“We have rich expertise and diversity within our community; I love finding ways we can learn from each other.” — Colby Nesbitt on her experience leading Women of Lattice

Colby Nesbitt is a Senior Manager of People Analytics at Lattice, where she has worked for over a year. Here, we talk to her about her journey into analytics, her favorite part of working at Lattice, how Lattice helped her make an impact in women’s empowerment, and so much more.

How did you get started in People Analytics?

I’m equal parts a “data” person and a “people” person. I’ve always wanted to understand what drives people’s behavior, which requires measuring abstract things like motivation, personality, and leadership. So I got a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. After a number of years in consulting, I moved into human resources in the tech industry and love getting to apply my research skills to crafting our talent strategy.

What drew you to Lattice?

Our mission is to make work meaningful. It’s an absolute pleasure to work in the HR and People Analytics space at Lattice, where people success is at the heart of everything we do. Our products are designed so thoughtfully to bring out the best in teams and leaders. It’s incredibly fun to be our own first customer by partnering with our customer-facing and product teams.

You’re the Chair of one of Lattice’s employee resource groups (ERG), Women at Lattice. What inspired you to get involved, and what motivates you to lead it?

Women make up 50% of Lattice’s workforce. We have gender parity even at the highest levels of leadership — including our CEO and over half of our C-suite, which is rare and remarkable. At the same time, representation isn’t the end goal; there are still challenges that women uniquely face. Because of our numbers, empowering this group has a huge opportunity for impact on the company as a whole, so I was excited to join the leadership team last fall.

How do you see Women at Lattice making a positive impact on the professional development and advancement of women in the company?

Last year we focused on financial literacy by facilitating workshops and providing resources about investing and maximizing earning potential. In 2024, we’re taking a learning and development approach to enablement and engagement: our goal is to help ERG members hone skills in influence, advocacy, and wielding feedback for their growth.

What are some key initiatives that Women at Lattice has undertaken to support women at the company?

As much as I love bringing in external speakers to learn from, some of my favorite events have been from our internal speaker series called “Voices,” where members from our own community share learnings from their experience, including topics such as non-traditional career paths, strategies for advancement, and supporting mental health. We have rich expertise and diversity within our community; I love finding ways we can learn from each other.

What was a particularly impactful moment from Women at Lattice that you're proud of?

Last quarter, Women at Lattice and Families at Lattice partnered to present a panel highlighting the workplace experiences of parents and women caregivers. We discussed practical tips for managing up and navigating work-family conflicts, but also how caregiving can shape and even elevate your leadership skills. It was inspiring to hear how a challenging experience (like caring for an ailing parent) can also be your superpower when it comes to prioritizing and leading with empathy.

What advice would you give to other companies looking to establish or strengthen their ERGs for women?

Providing spaces for networking and community-building is a fantastic start, but creating opportunities for skills development and advocacy can really increase the value for your community members.

Tell us about your best day at work.

I had been coaching a member of my team on a new skill. One day, she had a breakthrough and felt mastery of it for the first time. Seeing that moment of unlocking and the boost in her self-efficacy was incredibly gratifying.

What’s something you’re passionate about outside of work?

Beyond spending time with my family, I’m an avid runner and enjoy everything from trail running to marathons. It was actually my cross country and track teammates in high school and college who first showed me the power of a community of women. Running seems like an individual sport but a strong team elevates every member.