EOEJOURNAL NOVEMBER 2020

eoe journal

November 2020

eoejournal Editorial Comment

W

hile 70 percent of Americans say they believe that high voter turnout in presidential elections is important, only 56 percent of Americans who were of the voting age voted in the 2016 presidential election according to Pew Research Center. And even though approximately 245 million Americans were of age to vote that year, only 157.6 million were actually registered.

As we get ready for the upcoming presidential election, it is important to remember that exercising your right to vote is one of the truest aspects of democracy. When our country was first founded, the original constitution only allowed propertyowing tax-paying white males to vote. Since then, there has been tremendous effort to ensure that people of color and women have the same right.

If you're wondering if your vote actually makes a difference, it's important for you to learn that it very much does.

Many elections have come down to a very small difference in voter numbers. In 2009, Senator Al Franken won his seat by only 312 votes. In 2008, a single vote out of 10,035 decided the Alaska congressional race. And in 1974, two votes out of 102,066 decided the Senate election in New Hampshire.

If you're not sure who to vote for, or who's ideas you most align with, there are plenty of places on the internet to find out which candidate best suits your viewpoints.

I recently took a quiz on isidewith.com. The questions were varied and detailed, and my answers could be dialed in which made it better than just having "yes or no" options. I was somewhat surprised by the results, but looking more closely, they also made sense.

I encourage each and every American to vote. It is one of the most direct ways to influence what our country will become in the years to come.

Lisa Petty, Editor Equal Opportunity Employment Journal The eoejournal is published bimonthly

by EOEJournal, Inc. The ownership and management of EOEJ fully and actively support equal opportunity for and advancement of all people without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, age, gender identity, and sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

Table of Contents

How Active Listening Builds Diverse Cultures

Page 3

Make Veterans a Part of Your Diversity Initiatives

Page 4

Investing in The Future: The Case for Increasing Diversity in Finance

Page 8

October is Nat'l Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) Page 11 Consider a Rewarding Career as a Healthcare Social Worker

Page 12

The Importance of Diversity in Healthcare Recruitment

Page 13

Healthcare Heroes You Haven't Heard About

Page 16

Turning Anger into Action: Minority Students Analyze COVID Data

Page 17

November is Nat'l American Indian Heritage Month

Page 19

The Future of Work is Women in Tech

Page 20

4 Ways Tech Companies Can Help Women Succeed

Page 22

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“Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country, and this world.”

–Sharon Salzberg

November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

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How Active Listening Builds Diverse Cultures

M

by Rupal Kantaria, Director in the Oliver Wyman Forum, and Georgina Simpson, Principal in Oliver Wyman’s Organizational Effectiveness Practice

ost companies understand that diversity and inclusion in the workplace is good for business performance and their people. In the last decade, many have invested heavily in “D&I” initiatives, including targeted recruitment campaigns, proactive sponsorship and flexible working. Yet our research shows that diversity initiatives do not automatically bring the anticipated benefits, largely because many organizations fail to create a culture in which diversity can thrive.

In an ideal world, D&I would be deeply ingrained into a firm’s DNA, with its people instinctively knowing how to operate. In reality, D&I is still being treated as a series of boxes to tick, with leaders making swift assumptions and crafting hasty solutions to address certain perceived problem areas without really understanding what is driving the organization’s culture.

Take gender balance, a lack of which still has huge negative commercial implications, according to Oliver Wyman’s recent Women in Financial Services report. Paradoxically, well-intentioned calls to “focus on the women” often lead to decreased engagement levels, with both men

Active Listening

and women believing their organization is no longer meritocratic.

Training efforts to raise awareness about the effects of unconscious bias usually do not change behavior in a meaningful way; instead, people feel they are put in boxes or come away thinking “this doesn’t apply to me.”

The same applies to diversity metrics in recruitment. No amount of advertising on specialist job boards will lead to lasting change if firms are not addressing the root causes of why certain demographics habitually leave organizations. Although many firms are hiring more diversely, promotion and retention rates lag consistently across these groups.

Inclusivity shouldn’t be treated as a side project but rather fully ingrained in the culture of the organization, similarly to the way organizations are now thinking about sustainability broadly. One way to do that is to get better at listening. In our experience, there is a clear link between those firms whose leaders actively listen to their workforce and those that have successfully created a culture of inclusion.

Continued on page 24

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equal opportunity employment journal

November 2020

Make Veterans a Part of Your Diversity Initiatives

by Casey Enstrom

Our veterans deserve more than one day of tribute

H

alloween has come and gone, which means Christmas music is already trickling into radio station playlists, grocers are busy setting out ingredients for the upcoming Thanksgiving feast and every retailer is bracing for the Black Friday bloodsport that has become competitive discount shopping. With all that bustle and furor, it’s easy to forget that November also marks the commemoration of Veterans Day. The federal holiday is remembered every November 11, a symbolic date to represent the formal cessation of hostilities in World War I, which concluded at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. It evolved into our current incarnation of the military observance in 1954. It’s different than Memorial Day, at which time the nation is asked to pay tribute to the troops who died while serving. Veterans Day, conversely, is meant to honor the men and women of the Armed Services who have fought for us, defended our interests and returned home to resume their lives.

Americans celebrate the day with parades, patriotic speeches and a lot of Facebook posts thanking veterans for their service. And yet, what weight does a single day of acknowledgement carry among nearly 22 million men and women in uniform? More than the fanfares of marching bands and outpouring of gratitude, military veterans say the best way to embrace their contributions to society is to accept them back into it.

Returning veterans face numerous struggles during their efforts to reintegrate to civilian life. One of the most challenging obstacles in this path is finding work.

is finding work. While the unemployment rate for veterans has dropped significantly over the past four years, it still exceeds civilian employment by one percent. Despite the welcoming news, more needs to be done.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs “Veteran Economic Opportunity Report 2015,” close to half of all service members transitioning into civilian life have faced a period of unemployment within 15 Employment challenges for veterans months of separation.

Returning veterans face numerous struggles during their efforts to rein • About one out of two (53 percent) separating post-9/11 veterans tegrate to civilian life. One of the most challenging obstacles in this path will struggle with a period of unemployment.

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Page 5

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Page 6

equal opportunity employment journal For companies that want to increase the diversity of their workforces or meet government diversity set-asides, hiring veterans significantly bolsters those efforts and strengthens a typically underrepresented category of the overall diversity pool.

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November 2020

• The average duration of joblessness has risen from 18 weeks over the past six years to 22 weeks.

• Veterans of all eras earn three percent less than their civilian counterparts with similar demographic characteristics.

• The poverty rate for veterans, though lower than that of the civilian population, is rising. We have witnessed an 8.7 percent increase since 2005.

• The poverty rate for younger service members, those between the ages of 18 and 34, is even higher at 11.9 percent.

According to the advocacy group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, 25 percent of returning military personnel admit that they have been engaged in job searches for longer than one year, consigning them to the ranks of the long-term unemployed. Some large companies have made efforts to recruit service members. In 2013, Walmart pledged to employ 100,000 veterans within the next five years. That same year, Starbucks committed to finding positions for 10,000 veterans and their spouses before the close of 2018. However, with a million more troops set to return during those same periods, these programs may have a smaller impact than was intended.

Despite new hiring initiatives aimed at supporting veterans, their battle to land a solid career and provide for their families remains an uphill one.

Veterans are Diversity Talent

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Failing to adopt a proactive recruiting program for veterans is a missed opportunity. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit and Wounded Warrior Tax Credit provide financial incentives for companies that hire men and women of the Armed Forces to “aggressively attack the unacceptably high rate of veteran’s unemployment.” For companies that want to increase the diversity of their workforces or meet government diversity set-asides, hiring veterans significantly bolsters those efforts and strengthens a typically underrepresented category of the overall diversity pool. And veterans most certainly embody diversity.

• The number of women veterans has grown by 43.6 percent since 2005. Female service members make up about nine percent of the veteran population.

• Minority service members account for 21 percent of the total veteran population.

• Diversity continues to rise within the ranks. After 9/11, for instance, the number of Hispanic veterans rose from 8.6 percent to 11.7 percent.

The Benefits Veterans Bring to the Civilian Workforce

Veterans have a wealth of skills, experiences, attitudes and qualifications that make them ideal hires. In today’s increasingly technical marketplace, one plagued by a perceptible lack of qualifications and skills, employers are placing a greater emphasis on recruiting knowledgeable and well-rounded talent with expertise in science, technology, math and engineering. They also look for fit, industry or domain acumen, versatility, adaptability and discipline. And these traits are all hallmarks of the country’s veterans.

The reality, so often overlooked by employers, is that service members possess exactly what companies want: dedication, unparalleled work ethic, specialized skills and a finely tuned ability to remain collected under tremendous pressure and constant change.

• Service members have extensive experience transitioning into leadership positions and making informed, strategic decisions under fire.

November 2020

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In this regard, veterans are well poised and qualified to assume difficult undertaking for many companies. Working with staffing curators management roles. greatly eases the strain.

Staffing professionals have spent years focusing strategies on veteran • Service members boast higher-than-average educational backhiring initiatives, particularly those firms that specialize in diversity. grounds as a result of academic opportunities facilitated by the miliNot only that, many returning service members worked as military tary, beyond their core skills recruiters during their tours of duty. Across many staffing organizations training. Based on research conducted by ADP, nine percent of in the industry, you will find these experts in the ranks. civilians have less than a high school education, compared to only Staffing curators know how to connect with veterans in the right one percent of veterans. locations, develop relationships with them through focused job fairs, and • Nearly 60 percent of veterans, according to the same ADP study, participate in networking opportunities hosted by military bases. know what industry their skills transfer into after active duty.

Staffing professionals without direct military experience themselves “Many members of the military have specialized training in highhave cultivated strong benches of potential talent using their skills at tech areas, or have engaged in administrative and HR work under curating social media and online time-sensitive, stressful As the ultimate service talent, veterans are no strangers marketplaces. As the ADP report conditions.” notes: “New job seeking methods to sacrifice and dedication....They don’t • Working as integral have not passed the military by, members of tightly knit either, making it important for a hesitate to execute on the necessary actions. and cohesive units, veterservice member oriented recruitans are often the most naturally organized and collaborative members ing strategy to include social and mobile recruiting. Many recruiters who of teams within an organization. With experience in both subordinate specialize in the military field have noticed a drastic increase in usage of and leadership positions, they understand the importance of every social media by the active duty military population during the past sevrole, bring maturity and adaptability, work cooperatively to accomeral years, offering recruiters new avenues for proactive recruiting and plish specific objectives, and know how to play well with others. relationship-building.”

• Service members are brought up in a world of discipline and Let Veterans Day inspire your recruiting initiatives, not just you patriotism focus. They are not only conditioned to follow rules and adhere to procedures without contest, they are also trained to make Regardless of how an organization plans to attract candidates, making best-practices decisions for the benefit of the mission in the a concerted effort to engage veterans should be an active and serious part absence of orders or operational guidance. of that plan. A strong military and veteran recruiting campaign not only thanks service members in one of the most meaningful ways possible, it • As the ultimate service talent, veterans are no strangers to sacrifice propels organizations beyond their competition with some of the nation’s and dedication. They know what steps must be taken to achieve critimost committed and experienced talent driving that success. cal goals and they don’t hesitate to execute on the necessary actions.

Recruiting service members

Finding in-house recruiters who understand the needs of veterans seeking civilian jobs, and who know how to capture their interest, can be a

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equal opportunity employment journal

F e d e r a l R e s e rv e B a n k of Philadelphia

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE:

The Case for Increasing Diversity in Finance

In The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia offers its employees competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package, and a work environment conducive to career advancement and personal development.

We seek individuals who will support the Bank’s high standards for quality, integrity, and premier customer service.

View and apply online for current opportunities www.philadelphiafed.org/careers The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

November 2020

by Katherine Mohrig

the seven years I’ve worked for Accenture, I have never seen such momentum to increase diversity, both inside Accenture and across our clients. Companies are pledging to be actively anti-racist and to make diversity a fundamental building block of their organizations, a cornerstone and strength.

As someone who partners closely with chief financial officers (CFOs) and finance, it’s clearer than ever to me that we need to refocus on increasing diversity in the finance function. In my own experience, the lack of diversity has been startling. I’ve far too often been the only woman (or one of very few) in meetings with CFOs and their leadership teams, and I am even more often the only person of color.

As companies are setting their action plans to respond to social injustice around the world, I’d like to add to the discussion by sharing some thoughts on how the finance function has a particularly strong mandate to be more inclusive: not only is it the right thing to do–it’s vital to future success.

CFOs should diversify more than just portfolios Since finance has so much room for growth on Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) measures, even small improvements will constitute big strides forward.

According to Accenture analysis from May 2020, only three of the Fortune 100 companies have a racially diverse CFO and only twelve have a woman CFO. But improvements must go beyond naming a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) or female CFO—finance organizations must focus on creating diverse talent across levels. True diversity includes diversity of thought and experience across race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, educational background, socioeconomic status, veteran and military experience.

We know from Accenture research on workplace cultures of equality that bold leadership is critical to building an environment where everyone can be their authentic, whole selves and thrive— and CFOs have a special opportunity to be those bold leaders.

CFOs are in the unique position of directly owning a function within the organization while also having a powerful external presence (board, investors) and an increasingly close partnership with the CEO. CFOs must leverage this platform to drive meaningful internal and external change.

Continued on page 10

careers @ the November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

Page 9

careers @ the Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Commitment and to Diversity & Inclusion Challenging Rewarding Work The Bank will be known as an inclusive organization where diversity is respected and ETL Development • Data Analytics • Business Intelligence • Big Data

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Budget Development • Process Improvement • Performance Metrics

Professional Growth & Training Challenging & Rewarding Work Professional Growth & Training Diversity & Inclusion Training • Community Involvement Career Career Opportunities CareerOpportunities Opportunities

Mentoring • Technical Training • Leadership Development • Educational Assistance Professional Growth & Training Mentoring • Technical Training •Training Leadership•Development • Educational Assistance Diversity & Inclusion Community Involvement

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equal opportunity employment journal

November 2020

Continued from page 8

Creating a more inclusive workforce creates more value Diversity is a tangible value creator for shareholders: Companies with high diversity (on measures of gender, age, and ethnic representation) have stronger profit margins and share gains. The 20 most diverse firms according to a Wall Street Journal analysis have an average operating profit margin of 12%, compared with 8% for the lowest-ranking companies.

So, what drives these financial results?

I&D matters to consumers—both because their loyalty is increasingly driven by belief in a company’s purpose and because a more diverse company is poised to create the products and services that a diverse consumer base needs and wants. Recent I&D research conducted by our Retail industry practice found that 41% of shoppers have shifted at least 10% of their business away from a retailer that does not reflect their I&D values.

Recent events are likely to further accelerate this trend.

I&D is also a key factor for winning the war on talent. A culture of inclusivity and a diverse employee base are magnets for top talent and result in higher retention and employee satisfaction. In fact, the annual estimated cost of losing and replacing the more than 2 million American workers who leave their jobs each year due to unfairness and discrimination is $64 billion. On the flip side, a study by the Harvard Business Review found that diverse teams out-innovate and outperform the competition: They are 45% more likely to improve market share.

Organizational change is daunting, but even just implementing a few policies can get your organization on a better path.

The Future of Finance is Diverse If the prospect of societal change and value of diversity were not reason enough, consider how the finance function and its talent needs are evolving. Finance work requires a more diverse skillset than ever before—companies that proactively design their workforce for the future will be ahead of the game.

With the increased use of digital technology, finance is changing from a focus on data organization and modeling to a focus on insight generation, business partnering and strategic enablement.

This transformation requires fundamentally different and more diverse skills across teams. For instance, people with accounting skills will be joined by those with analytics and influencing skills.

Employees with a range of perspectives and experiences, including those from various socioeconomic, educational and vocational backgrounds, will be needed to fill these new roles. While traditional diversity measures like gender and race are not direct measurements of diversity of thought, they are its strongest proxy.

Where to Start

Organizational change is daunting, but even just implementing a few policies can get your organization on a better path: Set quantitative and qualitative inclusion and diversity targets (such as diversity vision statements and overall composition by level) and tie these measures to finance leadership compensation.

Rethink your recruiting strategy—where you source talent, the skills you prioritize, the process you use (striving to remove explicit and unconscious bias), and who is involved in decision making.

Develop sponsorship programs for your underrepresented diverse talent that ensure they have a clear and achievable progression path in your organization.

Leverage data and technology—one such way could be to use AI to detect patterns of bias in promotion or compensation that can then be addressed to increase diversity and create accountability.

Historically, Finance is all about the numbers. But moving forward, embracing humanity more fully will be its formula for success.

Article provided by Accenture.com Katherine Mohrig, SENIOR MANAGER–ACCENTURE STRATEGY, CFO & ENTERPRISE VALUE Katherine works with companies on their most critical business and operating model transformations.

Copyright © 2020 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture and its logo are registered trademarks.

November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

OCTOBER IS: National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

BUILD A BETTER PHILADELPHIA

Page 11

CREATE A CAREER THAT MATTERS

America’s natural gas industry is growing fast. With new technologies and new products it’s leading the charge to a cleaner, greener future.

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“Increasing Access and Opportunity” is the 2020 theme for October’s annual observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

This year is the nation’s 75th observance of NDEAM, which is administered by the Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The observance culminates the Department’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“Ensuring that America’s workplaces continue to include and accommodate people with disabilities will be an important part of our economic rebound,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “Looking ahead, the Department will remain focused on the policies that led to a strong economy and record-low unemployment rates for persons with disabilities prior to the pandemic. A vigorous economic rebound and job growth will, alongside the Americans with Disabilities Act, increase access and opportunity for Americans with disabilities.”

“People with disabilities are experienced problem solvers with a proven ability to adapt,” said Office of Disability Employment Policy Deputy Assistant Secretary, Jennifer Sheehy. “Now more than ever, flexibility is important for both workers and employers. National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates the ingenuity people with disabilities bring to America’s workplaces.”

Each October, NDEAM celebrates America’s workers with disabilities and reminds employers of the importance of inclusive hiring practices.

In 1945, Congress declared the first week of October “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, the word “physically” was dropped to include individuals with all types of disabilities. Congress expanded the week to a month in 1988, and changed the commemoration to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

With its 2001 establishment, ODEP assumed responsibility for NDEAM. The agency’s efforts include selection of NDEAM’s annual theme, announced earlier in the year to enable organizations nationwide to plan their own observances. Employers of any size, in any industry – as well as community organizations, advocacy groups and schools – are encouraged to participate.

For more information about NDEAM, including ideas for how your organization can participate, visit www.dol.gov/ndeam. The website also features the 2020 NDEAM poster, highlighting ADA’s 30th anniversary.

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equal opportunity employment journal

November 2020

Consider a Rewarding Career as a Healthcare Social Worker

H

ealthcare social workers provide support to patients dealing with chronic, serious or terminal illness, or who are temporarily disabled. They also work with the families of these patients. If this sounds like an interesting career, you’ll be glad to hear that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts fast job growth for all social workers through at least 2026.

Occupation Overview

As a healthcare social worker, you would help clients who are dealing with illnesses such as chronic kidney failure, multiple sclerosis, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. You might focus on the needs of senior citizens. Healthcare social workers evaluate various types of services and provide information and advice on these options for patients and their families. They

by S.J. Merens

also arrange for clients to participate in general medical hospitals had an average programs such as home meal delivery. salary of about $30 per hour as of 2017, or about $62,000 per year, according to Places of Employment The largest number of healthcare social the BLS. The average annual salary for all workers are employed in general medical and surgical hospitals, reports the healthcare social workers as of 2017 was BLS. These hospitals provide diagnostic approximately $56,800. That’s around a services and medical treatment for patients 14-percent increase from the yearly salary in 2010, which was about $49,000. with a wide range of health conditions.

Additional job possibilities for health- Getting Started care social workers include employment To obtain a position as a healthcare with family services and other govern- social worker, you typically must have ment agencies, community health centers, a master’s degree in the field or in a home healthcare providers, long-term relevant subject, such as psychology. care facilities, assisted living centers and Some entry-level positions are available outpatient clinics. Some find employ- for applicants with a bachelor’s degree. ment in specialty hospitals that focus Licensing and certification requirements on inpatients with a particular type of vary by state. medical disorder. This includes hospitals To get started, search for colleges and that provide long-term care but are not nursing care facilities, such as rehabili- universities offering four-year degrees tation hospitals for patients who have in social work. Another option would become temporarily physically disabled. be majoring in a social science field like psychology and sociology. This would Salaries qualify you for a master’s program in Hospitals generally pay a healthcare social work after completing the bachsocial worker more than he or she would elor’s degree. make in other employment settings.

Article provided by Constant-Content.com Healthcare social workers employed by

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The Importance of Diversity in Healthcare Recruitment

No

matter where you are in the world, the chances are the healthcare professionals in your local hospital are homogenous as a group. That’s to say, for the most part, they have a lot in common. They may have similar backgrounds in terms of culture, they could be of the same gender (depending on the role), they might be of the same faith, and they could be the same sexual orientation.

And this is a massive problem.

Why? Because the patients in their care tend to be varied in the extreme.

According to the UN’s International Migration Report of 2017, the number of migrants across the globe at that time was an incredible 258 million people. This was an increase from the 2010 figure of 220 million.

The world is getting smaller as cultures intertwine and it’s now conceivable that a hospital can have patients from any corner of the globe.

Of course, this isn’t just about cultural backgrounds, but it’s an aspect that provides us with an easy-to-understand example of how a lack of diversity can have a negative impact on patient care.

So with this in mind, let’s take a closer look at why diversity is so important in healthcare recruitment.

Representation is the Key to Understanding

The language barrier isn’t the only obstacle that a health professional may have to deal with when treating a patient from a different cultural background. Cultural practices and traditions vary greatly and patients can feel extremely uncomfortable about bringing these up with their doctor or nurse if they are from a different background.

A healthcare professional who understands these cultural sensitivities will know how to put their patients at ease. They’ll understand the difficulties involved and, if needed, advise their colleagues of any dos and don’ts with regard to the patient’s care.

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equal opportunity employment journal

If we look at it from another angle, the same can be said with relation to gender. While a female doctor will certainly be able to provide the right care to a male patient, the patient may not feel comfortable speaking with a woman about particular health issues. In some cases, a sense of embarrassment might even see the patient fail to bring up an important matter and as a result, his condition may go untreated.

The same problem can also arise when female patients visit male doctors.

In both scenarios, recruiting a diverse workforce would ensure that the patient receives the right care. However, it’s important to note that we’re not suggesting that patients should only be treated by the people they can identify with. But a healthcare professional who is part of a diverse team will be more aware of any sensitivities certainly regarding culture.

As we mentioned previously in our post on the importance of diversity in the workplace, a diverse workforce is often a more culturally aware workforce. And that is hugely important in this day and age.

Diversity builds trust A recent study by Stanford University and the University of California sheds some light on how a patient is more likely to trust a healthcare professional from a similar background as themselves.

The study asked 1,300 African-American men to undergo a general

November 2020

health survey. Each man was paid to attend and then offered an additional payment if they underwent a full health screening. Some of the screenings were carried out by AfricanAmerican doctors while others were not. The results showed that the men treated by someone of a similar cultural background were 56% more likely to get a flu shot and 72% more likely to have their cholesterol checked.

Those statistics are quite alarming considering that each man in the study was encouraged by their doctor to get both the flu shot and the cholesterol check. This means that whether they knew it or not, the men in the study didn’t quite trust the non-African-American doctors.

If we look at this in a wider context, this means that the patients in a healthcare facility who feel that they cannot identify with those caring for them could inadvertently put themselves at risk. A lack of trust, even if completely unfounded, is hard to shake.

Another study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that African-American doctors in the US could reduce the black-white male gap in heart disease death rates by as much as 19%.

The truth is, patients want to see diversity and when they do, they trust their healthcare professionals more. That in itself should be reason enough to diversify the workforce in any healthcare facility.

"...a healthcare professional who is part of a diverse team will be more aware of any sensitivities certainly regarding culture."

CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE WITH US What does it take to become U.S. News & World Report’s #1 hospital in all of California and #7 in the entire nation? It takes incredible people from every background imaginable. It takes a culture that lifts people up, recognizes and respects their individuality and enables them to be their best. We know that even if you don’t work directly with patients, you can still make a real difference in the lives of others.

Oak Valley Hospital

350 South Oak Avenue • Oakdale, CA 95361 Current openings include full-time and per diem positions.

If you would like to join our team, please email resumes to Human Resources Department at hrapplications@ovhd.com.

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Because we deeply value each of the unique individuals who choose to serve with us, we’re committed to helping them achieve their highest professional and personal aspirations. If you’d like to impact the world by contributing to the future of health care, consider joining us in one of these areas:

• Environmental Services • Materials Management

• Information Technology • Security

To learn more or to apply online, please visit us at UCLAHealthCareers.org

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• And much more

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With different backgrounds, levels of experience, and educations, the diverse workforce can offer a myriad of perspectives. This promotes lateral thinking and fosters that all-important environment of innovation the industry requires.

Diversity leads to innovation

It Widens the Talent Pool

When we discuss the healthcare industry it’s easy to focus on patient care, but what about medical research? Of course, it makes sense to conduct clinical trials and medical research on a diverse pool of subjects.

However, that’s not quite what we’re talking about here.

According to research by McKinsey & Company, a diverse workforce is 33% more likely to outperform its non-diverse counterpart. The study found a direct correlation between diversity and profitability which in most cases is due to the innovative savviness of a company’s employees.

As you can imagine, the field of medical research is one that requires innovative thinking. The demand for new medicines, better equipment, and improved medical procedures is constant and so the need for people who think outside the box is essential.

This is where a diverse workforce comes into its own. With different backgrounds, levels of experience, and educations, the diverse workforce can offer a myriad of perspectives. This promotes lateral thinking and fosters that all-important environment of innovation the industry requires.

From a recruitment standpoint, having access to more potential candidates is always a good idea. And in an industry where qualified candidates are often hard to come by, it makes sense to cast a wider net where possible.

We have always been big proponents of diversity in recruitment and to anyone who reads the blog regularly, this may sound familiar.

Nevertheless, it’s worth repeating – diversity is an essential component of a successful recruitment campaign. You know it, we know it, and now it’s time to put it into practice in the healthcare industry.

Are you recruiting for the healthcare industry but struggling to meet your diversity goals? If so, then we can help. Book a free no-obligation demo today and our sourcing consultants will help you create the diverse workforce your patients need.

People come from all over the world

to study here, to practice here, and to be treated here.

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Diversity, inclusion inclusion and andcultural culturalcompetence competenceare arecritical criticalcomponents componentsof Diversity, of our mission andcelebrate we celebrate the uniqueness of our each of our our mission and we the uniqueness of each of employees employees every day. every day.

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As

equal opportunity employment journal

November 2020

Healthcare Heroes You Haven't Heard About

the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are eager to celebrate healthcare workers on the front lines who cope with the disease every single day.

You've probably heard countless stories of the amazing acts of kindness and courage exhibited by the doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff who are facing the virus head on.

But among the brave and selfless healthcare providers who put their energy, compassion and even their health on the line to give care to the suffering are many unsung heroes­—the healthcare workers in long-term care facilities and nursing homes.

Their untold stories involve not only their capacity to acknowledge and mourn great loss, but also their dedication to providing the compassion and care required to help their residents persevere and recover.

In a time like this, they deserve recognition for their sacrifices.

Mother and Daughter Team

In Indianapolis, mother and daughter team Lenore Williams and Aubrey Baker both work at long-term care facilities. Williams says that colleagues at CommuniCare, a national, family-owned company that operates long-term care, assisted living and rehabilitation facilities across the country, has helped hundreds of residents recover from the virus.

"Our division alone has recovered over 150 patients, and I think it has largely been due to the love and care our staff provides," said Williams, a regional director of clinical care for CommuniCare.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, long-term care facility employees have learned and implemented strict new protocols for bolstering resident and staff health and safety—including lockdowns that unfortunately keep residents apart from their loved ones.

"There are people who care about your family members that are in here.

We are trying the best we can," said Baker, a qualified medication aide at Wildwood HealthCare Center on Indianapolis' east side. "They are very scared, and I try to tell them that it is going to be OK," said Baker.

Baker tested positive for COVID-19 back in March but has fortunately since recovered. As soon as she was cleared to return to work, despite her mother's wishes, she went back to the COVID 19 unit.

Care at long-term facilities goes way beyond COVID-19

Healthcare workers at care facilities provide vital daily care and assistance for those unable to care for themselves. They are dedicated to continuing to provide that quality care to the best of their ability - despite the dangers and challenges of the current pandemic.

"For our patients' physical and mental well-being, we wake up every morning, put on our scrubs and protect our patients," says Ashley Johnson, nurse at Landmark Nursing Home in Texas. "We reduce injury.

We improve health. We work with recovery, post-operative care and sometimes assist with palliative care. We maintain skills in supporting someone with degenerative diseases. We help people develop, recover and improve skills needed for daily living and working. We help people communicate 'I love you' to their loved ones after a stroke. We improve quality of life and will continue to do so for our residents."

Read inspirational stories of recovery and kindness, then send your own messages of thanks and encouragement to healthcare workers and residents in long-term care and assisted living at CareNotCovid.com.

Article provided by Brandpointcontent.com

Looking for an exciting place to work where you have the opportunity to help others? Look to Harlingen, Knapp or Mission Regional Medical Centers.

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November 2020

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Page 17

TURNING ANGER INTO ACTION:

Minority Students Analyze COVID Data on Racial Disparities As

By Esther Landhuis

the coronavirus tive developed by San Francisco swept into Detroit researchers and funded by the this spring, Wayne National Institutes of Health, State University junior Skye Taylor will look at that question Taylor noticed something strikand other effects of the pandemic. ing. On social media, many of She’s one of 70 participants from her fellow Black classmates who backgrounds underrepresented in live or grew up in the city were science who are learning basic “posting about death, like, ‘Oh, coding and data analysis methI lost this family member to ods to explore disparity issues.

COVID-19,’” said Taylor.

Data to address racial discrepThe picture was different in ancies in care and outcomes has Beverly Hills, a mostly white been spotty during the pandemic, suburb 20 miles away. “People and it isn’t available for most I went to high school with aren’t of these students’ communities, posting anything like that,” which disproportionately bear Taylor said. “They’re doing the brunt of the virus. The particwell, their family is doing OK. ipants are “asking questions from And even the ones whose family a perspective that we desperately (Ada Yokota/Getty Images) need, because their voices aren’t members have caught it, they’re still alive.” really there in the scientific community,” said Alison Gammie, who How do COVID-19 infection rates and outcomes differ between these directs the division of training, workforce development and diversity at ZIP codes? she wondered. How do their hospitals and other resources the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. compare? This summer, as part of an eight-week research collaboraScientists from Black, Hispanic, Native American and other

3 5 0 B o u l e v a r d | Passaic, NJ 07055 Holy Redeemer’s holistic approach to healing is unique among healthcare providers.

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Page 18

equal opportunity employment journal Aragonez, who aims to be the first in his family to finish college, said he hopes to gain skills to “understand the data and how infections are actually happening, so I can explain it to my family.”

ASPENPOINTE provides exceptional behavioral health care to our community, one patient at a time. Our continuum of care includes mental health and substance abuse services as well as career and education enhancement programs for individuals and families. From teen, child and family counseling, AspenPointe provides many avenues to help and treat people seeking behavioral health.

We strive to hire hard-working, dedicated employees who will join us in our commitment to provide the best services for our community.

We are committed to being the employer of choice. To that end, we offer a comprehensive benefits program in order to attract and retain the best employees.

Learn more about us and our open positions at www.aspenpointe.org.

AspenPointe does not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.

Tosoh Bioscience, Inc. (TBI) provides highly sophisticated diagnostic systems to doctor’s offices, hospitals and reference laboratories.

Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

The employee work environment is fast-paced, challenging and offers opportunities for personal growth and career advancement. TBI employees are focused on the collective vision of providing quality products and services through innovation.

For information regarding job openings at TBI, or to submit an application, please visit the Tosoh Jobs Portal online at: www.tosoh.iapplicants.com Learn more about us at: www.tosohbioscience.com 6000 Shoreline Court • Suite 101 • South San Francisco, CA 94080

November 2020

minority backgrounds have long been underrepresented in biomedicine. By some measures, efforts to diversify the field have made progress: The number of these minorities who earned life science doctoral degrees rose more than ninefold from 1980 to 2013. But this increase in Ph.D.s has not moved the needle at the faculty level.

Instead, the number of minority assistant professors in these fields has dipped in recent years, from 347 in 2005 to 341 in 2013. And some of those who have entered public health endure racial aggression and marginalization in the workplace—or, after years in a toxic environment, quietly leave.

“We really need to focus on making sure people are supported and find academic and research jobs sufficiently desirable that they choose to stay,” said Gammie.

“There have been improvements, but we still have a long way to go.”

In 2014, the NIH launched the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity initiative. It offers grants to 10 undergraduate campuses that partner with scores of other institutions researching how to get poor and minority students to pursue biomedical careers.

Students in the program receive stipends and typically spend summers working in research labs. But when COVID-19 hit, many labs and their experiments shut down. “People were like, what do we do? How do we do that remotely?” said biologist Leticia Márquez-Magaña, who heads the initiative’s team at San Francisco State University.

She and University of California-San Francisco epidemiologist Kala Mehta sketched out a plan for students to work remotely with bioinformatics, population health and epidemiology researchers to collect and analyze COVID-19 data for marginalized populations.

Gammie encouraged the Bay Area team to expand the summer opportunity to participants across the nation.

From June 22 to Aug. 13, students spend two to three hours online four days a week in small groups led by master’s-level mentors. They learn basic bioinformatics—computational methods for analyzing biological and population health data—and R, a common statistical programming language, to collect and analyze data from public data sets. “I think of basic bioinformatics and R coding as an empowerment tool,” said Mehta. “They’re going to become change agents in their communities, fighting back with data.”

Bench science often takes years, whereas data crunching to solve problems offers a sense of immediacy, said Niquo Ceberio, who recently earned a master’s in biology at SFSU and leads the team of mentors. “There was this sort of limitlessness about it that really appealed to me,” she said.

Raymundo Aragonez, a University of Texas-El Paso biology major participating in the summer program, sees data analysis as a way to address confusion in the Hispanic community—including some of his family members who think the pandemic “is all a hoax.” Dismayed by misleading YouTube videos and rampant misinformation shared on social media, Aragonez, who aims to be the first in his family to finish college, said he hopes to gain skills to “understand the data and how infections are actually happening, so I can explain it to my family.”

He hopes to explore whether COVID-19 infection rates differ among people living in El Paso, those living in the Mexican city of Juárez, and those who frequently cross the border between the cities—like many of his friends and classmates.

Willow Weibel, an SFSU psychology major, is studying how COVID-19 restrictions affect the mental health of former foster youth and other young adults with traumatic backgrounds. Weibel spent much of her childhood in foster care before getting adopted into a Southern

November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

California family at age 17. “I’ve grown to really care about what other people go through in the system,” she said.

Mental health is a common thread in the research questions proposed by several students in Weibel’s group, including Skye Taylor, who is majoring in psychology with a minor in public health. While curious about disparities in Detroit-area COVID-19 outcomes, she also wants to examine how mental health issues affect COVID-19 susceptibility — “especially in the Black community, because mental health isn’t really talked about,” she said.

Having the chance to explore their own research questions is unusual for undergraduates, and particularly meaningful to students of color. “It feels like science is something that’s been done to us or on us,” said Ceberio, who is Black and Latina, and grew up in Los Angeles, Miami and Las Vegas before moving to the Bay Area. “This experience allows them to do research that they feel is relevant based on the way they’re viewing the world. I’m trying to get them to trust their instincts.”

Trainees from underrepresented groups will more likely stay in biomedicine if they feel they are giving back to their communities or doing something with a tangible purpose, said Gammie.

This summer, participants “have an opportunity to engage in science that does both,” she said.

“Our hope is that this will inspire students to go on to be independent scientists.”

Article provided by Kaiser Health News. KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

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NOVEMBER IS: National American Indian Heritage Month

N

ational American Indian Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the accomplishments of the peoples who were the original inhabitants, explorers and settlers of the United States.

“National American Indian Heritage Month” had its origins in 1986 when Congress passed Pub. L. 99-471 (PDF, 93KB) which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week of November 23-30, 1986 as “American Indian Week.”

Many of the foods we eat and the medicines and remedies we use were introduced by Indians and more than one highway follows an Indian trail. Indians make contributions in every area of endeavor and American life, and our literature and all our arts draw upon Indian themes and wisdom. Countless American Indians have served in our Armed Forces and have fought valiantly for our country.

In 1990 Congress passed Pub. L. 101-343 (PDF, 211KB) which authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the month of November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Congress chose the month of the November to recognize the American Indians as this month concluded

the traditional harvest season and was generally a time of thanksgiving and celebration for the American Indians.

Since 1995 Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump have issued annual proclamations which designate November as National American Indian Heritage Month, or since 2009 as National Native American Heritage Month. These proclamations celebrate the contributions of the American Indians and urge the peoples of the United States to learn more about the American Indian cultures.

5 ways to honor Native Americans during National Native American Heritage Month • Attend or host an educational event.

• 'Decolonize' your Thanksgiving dinner.

• Read the work of Native American authors.

• Support native-owned businesses and charities.

NECC does not discriminate based on an individual’s race, creed, color, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, military status, citizenship status, or any other characteristics protected by law in treatment or employment at NECC, admission or access to NECC, or any other aspect of the educational programs and activities that NECC operates.

33 Turnpike Rd. Southborough, MA 01772 NECC.org

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November 2020

The Future of Work is WOMEN IN TECH The future of work is women—specifically, it’s women in technology.

U

nfortunately, the numbers do not reflect that yet. While women make up more than 50 percent of the workforce in the United States, women only achieve about 20 percent of representation in the technology sector.

Powerhouse technology companies like Salesforce and Intuit are currently taking steps to hire more women. Salesforce, in particular, took steps to order an internal review of over 17,000 employees and spent an extra $3 million on payroll in order to close the gender representation and pay gap.

As a result, women at Salesforce make up 33 percent of their global employees.

The road to equality isn’t an easy one—but companies like Salesforce are implementing real, meaningful change for the future of women and their representation in technology.

There are many factors feeding into the low representation of women in the technology

by CareerContessa.com

• Gender inequality in STEM jobs That’s not to say that no women pursue STEM. It’s simply that it’s hard to find someone to look up to; someone for a young girl to seek mentorship from, to emulate, or to simply point to and say “I want to be just like her.”

So why women in tech?

WHY WOMEN IN TECH MATTER

industry. For starters, girls are discouraged from pursuing STEM at a young age. According to several studies, young girls often express an interest in STEM around age 11. By age 15, many have lost interest entirely. Factors contributing to this drop off include • Lack of female mentors • No hands-on experience or projects focused on girls

Researchers have concluded that boosting the number of women in STEM fields would drastically increase our nation’s pool of talented workers.

In addition—and this is so important—higher female representation in technology will bring an entirely new dimension to the entire scope of the work. This allows for entirely new breakthroughs on problems that have been previously overlooked.

There have been decades of research pointing to the fact that diversity makes us smarter. In order to solve a complex problem, it is better to

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November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

bring different individuals with different backgrounds to the problem. In this way, all of these people can work together to present different viewpoints and actually solve the problem.

In addition to problem-solving, diversity fosters innovation. Suddenly, when teams of employees are not faced with the same recurring problems, they have the time to innovate new ideas.

Aside from potential breakthroughs in math and science, there is a huge cultural shift that happens when more females are being represented.

For example, there is this age-old “belief” that girls excel in language arts and social studies while boys excel in math and science. Sound familiar? Imagine (or, if you’re like me, remember) being a young girl in an algebra class and being told that over and over again. You might start to believe that, although you are a pro with the quadratic equation, this is a boy’s field. For these very reasons, girls are repeatedly discouraged from pursuing continued education in maths and science.

This bias, whether or not unconscious, continues to the college and university level. Admissions emphasize rewarding students with existing experience and expertise rather than encouraging exploration in math and science fields. For a young woman looking to expand her skill set gained from an already problematic school system, this is often the final blow to her pursuit of math and science.

We need more women in technology to empower the next wave, and the next—and the one after that.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

If you are a woman in tech and you are reading this, first of all, you’re amazing. Second of all, please mentor young women. I know it’s a pain to put the onus on ourselves, but we can make a change by sharing our stories, by reaching out to other young women, and by simply getting involved.

Breaking long-held stereotypes, like the one that girls aren’t “good” at math or science, isn’t something that happens overnight. Fighting these kinds of stereotypes means highlighting successes of the women who are excelling in the technology industry.

If seeing some of these abysmal women in technology numbers bums you out, look up to some of the women out there who are doing it. We do

Page 21

our best to profile women who are breaking the glass ceiling in technology (and out in the world.)

Read these stories. Share these stories.

If you have a daughter, a niece, or a granddaughter, tell her these stories. Make sure she knows she can do anything.

The more visibility real women in technology get in the world, the higher the chance is that a young girl will come across it and find lifealtering inspiration.

ARE YOU A HOPEFUL WOMAN IN TECH?

If you are reading this because you want to dive into a technology career, that’s great. We are so excited for you to make a difference.

Our first tip to you would be to erase everything anybody has ever told you about pursuing a career in technology. If this is something you want to do, you can (and will) do it.

Gather your experiences, no matter what field you worked in and no matter how limited your experience may seem, at this moment.

Everything is translatable. Gather your sets of soft skills and hard skills.

Make a plan for things you might want to learn. Maybe you want to take a course from Women Who Code in order to amp up your C++ skills.

Build yourself a plan. If you have a dream job, learn the skills you need to achieve it. If there is a dream company you want to work for, consider entrylevel positions for which you could apply. If you already work in technology but you want to expand your skills and transition, make your case.

No matter what your approach is, go after it. Use your great ideas to sell yourself in a job interview, a presentation, or even a cold email to a potential employer.

Article provided by careercontessa.com The Future of Work series is sponsored by Salesforce.

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EnergySolutions is always looking for bright, energetic people to join our growing team. To view current open positions and apply online visit: EnergySolutions is an international nuclear services company.

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A leader in the office furniture industry. Nationwide career opportunities.

See our career opportunities at www.hnicareers.com and listed with state workforce training and development centers.

As Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers, the office furniture companies of HNI Corporation support equal opportunities for and advancement of all people based on their qualifications and experience without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, marital status, veteran status, citizenship status, disability, genetic information or any other status protected by law.

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November 2020

4 Ways Tech Companies Can Help Women Succeed

T

he hottest topics facing Silicon Valley go well beyond simply the latest tech gadgets and newest devices. It is an issue of social matters and gender equality. The representation of women in technology, or lack there-

by Patrick W. Dunne

of, has been a heated talking point for years. Everyone from Hillary Clinton to Sheryl Sandberg has chastised the Bay Area’s technology central for being an exclusive “boy’s club” where its denizens are overwhelmingly White or Asian.

Having diversity isn’t just great for the women of Silicon Valley; it can be great for the companies as well. Here are a few ways that both technology companies and female workers can benefit from added diversity:

1. T hey could adopt better parental leave policies Matheson is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, gender or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

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Part of the reason that technology jobs have trouble retaining women is that the maternity leave policies in place are often incredibly inflexible and make it difficult for working women to be full-time employees and care for their children.

Textio co-founder and CEO Kieran Snyder conducted a study wherein she interviewed 716 women who had left the tech industry. Snyder reported that 484 of the women she surveyed had cited motherhood as a factor in their decision to leave, with 85 of them saying it was a “major factor” in their decision. Others said that it wasn’t the lack of maternity leave that caused them to abandon their jobs, but rather inflexible hours, lack of suitable pay, and other related factors.

Google is one of the few major tech companies that offers paid maternity leave. Even in its early years, when it didn’t have revenue, founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page decided that they should extend maternity leave to Susan Wojcicki, the current CEO of YouTube. In an op-ed for Wall Street Journal, Wojcicki cited a study that showed that 91 percent of companies who have instated maternity leave had reported that it either had a positive effect or no effect at all on their profits. Additionally, Wojcicki said that when Google extended their maternity leave from 12 weeks to 18 weeks, the turnover rate for working mothers was reduced by half. Paying for maternity leave was a smart move on Google’s part because replacing an employee costs more than paying for maternity leave.

In short, maternity leave not only benefits its female recipients, but benefits the company as well. It’s a winwin situation that any wise company ought to start reaping the benefits of.

November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

2. T ech companies who can better accommodate women would reduce turnover.

According to an article from ERE Media, replacing any employee often costs the company a fraction of that employee’s salary. Replacing an entry-level employee costs the company about 30 percent to 50 percent of that employee’s salary. Mid-level employees cost the company about 150 percent of their annual salary, and highlevel and executive employees cost a staggering 400 percent of their annual salary to replace. The cumulative costs of posting a job ad, searching for new candidates, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training add up.

With all these crazy costs in mind, it’s fair to say that keeping an employee is much more cost efficient than replacing them. Unfortunately, many tech companies simply aren’t doing enough to retain their female workers. In fact, women who have STEM jobs are 45 percent more likely to leave their job within a year when compared to their male counterparts, according to an article from Fast Company. When Nadya Fouad, a psychologist at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, surveyed 5,300 women who earned engineering degrees within the past 60 years, she found that only 62 percent of them were still in their field. She claimed that the hostile attitudes toward women was one of the main reasons that engineering has one of the highest turnover rates for women.

3. C hanging the culture would benefit everyone.

The “boy’s club” mentality might not be everywhere in Silicon Valley, but many have certainly claimed to have experienced it. Just take the example of Isis Anchalee, the engineer who started the #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag in order to combat some of the sexism she says she had faced. (In one of her most egregious examples, someone tried stuffing dollar bills down her shirt.)

Similarly, Pinterest engineer Tracey Chou has also reported several examples of sexism in her lifetime consisting of things like male co-workers doubting her technical abilities.

Any company with an inclusive and welcoming culture is certain to thrive. Workers who feel comfortable are quite obviously more productive and therefore more profitable for the company. It should go without saying that workers who genuinely love and enjoy their job will work harder and are less likely to quit. Workers who are demotivated are less likely to come in on time or be productive, and more likely to take sick days off or leave their job for another one.

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returns, while Asian-Pacific companies had an average of 55 percent better stock prices.

A study conducted by Catalyst, a market research firm, found that companies with at least three woman on board experienced a 53 percent better return on equity, a 66 percent superior return on invested capital, and a 42 percent greater return on sales, when compared to companies with fewer than three women on board.

These are just a few ways tech companies can help women and vice versa. It’s true that Silicon Valley still has quite a long way to go before true gender equality can be achieved, but the important thing is that progress is being made. Silicon Valley has already seen the rise of several prominent women like Sheryl Sandberg, Marissa Meyer, and Susan Wojcicki. Several San Francisco-based companies founded by women, such as Premier Staffing and Revel Systems, have made huge impacts on the surrounding culture, and their effects can only continue to grow. With these facts in mind, the tech scene may one day see true gender equality.

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4. W omen in leadership roles make for more productive companies.

According to data from Pew Research Center, most Americans see no difference between men and women when it comes to their leadership capabilities in business and politics. Those who did perceive a difference were more likely to say that women were better at being honest, mentoring employees, and working out compromises. On the other hand, men were more likely to be seen as good negotiators and better risk takers.

One study by Credit Suisse observed the stocks of companies with a market cap of over $10 billion and found that those with at least one woman on board performed much better than companies with no women on board. The average difference in profits between the two types of companies was 26 percent. European companies with female board members had an average of 18 percent higher stock prices when compared to male-dominated companies. American companies with at least three women on board had an average of 20 percent better

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equal opportunity employment journal

November 2020

Continued from page 3

Active listening means taking the time to engage with people at multiple levels, including individual and organizational, on a regular and structured basis.

Active listening means taking the time to engage with people at multiple levels, including individual and organizational, on a regular and structured basis. From employee surveys to 360-degree reviews, active listening tools are commonplace, but these need to be far more engaging and acted upon if firms are to make sustainable culture changes.

For active listening to be successful, organizations must create a trusted environment in which staff members feel comfortable speaking up. Feedback must be followed up with a highly visible response and clear communication about the next steps. Most important, firms should attempt to understand why people behave in certain ways to make reasonable and feasible changes to culture.

Some of the tools or methods we use to help firms actively listen include: • Virtual focus groups, which are real-time, facilitated, online chatroom discussions in which 40-70 anonymous participants take part in a structured conversation. Live polling and analytics spot trends and generate insights from the discussion.

• Peer-to-peer sharing, in which interactive groups share their challenges and work experiences, then offer feedback as a group.

• Millennial boards, consisting of young, diverse professionals who discuss how to tackle the same issues facing their board of directors, including strategic, operational, and cultural challenges.

Here are some quotes pulled from our interviews with employees across a range of firms that show how cultural improvements can be made possible by active listening.

Embedding Inclusivity Into Operating Models “They want me to collaborate with other teams, but that is not how I am measured.”

There’s little point telling employees to be more inclusive if these sentiments are not reflected in operating models. This means rethinking everything from processes to metrics, skills, technology use, rewards and communication to support the behaviors you want to see. Importantly, organizations should focus not just on what they would like to see in performance models, but also how these goals are to be achieved, with the right behaviors being visibly rewarded. Tools and nudges could be used to guide how to listen, demonstrate empathy, display appreciation and develop self-awareness.

Take yearly reviews. We worked with a firm to overhaul its performance management system and to equip its 20,000 staff on how to hold effective performance conversations.

The firm trained employees on how to observe behavior, hold conversations based on hard evidence and provide constructive advice, such as improving collaboration with

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November 2020

equal opportunity employment journal

colleagues across departments. Embedding a focus on continuous feedback resulted in a completely new way of working together, learning and output. Most important, managers and employees alike were held to account.

Inclusion Efforts Concern and Benefit Everyone

“It doesn’t really affect me; I am just your typical white, middle-aged man.”

Whether gender, ethnicity, age, flexible working, disability, mental health or sexual orientation, don’t let inclusion be about “labelling” or “fixing” a particular category. Even where targets and metrics are needed, it’s often helpful to flip the script and talk about the 70% of men rather than the 30% of women. Diversity groups are important, but it’s easy to slip into a “them and us” culture by reprimanding certain groups, such as men. Inclusion should be perceived as a collective endeavor that concerns and benefits everyone. Communication channels should share experiences, equipping employees with the skills to have open conversations.

One client’s virtual focus group of more than 1,000 employees revealed that less than half of participants believed their line manager was comfortable discussing inclusion-related topics. The organization subsequently introduced a monthly reverse mentoring scheme to learn and share experiences. This increased awareness of commonplace experiences. Their impact gave line managers the language and “permission” to hold these conversations more informally with their teams.

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The most important task for leaders is to actively listen and pay attention to everyday behaviors, which will help to shape better communication and steer change in the right direction. effort into personalized communication with clients, but rarely apply the same bespoke approach to staff at important moments like returning from a leave of absence. Simple gestures, such as hand-writing welcome and thank you notes, or reminding managers to rate themselves on how considerate they have been to their team members and each other, can make a surprisingly big difference.

Final Thoughts

An organization’s culture is continuously evolving and changing, and embedding inclusivity is incredibly complex. Rather than working toward one, final inclusivity goal or target, the most important task for leaders is to actively listen and pay attention to everyday behaviors, the beliefs held by different groups, and their drivers. This will help to shape better Modeling the Behavior communication and steer change in the right direction.

“She gave a great speech about showing each Active listening means delving deeper with individuals within a trusted other better respect, but that wasn’t what I saw in the environment to understand what is impacting them then offering datameeting with her this morning.” driven quantitative and qualitative feedback on what matters. It is often Many organizations want a more inclusive culture, but the everyday the small actions that make the biggest difference — who you talk to, who behavior of managers creates a different impression. Firms must define you connect with and who you praise. Acting on this valuable feedback and map the behaviors needed to deliver the organization’s strategy, will influence employee beliefs and affect their behaviors to start to shift the organization’s culture to one of more inclusion and belonging. which leaders must visibly model.

One solution could be identifying critical moments that matter and comArticle provided by Brinknews.com mitting to simple, yet effective, actions. For example, firms invest a lot of BRINK –The Edge of Risk

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November 2020

"Women's rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on the equal dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy." — Ruth Bader Ginsberg

The women who have benefited from your strength and courage thank you.