Tech & Innovation Blog
Voice of Our People: Build Upon the Legacy You Have
Women in STEM, Voice of Our People, Career Insights
“Connect with your family’s history and share wisdom with future generations.”
Build Upon the Legacy You Have
Amy B., Product Manager, recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary at ADP. We talked to her about her career journey, experiences with ADP, and what it was like transitioning from a non-tech career into a tech career.
We asked what she loves the most about working at ADP, and she answered “people” with a big smile. Amy shared her passion for team building and growing a product career in tech.
From Client Support to Product Manager 
Amy first came to ADP in 2012 and worked as a Client Support Specialist. She designated team mentors for new hires and provided support to both internal associates and external application users.
In the next few years, Amy worked as the Open Enrollment Process Lead and provided product training on ADP Workforce Now® new releases to team members.
“At ADP, we are always open to new ideas,” Amy said. “I value the opportunity to grow within an organization that gives so much support to product managers and technologists.”
For the fourth year, ADP is recognized as a 2023 Best Place to Work and one of the Best Large Companies to Work for by Built In, a top industry source for tech candidates to research and review companies.
A Day as a Product Manager
“Working as a product manager has allowed me to broaden my horizons by working with other product managers across multiple domains,” Amy said.
Amy enjoys learning about the scrum activities and each of our various teams. During scrum meetings, the team shares their work updates and how to make tasks more efficient.
The team demonstrates the features during the demo meetings and reviews upcoming work details in the grooming meetings. Amy always encourages her team to ask “why” when building something in the system, striving for the best user experience.
“Discussing why we do what we do with the team is important. The step better helps us understand the development work and achieving goals for clients,” Amy said. “I showcase the team’s work during demo meetings with leaders. Getting feedback from associates ensures we deliver the best for our clients.”
Amy noted that having a certification in agile or product management is not always mandatory. The drive and willingness to try something new are more critical, and there is no one straight path to becoming a product manager.
“Don’t be scared to ask questions and find somebody to mentor you,” Amy said.
Amy (right) and her best friend Eshlyn
Amy’s Lens into Building a Diverse Workplace
During Black History Month in February, we asked Amy what diversity meant to her as society moves fast, having conversations around equality and inclusion efforts.
“I remember we celebrated Black History month as a child in the church,” Amy said. “We did skits and plays about a Black/African American individual committed to inclusion and equality for all.”
To her, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions of all public and local Black individuals who created inventions, fought for equal rights, challenged the status quo, and spoke up for all human beings.
Amy takes the celebration as an opportunity to highlight the Black culture and its contributions to our society today.
“There are community events planned to celebrate these very efforts in addition to supporting black-owned businesses and products,” Amy said.
She encourages everyone to continue protecting and teaching black history to our future generations, giving opportunities to black business owners.
Three Ways to Get Involved:
- Supporting black businesses.
- Working with or donating to a charity. For example, Black Girls CODE.
- Highlighting key black historical events in school systems.
“Our communities can build upon existing momentum to positively promote awareness of past Black historical events as well as celebrating and promoting existing Black culture today,” Amy said.
She also encourages everyone to continue having valuable and intentional conversations about their family history.
“Continue to connect with your family’s history and build upon the legacy you have,” Amy said. “It is everyone’s job to share knowledge and wisdom with future generations.”
#Diversity #Workplace #ProductManager
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Tech & Innovation Blog
Roberto S. Named ADP Inventor of the Year: This is How We Roll
Innovation, Future of Work, What We Do
We thrive on innovation and turning ideas into action. Anyone can be an inventor and an innovator.
When Roberto S. joined ADP, he never imagined how far he’d “Roll.”
He started his ADP journey by working as a Machine Learning Engineer. In May 2022, he moved from the Brazil Labs to the Innovation Lab in Roseland and was awarded the ADP 2022 Inventor of the Year.
ADP’s Inventor of the Year recognizes an associate who develops products with great features. Tech associates submit a summary of the invention to the ADP Patient Program, providing a unique solution to a challenge.
Roll is the first digital AI/ML HCM solution for small businesses, offering payroll, time and attendance, and more. Everything a small business needs for running HR & payroll in a simple chat-based mobile application. Roberto’s patents have driven Roll from an idea on a whiteboard to a real in-market offering.
“Roberto’s contributions to ADP and, specifically, Roll, has been invaluable, and how he focuses on driving technology forward and innovating to create new technology makes him so successful,” Roberto Masiero, SVP of Innovation, said. “It’s no surprise he’s been named the Inventor of the Year!”
ADP recognizes the hard work and innovative efforts that go into filing a patent application. Every inventor named on a patent application receives a monetary award for each utility and each design. Roberto was chosen based on his contributions, providing technically detailed and sound documentation.
Machine Learning in Roll
The machine learning models Roberto designed for Roll use a chat interface to interact with clients. In the process, Roberto and his team developed a variety of NLPS (Natural Language Processing) technologies for Roll in the intent classification, questioning, and answering domains.
On a weekly basis, the team meets to discuss strategic and tactical developmental ideas for Roll, including a technical paper reading session, in which they collectively brainstorm ideas to help make a better application.
“Developing technologies for Roll is a never-ending process of asking questions and learning,” Roberto said. “This is a team effort. I’m only the messenger and sometimes the guy poking everybody with links and technical articles.” On the team, he gives kudos to Guilherme G., Roberto C., Carlos N., and Juliano V.
The Team’s Patent Process
Roberto sees the patent process as a method to transform ideas into a formal document that will increase ADP’s innovative power on the market. “There is always a great team working behind the scenes to help engineers describe a solution and ensure this initial description will make it to a patent, with all the legal aspects covered,” Roberto said.
As the Inventor of the Year, Roberto encourages other inventors to keep in touch with the patent team to understand the process and give their ideas a try.
Advice for Technologists
“My career journey has been a remarkable, fun 5-year ride at ADP,” Roberto said. “If you’re considering a tech career, I’d encourage you to apply to ADP because this is where you can bring your ideas forward, receive feedback, and try new things.”
Transformation is at the heart of what makes ADP unique. With innovation rooted in our values, ADP continues to provide opportunities such as our patent program, showcasing ideas from associates at all levels.
“It is always important to ask yourself how the idea will benefit ADP,” Roberto said. “Keep your minds open and study new areas and domains. Sometimes the innovation happens in the intersection of domains of expertise!”
#MachineLearning #MachineLearning #HCM #Technologists #Roll #Inventor
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Tech & Innovation Blog
Data Privacy: The Future is Now
Innovation, Tech Trends, Career Insights
As a leader in the industry that collects a wide range of data from employees, we ensure the information is safe with us.
Say you met a technologist at a hackathon and want to connect with the person more. Instead of exchanging business cards like before, you’ll likely pull out your phone and exchange information digitally.
From LinkedIn profiles, Instagram usernames, hometown, and family relationships to mentions in articles from years ago, the internet and digital world do not erase one’s footprints in most cases.
With all information and data becoming digitalized in the 21st century, it’s time to utilize them in a way that’s never been done before. Data is not just your social media photo or where you went for vacation; it can be numbers and confidential information from financial to hospital records.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Xiaojing W., our Distinguished Engineer who advocates for data privacy and user-respectful interactions. She shared with us some ways she keeps applications safe and secured at ADP.
Why Data Privacy is important
By Xiaojing W., Distinguished Engineer
On September 7, 2017, a consumer credit reporting agency announced that it had breached the data of approximately 143 million U.S. consumers, including customers’ names, dates of birth, social security, driver’s license, and credit card numbers. These incidents resulted in a loss of consumer trust, therefore, future business opportunities.
ADP takes pride in building applications that put customers’ privacy first with holistic security and privacy practices. In fact, our Chief Data Officer developed a holistic privacy framework instilling the privacy culture and centrally managing the practices in daily data operations. 
Here are some of our methods:
- Identification and classification of sensitive information as a part of data governance and management
- Implementation of enterprise-level and system-level data observability/monitoring
- Safeguarding information through various data security controls and advanced technologies such as privileged access management credential choices, secured APIs, file shares, and encryption through data’s entire lifecycle Implementation of Data Management Capability Assessment Model (DCAM) measurement processes to make privacy and security auditable
When it comes to creating a trusting experience for users, we have five best practices to share:
- Engage users in setting the privacy boundaries they want while getting the desired functionalities.
- Build a consistent consent model whenever we collect or use data
- Always include a system of consent receipts for auditing
- Bring full transparency and visibility into why we collect the data, how the data is processed/stored, and with whom we share the data
- Practice minimal data collection and store only the necessary data for future operations
With over 1M clients (about the population of Delaware in the United States), ADP pays more than 38M workers worldwide (about the population of California in the United States), and just in the US alone, we reach nearly 20% of the private US workforce.
As a leader in the industry that collects a wide range of data from employees, we make sure the information is safe with us. At the same time, we pay attention to the design process, ensuring a safe, user-friendly experience for everyone involved.
Here are five design patterns for creating user-respectful and privacy-aware interactions:
- Users must actively opt-in to having their data collected and used
- Users must give consent to every type of data processing activity
- Users must be allowed to withdraw their consent easily at any time
- Users should be able to check every organization and all third parties that will handle the data
- Use just-in-time data collection
Tech Trend: All about Data
Data is always changing, which means more people want ways to keep their information private. This has led to the development of new techniques that preserve user information in large datasets.
Here are four types of technologies that are getting attention in the industry:
- De-identification: we remove or encrypt PII and CII. Multiple techniques, such as tokenization, K-anonymization, and pseudo-anonymization, are provisioned within a Single Global Data Platform (SGDP).
- Differential Privacy: The idea is to add a layer of privacy by adding noise to the original data sets. The new sets make it extremely difficult to infer information about a single individual, while the accuracy of the data analysis and machine learning tasks is not compromised too much.
- Synthetic Data: is algorithmically generated data that mirrors the patterns and composition of the original dataset. Synthetic data can be significant for engineers to test with production-like data. It is also widely used for training the machine learning models used in fraud detection systems and applications with no data or hard-to-get initial data.
- Zero-knowledge proof: Utilizing cryptographic technology, a claimant can validate assertions of confidential information to its verifier without disclosing the details. By leveraging blockchain-based decentralized identity ledger, individuals and companies can easily control who has access to their digital identities. This provides trustful proof of identity, making it easier for users to manage credentials across the web securely.
You may ask, how does the new landscape in data privacy change our product design thinking?
To better understand our clients and the needs of their employees, we must have a comprehensive view of who they are (i.e., profile data) and what they do, and how that impacts their day-to-day (i.e. behavior).
By following HBR‘s new data privacy rules, our products will empower users with trustworthy technology solutions.
Our private permissioned blockchain also safeguards highly sensitive personal data while simultaneously allowing individuals complete control. This innovative technology enables ADP to craft new products and services that benefit employees and clients.
Closing Thoughts
Data privacy isn’t the Privacy Officers’ job; it’s a collective responsibility. As engineers who are often tasked with the technical aspects of securing sensitive data, we must understand the landscape of privacy-enhancing tools and technologies.
Keep in mind that we must stay up to date with the changes in the data industry as our users trust us with their information. Taking care of the trust and protecting the data should be everyone’s top priority.
#Data #DataPrivacy #WomeninStem #Automation #UserExperience
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Tech & Innovation Blog
Accessibility and Tech: Driving Change at ADP
Impact, What We Do, Diversity
“To me, ADP Tech is Complex, Nuanced, and Comprehensive.”
Before we dive in, get to know our author!
Kelsey H., Head of Accessibility, leads accessibility efforts with the mission to ensure ADP’s product teams deliver fully accessible, disability-inclusive experiences to our users. From writing a monologue to performing on Broadway, she went from studying musical theatre to becoming an accessibility professional. She enjoys hiking and bicycling with her husband and Blue Heeler dog Ollie.
Accessibility and Tech: Driving Change at ADP
By Kelsey H., Head of Accessibility
Kelsey and her husband
Coming to ADP
I came to ADP because it was an opportunity to impact the disability employment divide directly and positively. As an HCM software company, we can empower people to obtain and maintain employment through inclusivity. This is an important goal for me, recognizing a significant number of people in the disability community are un- or under-employed. Technology can be empowering – we have such an opportunity to use technology for good!
Designing for All People
I firmly believe qualifying the word “people” with “all” is important. We’re always designing for *all* people because we want to include everyone. I wish we didn’t have to qualify for that, but we live in a world where we are still breaking down barriers. It’s time to recognize our differences and learn that different ways people exist make our world work – the voices we each have bring meaning and enhance our understanding of community.
My Story – How it Began
I’m not sure if how I got here was entirely “intentional.” My path has been long and winding – it wasn’t planned, and it’s changed at many junctures. There’s something special in seeing a door open and pursuing it wholeheartedly, even if it’s not what you originally planned or saw yourself doing.
I have disabilities and medical conditions, which certainly have both indirectly and directly guided me on my path to my current career – I grew up surrounded by disabilities in a variety of ways. A big part of my background has informed how I show up as an advocate in the disability community and an accessibility professional.
I was trained as a speech-language pathologist, teacher of the deaf, assistive technology specialist, and language/literacy professional. During my career journey, I’ve worked in various sectors, such as early intervention, K-12 education, community transition, sub-acute rehabilitation, higher education, and at large corporations.
The disability community has nurtured me through every opportunity to grow, and I thrive on learning something new every day. The late Stella Young said, “Having a disability doesn’t make you exceptional, but questioning what you think you know about it does,” and truer words have not been stated.
This is not a field for “ego.” Accessibility is a space of constant learning. I arrived at this work by following the path that unfolded before me, trusting myself and the community, and always being willing to wonder, “what if?”
Leading the Accessibility Team
Accessibility is a critical and foundational aspect of the user experience.
I love conceptualizing the positive impact we at ADP can have on disability employment. There is so much work to be done in this space, and this is work that matters. It directly impacts people’s lives.
Accessibility professionals are unique – many of us are members of the disability community or have loved ones who are. The path is both great and challenging. It can be difficult to advocate for your rights and the rights of those in your community while living in the world as a person with disabilities.
The level of empathy accessibility professionals have is unmatched. I also find so much creativity, mindfulness, love, and care leading accessibility teams because the work is often so misunderstood early on that it takes strong comradery and partnership. It’s such a joy leading and growing accessibility teams!
Getting Involved in the Tech Community
At my previous employer, I co-founded their Disability-focused Employee Business Network, DIG (the Disability Inclusion Group). I was so excited to know ADP has a Disability-focused Business Resource Group (BRG), Thrive. I am currently the Vice President of North America, serving Thrive! As for conferences, I attend many – because of my certifications, I must keep up with many continuing education hours.
Here are the conferences I usually attend. I hope to see you there and if you see me, make sure you say, “hi!”
- Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference (ATIA)
- CSUN Accessibility Conference
- ICT Testing Symposium
- Disability: IN Annual Conference
- Inclusive Design 24 (#ID24)
If accessibility is new or something you are curious about, here are three pieces of encouragement I have for you:
- Keep learning – just when you feel like you’re figuring things out, assume there’s more to learn about disability and accessibility (and that’s okay).
- Progress over perfection – accessibility is never done. It’s a forever journey that makes products better, stronger, more usable, and more innovative.
- Never lose your wonder – I cannot stress this enough. Wonder about disabled people. Wonder about accessibility. Never stop asking questions, even if you don’t get concrete answers. I fear many professionals, particularly in corporate environments, have lost their ability to wonder. I think this is dangerous!
Photo credits to Disabled And Here Project by photographer Chona Kasinger
It is okay not to know everything and to sit in wonder – it reminds us life is complex and nothing is entirely sure. This is true of accessibility sometimes, too. And I think there’s beauty in working in a field that does not always have a concrete answer. Sometimes we must pave the way through a great unknown!
Leadership: Making an Impact
Kelsey and her husband
I’ve shared my journey and how I entered this impactful role at ADP. So, what does the future look like? Well, I hope to be a catalyst for people’s understanding of accessibility. Everyone has a stake in creating accessible and inclusive experiences – whether it’s due to a person or a peripheral connection. The disability community is the largest under-represented population in the world, and it’s also the one anyone can become a part of at any time.
With age often comes disability. Accidents happen that change how people navigate the world. We are a highly connected society that expects physical and digital access. I remember a non-disabled designer once telling another non-disabled designer, “You’re not designing for the current you; you’re designing for the future you.”
Disability is a natural part of any living being’s community and experience. It is a way to exist in the world. If I do nothing else, I hope I can help impact people’s understanding of disability and the role(s) they must play in making or breaking someone’s ability to show up and engage.
Listen to and learn from the disability community. Understand their experiences – include them in conceptualizing and building products. Don’t assume their needs and make choices on their behalf of them. Make mindful choices with them.
Interested in a tech career at ADP?
Search for your next move, and visit Who We Hire.
#Accessibility #Disability #Community #DesigningForAllPeople #Technology
Tech & Innovation Blog
Forrest Gump Teaches Everything That Matters About Networking
Career Development, Voice of Our People, Career Advice
Whether you are networking to expand your connections, interviewing, or having a career discussion with a mentor, create the best experience possible.
Forrest Gump Teaches Everything That Matters About Networking
By Liz Gelb-O’Connor, Global Head of Employer Brand & Marketing
Earlier this fall, I had the pleasure of attending one of ADP’s HR Master Classes led by Jason Delserro, our Chief Talent Acquisition Officer. The class was a quick thirty minutes and presented incredibly useful tips on intentional networking. All fast and insightful tips presented under the context of lessons learned from Forrest Gump.
Most people have seen the 1994 Academy award-winning movie featuring a younger Tom Hanks. Not only does Forrest extend himself to strangers, but he greets his old friend Dan with the exuberance he feels based on what he perceives as the value of their relationship. Because of Forrest, Dan ends up in a much better place. Forrest goes on to inspire millions with his run across the country.
There is something so simple yet powerful about how Forrest sees and interacts with the world and draws people in. Whether connecting with new people to expand our personal networks, requesting an exploratory discussion about current or future career opportunities, or actively interviewing for a new job, how can we harness the same magical power and incorporate it into successful and enriching interactions?
Reinforced during the talk was the intentional nature of great networking, including a cognitive exchange of ideas and information between people, leveraging commonality, special interests, and/or opportunity.
Four Questions suggested that you should ask yourself before networking or interviewing:
- What can I learn about this person before meeting with them?
- What do we have in common?
- What’s important to this person, or is there a problem I can help this person solve?
- What can I offer this person?
Here are some common pitfalls Jason mentioned that people should be aware of, especially when meeting with senior leaders or in the context of career discussions. Just remember, preparation and effort pay off in forming positive and lasting impressions.
Things to avoid:
- Not preparing or doing your research
- Not respecting people’s time
- Coming in too casual
- Lengthy and dense presentations
- Not following up on takeaways!
Researching a person you plan to meet with can be quick and effective. Use LinkedIn and study the profile of the person you are meeting before connecting or interviewing. Pro tip: They can see who has viewed their profile and will know you invested the time. For internal resources on colleagues, look at internal collaboration portals and internal profiles. If you are meeting with an executive, they might have been featured in company videos or blogs. Review their work. 
Whether leveraging a LinkedIn profile, article, or even their Instagram account, a well-placed comment or observation can go a long way in making a meaningful connection and creating commonality.
To summarize, whether you are networking to expand your personal connections, interviewing, having a career discussion with a mentor, or just someone willing to give you thirty minutes of their time, create the best experience possible.
Remember to do these things:
- Research/prep
- Find common ground
- Schedule for 30 minutes and plan for 15
- Be authentic!
- Ask, “How can I help you?”
- Follow-up
- Send a ‘Thank You’ note for their time.
Based on Jason’s advice, it’s that simple. Or, to quote Forrest, “That’s all he has to say about that.”
Interested in a tech career at ADP?
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Tech & Innovation Blog
2022 IN REVIEW – Top Ten Blogs from Innovation to Leadership
Why ADP, Tech Trends, Career Insights
From Tech Trends, Women in STEM, and Career Advice, to Award Stories, we will continue sharing stories with the community.
2022 IN REVIEW – Top Ten Blogs from Innovation to Leadership
Cybersecurity, hybrid work, and diversity – business is changing.
We started the year with a video on workforce trends, sharing that 75% of the global workforce changed how or where they live. Workers who trust their team and leaders are seven times more likely to be strongly connected. 
With a new year ahead, we continue building a transformed workplace, designing for everyone. Here’s a video on ADP leaders sharing insights about our DE&I strategies and how to lead with inclusive language.
Top Ten Blogs of the Year
1) Looking for an Internship or First Job? Here’s the secret to getting hired
What do I do if an internship requires a specific degree? What if the job required two years of relevant experience and I only have 1.5 years?
Liz Gelb-O’Connor, Global Head of Employer Brand & Marketing, shares hiring stories and qualities recruiters look for in top candidates!
2) How Al/ML are Driving Innovation and Opportunities at ADP
The blog is tailored for technologists interested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
“The future of learning will involve more personalization and customization based on learning styles, competencies, and preferences.”
Hear about the future of Human Capital Management Software and AI applications in the real world from Julio Hartmann, Vice President and General Manager of ADP Brazil Labs.
3) Career Journey from a Filmmaker to a Conversational Designer (CxD)
What does storytelling mean? Meet Azfar R. as he shares his inspiration and career journey from a filmmaker to a conversational designer.
“For anyone who wants to work as a conversation designer, the first step would be to understand how human-computer interactions (HCI) work.”
4) Team APIs: What They Are and Why They Matter to Teamwork
We live in a world where people always look for the next best thing.
Regarding leadership, we know that if you’re engaged with your team, they will be engaged too, which translates into a lack of passion and excitement in the products they create!
Charles explores various team management methodologies in this blog, including four different team types and three interacting models.
5) The Five Key Elements of a Product Champion
Is coding a requirement for working in tech? I come from a non-tech background. Is there a role for me at ADP Tech?
“One of the most critical tasks in product management is to track the team’s steps and measure if they will lead to the desired objectives and outcomes.”
Read the five key elements in product management and search for your next move!
6) Devi R., Senior Director of DevOps, Builds Products with Empathy
“STEM, to me, is beyond degree and credentials. It’s about applying and leveraging engineering knowledge and empathy toward every product.”
How does Day in Life look for the Senior Director, DevOps? What is a piece of advice for young technologists?
Meet Devi R., a technologist who enjoys exploring the world and inspiring others. She joined ADP in 2020, building the ADP’s flagship MyADP with her team in Global Products & Technology.
7) Life @ ADP S2EP4: Let’s Talk #ADPTech
Have you subscribed to Life@ADP? Click the play button and grab a drink.
The episode is great for associates and applicants interested in the scale ADP operates at, including the leadership teams’ strategies and their focus on data security.
Lohit Sarma, a Senior Vice President of Product Development, spoke about various areas in #ADPTech, from User Experience (UX), Security Engineering, to Site Reliability Engineering.
Life @ ADP is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music.
8) 2022 Workforce Trends – Future of Work
We identified the top trends reshaping the future of work:
- Data & Expertise Power Resilience
- Innovation Accelerates Growth
- Employee Visibility Refined
- People & Purpose Drive Culture
Rewatch the workforce trends in 2022 here. For more insights, subscribe to the tech blog and receive monthly newsletters.
We were proud to celebrate Pride Month in June by featuring Taylor, the Information Security Project Manager, and her story of how she has always been met with kindness here at ADP.
“Everyone who celebrates love has a role in our community and this movement. Whether it is Women’s month, Pride month, or every month over, under, or in between our personal lives and our professional lives, every moment matters. You matter.”
10) APIs vs. Web Service: What’s the Difference?
We live in a digital age where almost everything is done through an API or Web Service. Have you ever wondered about the differences? What’s the future of using API standards?
We spoke to Leslie E., Senior Director of Application Development, and she shared her take on integrations for our Human Capital Management (HCM) products.
We’d like to thank our associates across the globe for contributing! From Tech Trends, Women in STEM, and Career Advice, to Award Stories, we will continue sharing stories with the community.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our tech blog and receive monthly newsletters!
Learn more about what it’s like working for ADP here and our current openings.
Tech & Innovation Blog
Celebrate National STEM/STEAM Day with ADP
Early Talent, Impact, Women in STEM
Celebrate National STEM/STEAM Day with ADP
Grace Hopper Celebration 2022
ADP is a place with opportunities to grow, from supporting young talents to providing resources for women technologists.
According to Microsoft’s study in partnership with KRC research, young girls lose interest in STEM as they get older. However, the study found 63% of middle school girls who know women in STEM feel powerful doing STEM. By connecting and building their confidence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), we can make a difference in our future workforce.
By hosting STEM events, increasing the number of STEM mentors, and building an inclusive environment, we can all take part in encouraging young talents to develop their interests in the field.
Supporting Young Talents
With a commitment to growing opportunities for women in STEM, ADP’s International Women’s Inclusion Network (iWIN) Business Resource Group (BRG) was proud to offer insight and guidance to new technologists, even before the young talents begin their careers.
ADP just participated in the amazing and successful GirlHacks 2022 Hackathon. Aini Ali, Vice President of Major Accounts Operations and member of ADP’s International Women’s Network Business Resource Group (BRG), had this to say about it, “The iWIN BRG was proud to sponsor the event that aligned closely with our mission to provide tools and a network for women and children of all ages,” Aini said.
This year’s GirlHacks, a 36-hour women-centric hackathon, featured motivational speakers, discussion panels, and mentoring programs created to inspire women and support advanced career growth. ADP iWIN BRG would like to thank the EMPOWER committee and members who generously donated their time to engage with the students. We encourage you to learn about the fantastic opportunities for collaboration and partnership our BRGs offer.
Internship: Let Talents Shine
Nina P.
With core values of inspiring innovation and social responsibility, team leaders and associates are constantly promoting the GPT Development programs, summer internship positions, and work opportunities across ADP. We take pride in providing resources and connecting with next-generation talents.
Nina P., a Data Science intern, met with her mentors weekly during her two-month internship at ADP. She utilized the 30-minute sessions to discuss project progress and personal growth.
“I love connecting with people both in and outside meetings. Everyone was there to share ideas and brainstorm together,” Nina said. “When I return to school, I’d encourage future interns to ask questions and reach out to as many people as possible from day one.”
Nina described her two-month data science team experience as innovative, with hands-on opportunities. She was assigned to work on projects that led her to learn new technologies. Nina also widened her area of interest in tech as she dived into using Natural Language Processing (NLP) which was not her focus of study at school.
At the end of her internship, the Data Science team was pleased to offer Nina a full-time position. “I am so happy to have accepted the position as a Data Scientist at ADP following my graduation from Georgia Institute of Technology,” Nina said. “I am thrilled to be surrounded by such a brilliant group of innovators starting in December!”
Women in Technology (WIT) 2022
Women in Tech Scholarships
ADP sponsors scholarships to encourage women to pursue tech careers through the Women in Tech (WIT) organization, promoting STEM opportunities for young talents.
In June, ADP was a VIP sponsor of 2022 Women in Technology (WIT) Connect, one of Atlanta’s most engaging and interactive events for science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), with over 700 top-level executives and leaders attending. This event was about giving back and supporting the development of young girls and women in STEAM. The event highlighted the WIT Girls, Campus, and Single Mothers in STEAM, awarding scholarships to the WIT Girls and WIT Campus students.
Jimmy Adams, Senior Vice President of Global Product & Technology, and Melanie Shook, Vice President/General Manager of Small Businesses Services, presented the scholarship of $15,000 to Rian T., a student in Information Technology at Georgia Gwinnett College. Rian, the WIT Campus Scholarship third place winner, would be using the scholarship to fund her studies.
Jimmy Adams and Melanie Shook Presented
2022 WIT Campus 3rd Place scholarship
As the Executive Sponsor for WIT, Melanie shared her journey helping with the WIT scholarships to her recent appointment on the WIT Advisory board.
“STEAM careers have always been part of my DNA. As an industrial engineer out of college, I made it my mission to promote the advancement of these fields and did so individually,” Melanie said.
Fast forward 20+ years later, she connected with WIT and was immediately drawn to the organization and empowering girls and women in STEAM. In addition to WIT, ADP is a National Club partner for Girls Who Code, and a sponsor for the Grace Hopper Celebration.
“I’m proud to work for a company that encourages leaders to drive an increasing presence for women in STEAM,” Jimmy said. “It’s been great watching the Atlanta WIT events and community grow over the past years.”
ADP also celebrated the current and future female leaders in tech at another WIT Awards ceremony in October. The awards included Girl of The Year, Campus of The Year, and Women of The Year, along with a WIT Build Her Up award for an individual who championed women in their networks, workplaces, and communities.
“The mission remains the same, and I can’t wait to meet the girls at the WIT Campus Next Level Up Mentorship Program closing event in Alpharetta,” Melanie said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds in our partnership.”
For the Campus Club of the Year award, we presented $5,000 to Georgia Gwinnett College as the top college campus across Georgia, recognizing their sponsorship with companies for workshops, competitions, mentorship, and internship placement.
“Providing opportunities for women in technology will enable a more diverse workforce for ADP and all technology companies in the future,” Jimmy said. “There is a lot of momentum with our WIT partnerships, and the future looks bright!”
Manjula (seond from the right) and her team
The Future: Support Women Technologists
Women make up more than 50 percent of our workforce at ADP, and we continue encouraging them to celebrate each other’s achievements to build an inclusive culture here.
Manjula G.
“I am passionate about ADP’s commitment to support WIT and other programs,” Manjula G., Senior Director of Product Development, said. “The opportunities allow us to foster a workplace that attracts, engages, and retains the top tech talents, building reliable and innovative HCM solutions for our clients, partners, and associates.”
Initiatives such as supporting talents and building business resource groups for women technologists have also helped ADP earn recognition from different organizations.
We are named one of the Top Companies for Women Technologists Winner for the third year by AnitaB.org. Further reading: Meet ADP Women Technologists who spoke at Grace Hopper Celebration 2022.
Celebrate National STEM Day with us! Consider volunteering, joining mentorship programs, and giving back to the communities.
#NationalSTEM/STEAMDay #GHC22 #ADPTech #WomeninSTEM #YoungTalents
Interested in a tech career at ADP?
Click here to search for your next move, and visit Who We Hire.
Tech & Innovation Blog
Grace Hopper Celebration 2022 – Next is NOW
Women in STEM, Grace Hopper, Recognition
We met up with three ADP women in tech attending this year’s Celebration. They shared their experience and what it means to be a part of the incredible network.
Grace Hopper Celebration 2022 – Next is NOW
ADP was proud to sponsor our 13th consecutive year of AnitaB.org’s Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC). This year’s celebration was virtual and in person from September 20 – 23 in Orlando, Florida. The theme “Next is NOW” was reflected among women speakers who promoted a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
All attendees had opportunities to connect, inspire, and exchange ideas with thousands of women and non-binary technologists globally. We are even prouder to announce that AnitaB.org, host of GHC, named ADP 2022 Top Companies for Women Technologists Winner in the Large Technical Workforce category. The national program from AnitaB.org is the only benchmarking program that looks specifically at technical employees and awards companies embracing accountability and making the most progress toward women’s equity. Read the full press release here.
ADP Associates at the GHC
The annual Grace Hopper Celebration – now in its 29th year – has been designed to connect women in technology to discuss career and research interests. We met up with three ADP women in tech who attended this year’s celebration. They shared with us their experience at the conference and what it means to be a part of the incredible community.
Mina J., Director of UX Research, tells us it was her first time attending and presenting at the celebration. “As a minority woman, attending the conference as a leader meant a lot to me. It was an honor to represent ADP, helping others in their early career stage.”
Jyotsna M., Director of Product Management, was excited about expanding her network at the conference. “Grace Hopper was an incredible opportunity that brought together students, technical staff, and professionals to keep learning from each other. I was excited to meet next-generation talents at the event!”
Doreen C., Senior Director of Career Growth and Development, also spoke at the Grace Hopper Celebration. Her session was about combining strengths and careers at work, leading attendees in building elevator pitches. “It was my first time attending the conference, and I enjoyed meeting technologists who visited us at our booth!”
We also spoke to these women about their topics and experiences as technologists at ADP.
“Everything is digital, which transformed the world of work forever,” Jyotsna said. “As a woman in STEM, my topic on product management included the next ideas in the businesses and how we make a meaningful impact on users.”
Jyotsna, Mina, and Doreen (left to right)
This year marks Jyotsna’s 15th year at ADP. She talked about designing a happy career and loving one’s work in 2019. This year, she was happy to present the secret guide to driving career growth in product management.
Mina’s journey as a woman technologist has been incredible. She started her journey in tech in 2000 and often was one of the few women in the room of engineers. “I rarely had a network of women technologists around me. Fast forward now, I am grateful to have supportive women at all different levels across ADP.”
Her topic at the celebration was titled An Introvert’s Guide to Bringing Your Best to the Table. It was a diversity, equity, and inclusion topic. “One fun fact to share: 50% or more of the global population categorizes as introverts. When you look at the tech industry, the percentage may even soar higher,” Mina said. She spoke about her personal experience in helping others feel supported.
Doreen believed everyone has different definitions of career success today than we did years ago. Her topic was titled Foot on the Gas, Hands on the Wheel, and diving deep into actionable guidance and tips to drive one’s career. “Career growth and development at ADP is personal. We want our folks to move forward toward career accomplishments that excite and energize them,” she said.
As leaders representing ADP, we asked them what they would tell their younger selves.
“Who you are today is just a starting point; who you can be tomorrow is a world of wide-open opportunities,” Jyotsna said.
Jyotsna said she would tell her younger self to speak up about what motivated her and inspired her. She found her one-on-one time with managers helpful in talking about what she thrived on, which became her strength.
Doreen recognized every choice she made and every action that led her to where she is today. “I wouldn’t go back and erase anything, but I would remind myself to be my cheerleader. Find out what activates you love doing and do more of those as often as possible,” she said. 
“Looking back, I was learning daily and year to year at work that would ladder up to an engaging leadership career,” Mina said. “Sometimes you don’t have the visible upward mobility of how much you are learning at the moment, and that’s okay. The experiences will prepare you for a rewarding career journey.” She encourages associates to keep growing and starting their own hustle.
In the future, ADP will continue providing opportunities for young talents and female technologists to connect and learn from industry leaders. We encourage all women in stem to support, inspire, and celebrate one another’s achievements.
Listen to the full stories on Life@ADP:
Interested in a tech career at ADP?
Click here to search for your next move, and visit Who We Hire.
Tech & Innovation Blog
Moving Forward, Welcoming & Connecting: A Leader’s Journey
Women in STEM, Voice of Our People, Innovation
‘¡Bienvenidos! ¡Pase, Adelante!’ – Welcome, come on in! Feeling connected and belonging allows us to feel comfortable and bring our authentic selves.
“We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things.
That is what we are put on the earth for.” – Dolores Huerta
ADP is proud to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) by recognizing the cultures and the histories Hispanic Americans contributed through generations in this country.
This year’s theme is Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation, which means making positive impacts together. We connected with Isabel Espina, Vice President of Product Development, WorkMarket. She’s a dog-lover, a traveler, and a leader who always focuses on paying it forward.
Here’s her lens on giving back to the community.
Moving Forward, Welcoming & Connecting: A Leader’s Journey
By Isabel Espina, VP of Product Development
Isabel and her family in Abu Dhabi
Adelante, in Spanish, means to move forward. It is also commonly used to welcome someone into your place. ‘¡Bienvenidos! ¡Pase, Adelante!’ – Welcome, come on in! Latinos value family as a source of strength and protection. Welcoming others and making them feel at home is part of our DNA. The sense of family and belonging is intense and is not limited to the immediate family but the extended grandparents, cousins, friends, and friends of friends.
These families very often extend to our work families. Feeling connected and belonging allows us to feel comfortable and bring our authentic selves to the experience. ‘Estás en familia’– you are part of the family. You are safe, and we have your back. These values were core to my experience growing up.
I was born in Cuba during the height of the Castro Revolution. My parents were the first from their respective families to leave, seeking freedom of expression and opportunity. They left their homeland and family for a better life in the United States. They wanted their daughter to grow up with freedom and opportunities.
We arrived in Spain in December, a time of year meant to be joyous and surrounded by family. Instead, we were alone in a foreign country. Fortunately, we had kind neighbors who welcomed us into their homes, helped us with warm clothes, and invited us to ring in the New Year. They even showed up on January 6 (Feast of the Epiphany) with a small gift that ‘Los Reyes’ had left in their home for ‘Isa.’ This kind gesture from our Spaniard neighbors meant the world to my parents. We were not alone. We had support and felt a sense of belonging. The sense of inclusion gave us tremendous comfort.
This connection quickly grew into a community that gave us insight into navigating employment in Spain. Although we were not Spaniards, we connected to our neighbors through language, ancestry, and family values. With the help of the newly established community, we thrived in Spain and prepared ourselves for the next leg of the journey to the US.
The values ingrained in the Spanish culture of family, support, and solidarity translate directly to how we lead organizations.
ADP’s Research Institute has studied the data and developed a measure of Inclusion Measuring the ‘I’ in D-E-I. They define connection as one’s feeling of being seen, feeling heard, and feeling valued for their uniqueness. The study found that strongly connected people are 75x more likely to be fully engaged at work.
Isabel and her family traveling to Alhambra
It’s been 25 years since I first came to ADP. Key to the culture here is the sense of inclusion, which is why I stay. I joined to create innovative products, and I did. Every time I hear there are millions of users now with the ADP Mobile Solutions app, I think of the days when I brought it to life with my previous team. Although the app has evolved beyond what we did, I find it rewarding to hear how much people love it today.
The more comfortable one feels with the team, the better the ideas flow. The creativity and excitement then lead to an amazing product. We must attract a workforce representative of our clients and the communities where we live and work. These communities allow us to understand and provide insights into building better products.
One way to gain a sense of community is to join and attend events sponsored by a Business Resource Group (BRG). I am an active member of Adelante, a Hispanic community that allows us to connect based on shared values. These may be direct connections because you are Latin American/Spanish or have shared interests in the music, the food, and the culture. What matters is we can come together and share in a community. I can’t think of a better way to grow one’s professional network and learn.
Isabel Espina
In the course of my time with Adelante, they invited me to do a panel to support STEM women and mentor young students. I also recently attended the Grace Hopper Celebration, where I met wonderful women technologists from diverse backgrounds working together to support each other. It was an extremely rewarding experience! I’m reminded of that sense of inclusion I felt when my family first came to the US. I’m inspired to give back to my support network.
As a technology leader, I always think about attracting great talent in this highly competitive environment. Digital transformation and advanced technologies continue to shape current and future jobs across industries. I encourage my team to grow together, meet other associates across different communities, and always support one another.
Giving back to our communities is good for not only our business but for all of us. I invite you to explore ADP and all we offer, including our BRGs. Be a role model, grow professionally, and pay it ‘Adelante.’
We look forward to continuing sharing stories from Latino and Spanish technologists.
Interested in Product Development?
Learn more about what it’s like working for ADP here and our current openings.
#nationalhispanicheritagemonth #givingback #careerjourney #productdevelopment #ADPTech
Tech & Innovation Blog
AI Art: Will it Disrupt the World as We Know it?
Innovation, Tech Trends, Machine Learning
If Picasso were to be alive in 2022, would he use Artificial Intelligence technology to make art?
AI Art: Will it Disrupt the World as We Know it?
By Amy H. Chiu, Tech Brand Content Developer
I can’t help but wonder, if Picasso were to be alive in 2022, would he use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to make art?
With a background in visual arts, I spent sleepless nights in the art studio, sketching and studying every brushstroke. Every step in the art creation was filled with unexpected beauty. A small drop of black ink could alter the entire canvas. In traditional art forms, there was no control + z key to undo changes.
I remember Adobe visited my art community years ago and showcased a variety of digital tools from Creative Cloud. The tutorials broadened my horizon and challenged my definition of art. I experienced the power of switching pen tools and colors on the screen, including the accuracy and consistency of texture in design. The techniques would have taken hours and days in a hands-on studio, considering mixing colors, cleaning the tools, and using multiple mediums come at a cost.
Little did I know, that was just the beginning.
Fast forward to 2022 – all it takes is a few keywords and programming languages to create art.
An AI-generated work, “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial,” won first place in the digital category at the competition. Credits to Jason Allen
Several weeks ago, a Colorado-based artist sparked controversy when they submitted a piece created using artificial intelligence (AI) and brought home a $300 First Prize.
By harnessing the power of machine learning algorithms, artists can now create works that would have taken hours and years to complete with traditional mediums. That said, what are the pros and cons of relying on algorithms? Let’s look at what we know about AI art and its impact.
What Defines AI Art?
AI art is any artwork created partially or entirely by artificial intelligence. In most cases, AI art is generated by algorithms, meaning artists write code or use software for the machines to learn. The algorithm then captures the style and aesthetic the artists want by reviewing thousands of existing paintings before generating one.
One of the most famous examples is “The Painting Fool,” a software that generates artwork digitally and paints in various styles. It was created by Simon Colton of Imperial College, London. Further reading: Painting Fool’s portfolio reveals artificial artist.
The Algorithm to Make AI Art
When you make AI Art, you will encounter a class of algorithms called Generative adversarial networks, or GANs. They are composed of a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates images from scratch while the discriminator evaluates them and determines whether they’re real. Both the generator and discriminator get better at their respective tasks, resulting in increasingly realistic fake images.
In other words, one may generate photographs of human faces and realistic images of animals that don’t exist in the world. GANs also translate images from sketches to color photographs and texts to images. For example, users may put in: “a small bird is purple with green and has a very long beak,” and get realistic photographs that match the description in the output. Read more examples here.
If you want to try GANs, here are a few steps. Step one is selecting several authentic images for training. Next, generate a few fake images using the generator. Step three is training the discriminator to use both real and fake ones. Lastly, generate more fake images and train the full GAN model using only counterfeit images. You may find detailed instructions and working python code here.
The Scary Side of AI Art
Technologies are evolving. They are convenient yet dangerous.
My biggest concern as a creator is to see people lose their respect and appreciation for artists. Although one may romanticize and say art is about the process and the original ideas behind it, the result matters, especially for agencies that hire graphic designers and advertising experts.
“Art? I can do that in 20 seconds with a detailed description in AI.” Hearing comments like this has impacted the motivation and the reality of artists. That’s when I think about the cost and effort art students pay to attend art schools.
What will the Dean tell future art students on their graduation day? ‘Good luck finding an art job out there and doing better than AI’? Although this may sound a little extreme, the concern remains as there are already limited career opportunities in the field.
My best friend attended the Otis College of Art and Design to become a fashion designer. The annual tuition on a full-time basis for 2020/2021 is $69,532. She always drew fashion illustrations on tablets and paper. Every shade and every detail mattered. Handing in the illustration collection late could result in a lost opportunity in a competitive internship.
If AI could do what she learned in four years and at a much faster speed with more pattern selections, was it worth it for her to pay the tuition and go through the training?
The Cost of AI Art
With AI Art in place, how does one price the work? Is it based on the artist’s fame, artwork’s material, time spent, or simply how “good” the art looks?
In 2018, an algorithm-generated painting sold for $432,000 at Christie’s, one of the world’s largest auction houses. The ‘painting’ was created by a designer using a computer. The news sure sparked intense conversations in the art communities. How should AI impact the value of the art generated? Should it be worth less? Then again, look at the price of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). Need we say more?
AI-generated art challenges the definition of what we call ‘art.’ Consider how NFTs and AI art are created and sold. Both use algorithms, which are a set of rules. How they are applied can produce different and unique results, sparking inspiration and controversial debates. Only time will tell what else AI can do in the realm of art, but one thing is for sure: it has brought us closer to the future.
AI Art Continues to Evolve
AI art is still relatively new, and there’s much we don’t yet know about it. However, AI is profoundly impacting the art world—creating new types of artwork and how experts judge artwork in competitions.
“I see the power in AI Art, and that makes me want to support and protect traditional artists even more,” Srinivas P., the Sr. Mainframe Developer, said. “There could be a different category for AI-generated artwork in future competitions.”
Srinivas and I also connected with Sangeetha G., an artist specializing in character drawing. “Live art competitions would be great opportunities for people to see the value of traditional art. Creating-in-progress is something computers do not show.”
Computers didn’t develop the painting concept solely on their own. AI still requires human involvement before generating the result. The algorism can take a photo of a seascape and apply the style of van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” If the user is unhappy with the result, edit the input by changing a few words and generating the “perfect” one.
It’s fair to ask: are we creating art or playing a puzzle game?
For now, the ability to produce something entirely new from scratch separates us from machines. In the future? Maybe not so much.
