?
Karubaki Preetisikta
Neha Saraswat
Karubaki Preetisikta: I have strong role models in my life. I grew up watching my mother establish her career so boldly, while taking care of the family. She was one of the first women who inspired me to be resilient. After that, some of my inspiration came from the women at Intuit. One example is my conversations with Navreet Sarkaria, HR business partner, and Jharna Thimmaiah, Intuit India site People and Places leader and HRBP Director. Their perspectives helped me find solutions and prioritize my emotional well-being as I transitioned to a new role within the company.
Neha Saraswat: Taking care of ourselves is an important act of self-inspiration. While each of us are moving with our own challenges, we can inspire each other through shared experiences and responses to situations. Confident and forward-thinking women are a driving force of inspiration for all of us. Lata Agarwal, who leads Intuit’s QuickBooks Product Development, has had a long-lasting impact on my mindset. She returned to work after a career break—only to become a more successful leader. This makes me think deeply about how I can come back stronger and resilient in situations.
How can women become better allies to inspire change together?
Shanti Kuropati
Swastika Tiwari
Shanti Kuropati: I believe that building solidarity among women can be incredibly empowering and lead to greater action. When I entered into leadership roles, I built policies for women in tech. These policies were designed for women who aspire to build their careers, but have caregiving responsibilities. Drawing from my own experience as a mother of two girls, I understand what it’s like to experience the fear of missing out on not being around my girls—or present at work. Our personal experiences inspire us to be allies to women. On my part, I’m focused on building an inclusive team, ensuring that women have flexible options to do the best work of their lives.
Swastika Tiwari: While our relatable experiences can make us best allies, there’s also strength in unity. I believe that both men and women can break stereotypes when their collective intent is to create a culture of respect, inclusion, and empowerment for all. I’ve been encouraged by both men and women at Intuit to voice my opinion and showcase my work as a technologist.
How are women at Intuit inspiring inclusion—and what is your role in it?
Karubaki Preetisikta: Women at Intuit aren’t only driven to innovate but also create an equitable workplace for all through Intuit-sponsored initiatives such as Women’s Initiative to Lead and Learn (W.I.L.L). It’s been a powerful experience for me to lead the Intuit-level of co-design for W.I.L.L. The most significant nature of the program is that everyone, including women, brings their diverse perspectives and experiences to build their authentic leadership identities. W.I.L.L. gives women the opportunity to reach full potential in their craft and draw support through different stages of life.
Neha Saraswat: The two profound initiatives—Tech Women @ Intuit (TWI) and Intuit Women’s Network (IWN) are designed for anyone in the workforce to join and get better at their craft. It helps to build their confidence from the ground up. I co-lead Intuit India charter for TWI and IWN. The intent behind these initiatives is to set the stage for Intuit women to build camaraderie and network with women technologists in the industry. The advocacy and world-class development opportunities that follow through these initiatives champion women.
What advice would you give others on promoting inclusion?
Shanti Kuropati: Open communication is important for inclusivity. If each of us—as individuals—are willing to share our stories and be vulnerable to our mentors and leaders—the outcome will always be better. Beyond genders, the onus is on each individual to build a sense of belonging by proactively listening to all voices.
Swastika Tiwari: Sometimes people have different perspectives and biases because of their own experiences. But taking on the responsibility to speak up for equal opportunities for all will help all employees, including women, build confidence and develop valuable skills.
At Intuit, our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to who we are as a company. If you are interested in joining our team, check out our open positions.
Intuit is an equal-opportunity employer. For more information about our EEO policy, please click here.