At BeyondID we believe in more than just managing identities; we are committed to transforming businesses and empowering our teams to reach new heights.
Our Director of LD&C, Priya Dasupta-Yeung, a dedicated leader with a passion for education, is steering the rocketship towards a future filled with innovation, growth, and a strong and inclusive team. Join us as we explore the magic behind BeyondID’s Learning and Development initiatives and learn more about our Director.
Can you tell us a little about your background and what led you to join BeyondID?
I am fundamentally an engineer who loves to teach. I am happiest at the intersection of those tracks – when I can build learning moments – in a classroom, in a meeting, with my team, in an online course. Education has the power to lift people up, unlocks creativity, and opens doors to opportunity. At BeyondID, it has been clear from every conversation that education is central to everything we do, and as a fast-growing organization, I love the role Learning and Development can play here.
BeyondID’s core values are Integrity, Innovation, Growth, and a Raving Fan Culture. How do you plan to incorporate these values into your role?
BeyondID’s core values are central to how learning and development should be approached.
Innovation – We apply cutting edge tech and new research on adult learning best practices to reconsider what a learning moment can look like. And sometimes no tech works just fine – we recently played a trivia game with a deck of cards that was a blast!
Growth – This is central to our work in LDC. We want to foster a culture of continuous learning through inquiry and curiosity, that supports the growth of our teams in the direction that fits their interests and needs.
Integrity – A healthy culture of growth and learning begins with trust and psychological safety. We encourage this in our programs – we reinforce the idea that there are no “dumb questions” or “bad answers”, and that growth comes from reflecting on our mistakes as well as our successes.
Raving Fan – Think about your best learning experiences. Chances are those moments shaped what you do and what you love. We want our learners to be our raving fans – we use a lot of learning through play, ice breakers, gamification, etc., to make learning fun and engaging.
In the context of professional growth, what are some of your key priorities for the development of BeyondID team members?
Our team members have a varied and ever-changing set of development needs, so my key priority is to create a dynamic and supportive environment that is designed to evolve with these needs.
For team members to feel supported and successful, we want to provide a comprehensive curriculum for skills enhancement, training, and workshops, centralized through our BeyondID University, and supplemented through live learning touchpoints.
We are piloting mentorship and coaching programs that allow our more seasoned employees to share their valuable experience with our newer members. We are also investing in leadership development, especially for new managers as they learn the intricacies of leadership.
Finally, I believe it’s important to acknowledge the importance of work-life balance and mental health for professional growth. We are putting the spotlight on employee wellness – offering resources and support to help team members maintain a healthy balance.
BeyondID is known for its vibrant and inclusive culture. How will you contribute to maintaining and enhancing this culture? And how do you intend to further our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts?
Our diverse, global culture is one of our biggest strengths. As a woman, of color, working in tech, I have not only a professional but also deeply personal stake in ensuring our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives play a central role at BeyondID.
I believe that contributing to and enhancing this culture is a collective effort that involves active participation and a commitment to being open-minded, respectful, and inclusive of diverse perspectives, where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique skills and perspectives.
I love seeing our global teams celebrating diversity and inclusion – participating in, or initiating events that highlight different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. We recently shared lovely celebrations for Diwali and Tihar in our regional offices, and our Women in Tech group kicked off a new round of monthly meetups.
Ultimately, my goal is to be a positive force within the company, contributing to the overall well-being and success of our teams by upholding and enhancing the vibrant and inclusive culture that makes this company unique.
What are your immediate plans for the Learning and Development (L&D) department?
In my initial months at BeyondID, I’ve spent a lot of time listening and learning about the needs of our diverse teams. One thing I’ve heard repeatedly is our teams are eager to learn and grow their skills.
To support them, one area of focus is to expand our BeyondID University offerings to meet these needs and leverage our learning management system to generate recommendations for further study.
While online courses are a crucial part of a strong L&D program, it’s only part of the equation. As a distributed, global organization, social learning touchpoints, both structured (lunch and learns, webinars) and unstructured (office hours, AMAs) provide opportunities for our teams to connect, build cross-functional relationships, and create stronger teams. We have recently launched our Wise-UP Wednesdays – live sessions to bring teams together and discuss key topics.
Finally, we want to make learning fun. Anyone who’s attended one of our sessions recently knows we have a big bag of tricks – from ice breakers to role plays to trivia games – to encourage participation. We can boost attendance, engagement, and learning, all through something as simple as a joke to lighten the mood. So, stay tuned for more laughs as you learn!
Looking ahead, what do you envision for BeyondID’s future in terms of L&D?
My ideal state for LDC is where all team members have a clear vision of their personal and professional career goals, an individualized development plan to achieve them, and can leverage our programs to continually grow.
Our programs need to be inherently adaptable to industry needs and trends, so we want to foster a culture of continuous learning that empowers our teams to be at the cutting edge of our field.
How will you engage with employees and gather feedback to better tailor our L&D programs?
I’m an engineer by training, so data-driven decision making has to be the cornerstone of our program development process. Every program we launch has at least one feedback mechanism to capture how it went. We are continuously asking for and analyzing feedback from surveys, interviews, organic conversations, and observations to better understand the effectiveness of our programs and how we can improve.
Additionally, my “virtual” door is always open – I encourage anyone to reach out with a comment, request, or complaint. Let’s chat!
Can you share a bit about your leadership style and how you plan to inspire the team?
I’d describe my leadership style as collaborative – I love building relationships throughout the org and bringing together people with common goals. Through open communication, we can create a shared vision that we can collectively contribute to, leaning on individual strengths to create the whole.
Lastly, what excites you the most about your role at BeyondID and the journey that lies ahead?
There’s such a strong desire to grow and learn at BeyondID. Being able to nurture that passion through the development of LDC programs is energizing, and I’m excited about what we will build together.
Our Director of Learning and Development is set to bring fresh energy and innovation to BeyondID, aligning with our core values and a commitment to fostering professional growth, diversity, equity, and inclusion. As we embark on this exciting journey together, the future of learning and development at BeyondID promises to be nothing short of magical. Stay tuned for more laughs and learning as we go beyond the ordinary and redefine what’s possible in the world of professional development!
