International Women’s Day was first established in the early 1900s to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements, increase awareness of the steps being taken to achieve gender equality, and recognize the work that still needs to be done. While our society has evolved significantly since then, there’s still so much more to be done. To continue uplifting the women in both our personal and professional lives, here are three concrete actions that resonate deeply with me:
Provide mentorship and pay it forward. I regularly encourage the women on my team and in my life to prioritize this. Many of my successes can be attributed to the support of my network – both women and men – who’ve helped me along the way, including those who’ve taken chances on me and pushed me to do more.
If you don’t see a clear path leading to where you want to go, lean in and create one for yourself. Having the right mindset is essential here, especially when faced with difficulty or resistance. Instead of seeing this as something tedious or daunting, consider this as a growth opportunity to step into the unknown. This opportunity will not only bring you closer to your end goal, but it will forge a path for women to follow.
Practice allyship in all forms. Exercise humility, admit when you are wrong, and listen actively. These are behaviors that people in positions of power can practice to operate as allies with marginalized communities.
Katya Laviolette
Chief People Officer at 1Password
Katya Laviolette is the chief people officer at 1Password, where she grew the fully remote workforce to over 1,000 employees in 2023 across five countries and hit a record 93% offer-to-acceptance rate.
Katya believes that HR programs must be strategically aligned with business priorities and does so with a global mindset. She’s passionate about creating a positive work culture and has been recognized for her ability to influence and drive business innovation through both talent and organizational development.
Before joining 1Password, Katya held executive positions at SSENSE, TC Transcontinental, CBC/Radio-Canada, Rio Tinto, Bombardier Aerospace, and Canadian National Railway. She’s also a Board Director with Sanimax and Solotech, two global organizations.
Katya is also a member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés (ORHRI), as well as a certified coach with Integral Coaching Canada. Katya is actively involved in her community, having served many years on the Board of Pour 3 Points (P3P), as well as mentoring women leaders within the Governance au Féminin organization and Monday Girl.
