AllVoices benefits from valuable relationships with trusted advisors, each impactful in their field. We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the diverse group of mission-driven people working on compelling problems who provide powerful insight into AllVoices’ growth. 

For the next interview of our Meet the Advisors Series, please meet Sharon Zezima. Sharon is a technology industry General Counsel committed to advancing human-centered technology policy. She has spent the last 20 years as a senior leader and advisor for public and private media and technology companies and their boards.‍

1. What excites you most about AllVoices?

I love that AllVoices empowers employees to speak up and be heard in a new and powerful way. As a General Counsel and feminist with a passion for DEI and positive workplace culture, I strongly believe in open channels of communication, transparency and accountability. AllVoices provides all of these.

I believe that most employers really do want to hear from their employees, and they want to foster a good culture. Having an anonymous platform for real-time feedback gives employees a louder and clearer voice than ever before, enabling issues in the workplace to get surfaced more consistently and ensuring employers are accountable to address those issues in real-time.

I am excited to see AllVoices being adopted by all kinds of companies seeking to hear real-time feedback from employees, with the goal of surfacing issues and improving their culture.

2. How have you seen the media conversation around employee reporting evolve over the past 3-5 years?

When women started airing complaints through media reporting or their own public posts (e.g., Weinstein reporting, Susan Fowler’s post on Uber’s hostile environment), it became clear that the legal system and then-current complaint structure at companies were inadequate to root out bad behavior and bad actors.

While stories about bad behavior and whistleblowers still make the news, we also hear a lot more about the things companies are doing to create better workplaces. The conversation is around how best to create positive cultures where employees feel psychologically safe, including feeling free to make complaints, and having ways to do that without fear of reprisals.

3. From your perspective, why would organizations use a tool like AllVoices?

Because a safe, welcoming workplace is important to employees, it has become important to employers. They affirmatively want to hear about issues before they fester and lead to toxic work environments. Employers can’t just rely on people coming forward to HR or their managers—that has proven inadequate—and companies are seeking tools to help get real-time feedback.

Having a platform that allows for both anonymous and non-anonymous real-time feedback about anything an employee chooses to communicate ensures nothing and no one is left out. And for companies committed to an equitable and inclusive workplace, this type of user-friendly culture platform is an essential tool for their toolbox.