PURPOSEFUL HUSTLE BLOG

Whether consciously or not, certain people are often unsupported in their professional development. A company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts should not stop with recruiting a diverse set of people. Rather, it is crucial to nurture diverse talent and provide equal opportunities and support systems for traditionally underrepresented individuals to advance. Why nurture traditionally underrepresented talent?

Picture yourself in a team meeting. One of the more vocal team members proposes a strategy to address a current problem, and everyone nods and agrees without question. The team doesn’t consider other options or examine potential issues with the proposed strategy. No one voices an alternative idea. Instead, everyone moves on. This is an example of groupthink. In essence, groupthink involves making a decision as a group without much critical thought, discussion, feedback, or dissention. This term was coined in the 1950s, but was popularized by psychologist Irving Janis, who published a book called Groupthink in 1972 (revised in 1982). Chances are, you’ve experienced some form of groupthink.

Last week, we discussed the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), why it matters, and how companies can begin to center themselves around DEI. This week, we’re going to dig into one particular aspect of DEI: creating a DEI-focused business plan. No matter if you’re a one-person shop or working in a Fortune 500 company, it is crucial to have a business plan that reflects your company’s values, ethics, and mission. Words matter. Remember that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? That was a convenient lie for anyone who wanted to insult or belittle others without consequences! But the truth is, words can have a profound impact. When you’re creating or reworking your business plan, consider the language imbedded in it. Ask yourself: Is it inclusive? Will it attract a more vibrant and diverse workforce? Does it reflect a genuine desire to support DEI work? Does it put people before profits? In addition to examining the language of your organization’s business plan, it’s a good idea to go through each section and rework them to reflect the company you want to become. Change starts from the top, down, and from the inside, out. A business plan is as “inside” as it gets. It is the core of the organization and should reflect its integral values and moral standards. To center your company around DEI, try reworking the following sections of your business plan:

Today, the U.S. is having a moment of reckoning in terms of discrimination towards racial and ethnic groups, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities. In a recent survey from Monmouth University, 76% of respondents said racial discrimination is a big problem. Compared to 2015, that’s a 25-point jump! The recent “Me Too” movement has shed light on discrimination and harassment toward women (with studies showing that nearly half of all women face major workplace discrimination). And 46% of LGBTQ+ workers have dealt with discrimination in the workplace, while a staggering 82% of Americans with disabilities are unemployed (as of 2020). These statistics are troubling, and point to an urgent need for proactive reform and leadership centered around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Creating a welcoming workplace is the right thing to do from not only an ethical and moral standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint. According to Harvard Business Review, “Diverse and inclusive companies find and nurture the best talent, increase employee engagement, and improve customer willingness to buy.” A diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce is a satisfied and industrious workforce. It should come as no surprise that if a company nurtures and protects its employees, that company will experience higher retention rates and greater productivity. A company’s attitude toward DEI can be conveyed right away, during recruitment, interviewing, and hiring and, unfortunately, intrinsic bias is often baked into the hiring process. For instance, applicants with “Black-sounding” names get fewer callbacks than applicants with “white-sounding” names. And Latino applicants are 24 percent less likely to land an interview than white candidates. To combat bias, organizations can take conscious steps to equalize their hiring process, such as: Diversifying their recruitment/hiring team Actively recruiting candidates from colleges with high student diversity Having a strict “no nepotism” policy Publishing recruitment materials that use inclusive language Actively seeking candidates that add to the company culture, rather than those who look/act/think like everyone else Making sure all members of the recruitment/hiring team receive ongoing DEI training (consider enrolling in my “How to Be an Ally” virtual summit in March!) The hiring process is, of course, only one piece of the puzzle. Beyond that, it is crucial to emphasize DEI at every level—from the leadership, down—and to make it a cornerstone of the company’s business plan (more on that next week!). Without this DEI focus, diverse employees are more likely to be marginalized and undervalued and, ultimately, more likely to leave. According to a recent report, over one-third of Black employees plan to leave their companies within two years (a number 30 percent greater than their white counterparts), and 33 percent do not feel respected or valued. I could throw more statistics at you, but this really boils down to common sense: If people feel comfortable, respected, and included in their place of employment, they will want to stay and make meaningful contributions. Imagine signing up for an intramural basketball team. You’re shorter than average, so your teammates assume you’re no good and never allow you a chance to play (even though you’re secretly quick as lightning and can nail almost every three-point shot!). How long would you want to stay on that team? This same basic premise plays out all the time in the workplace. Far too often, people make snap judgments about others’ capabilities based on who they are or how they look. How can we do better? Though there is no magic, one-size-fits-all solution for creating an equitable workplace, there are several steps companies can take:

Lately, social media has (understandably!) been getting a bad rap. We’ve learned that Instagram has knowingly promoted unhealthy body images to young women; we know that Facebook has done very little to combat hate speech (and may even promote it!). And Twitter has been known to amplify anxiety and lead to deep-seated feelings of discontent and envy. But, take heart! There are still good and uplifting corners of social media. There are still influential change-makers who are using their social platforms to enact positive change. If you’d like to tailor your social media feed to be a little more empowering, try following some of these positive influencers:

How to Incite Change After an Employee Resource Group Event If your business objective is progress, which it undoubtedly is, then the purpose of your employee workshop is to prompt some type of change within your organization. Whether the speaking engagement is about safety or goal-setting, you want your staff to make real advancements after the event.

Employee Resource Groups (ERG) have been around for many years, fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives. A noble purpose indeed. However, their impact is often questioned, and many organizations find it difficult to justify the time and funding necessary to ensure success.

With devastating headlines pouring in and given the current political climate of our country, it can feel impossible to go anywhere without a serious topic coming up in conversation. We know that our kids are subjected to this overload of information as well, regardless of how much we wish we could keep them safe from it. Often, there are serious things happening even in our own backyards that will affect our kids, but we don’t always know how to bridge that gap of trying to talk with them about it. But no matter how hard, it’s important that we try. While so much is happening in our communities, and so much is changing in our culture, it is not in our nature as Purposeful Hustlers to stay on the sidelines. Part of figuring out how to best engage with the things we care most about is figuring out how to help our children process what is happening in the world around them.

The centerpiece of almost any special employee resource group event is the guest speaker. After all, many of the members of an employee resource group already know each other. They’ve met at work, or at previous events or meetings. They’ve heard each other’s stories, perhaps even worked directly with each other. So one of the best ways to draw in an audience is to put someone on the agenda who has a fresh perspective. Someone who shares your values or ideals or goals but whom you don’t see in the break room.