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The Importance of Pride Month in the Workplace

 

Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ+ communities and allies to come together to celebrate the freedom to be yourself. With decades of struggles with prejudice and acceptance, this month is crucial. It is a time when cities hold parades, celebrations, rallies, parties, workshops, and much more to recognize the fight for equality. As important as it is to celebrate Pride Month outside of work, it’s just as important to celebrate this monumental month in the workplace. We’ve gathered a few different ways you can raise your rainbow flag and join the movement today. 

A Brief History

In 1969, police stormed into the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwhich Village, New York. Customers were being removed from the bar but tensions quickly rose. Patrons began resisting arrest and bystanders started throwing bottles and coins at the officers. Following the incident, the gay community was fed up after decades of harassment and took to the streets to riot for three days straight. After the riots, the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance were formed. One year later, the nation’s first Gay Pride parades were held. 

Why Celebrate? 

There are many reasons why diversity is important in the workplace. A few include differing perspectives, new ideas, improved creativity, and better problem-solving. As the leaders in your organization, it’s critical to showcase the stories that make people unique and celebrate the diverse voices throughout the company. It is important to remember that the first Pride was not a celebration, it was a riot led by queer people of color. 

How To Recognize In The Workplace

There are plenty of ways to show your allyship and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in your workplace, whether you’re remote or in-person. A few of our favorites are below! 

Support LGBTQ+ Causes 

There are dozens of different organizations and causes you can donate to. It’s important to mention, it doesn’t have to be a monetary donation. Donating your time, voice, and energy is just as important! 

Update Your Company Branding 

Businesses around the world have shown their allyship in different ways. For example, you can update your Zoom background, add your pronouns to your email signature and LinkedIn page, and send out some pride swag for your employees to show off. 

Educate Your Employees 

A lot of employees are familiar with Pride Month, but they may not know the history behind it. Use this month to sit down with your teammates for an open discussion or provide resources for employees. 

Pride Month is a time to celebrate how far we have come with LGBTQ+ rights, but it’s also a time to continue to fight for equality and recognize the struggles the community has faced. This month, take the time to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of the gay rights movement and the brave LGBTQ+ advocates and allies standing up for equality. 

Additional Resources: 

Faith & Spirituality Also An Important Part Of Workplace Inclusion

A unique calendar alignment has occurred this year that only takes place approximately every 33 years. Easter, Passover, and Ramadan have overlapped, bringing a convergence of reflections for these communities. To recognize this, the PerkSpot team came together to discuss. The focus was around how faith & spirituality influences who we are and how we work. Our conversations included personal stories and breakout sessions. Both designed to unlock conversation on a topic that is often ignored or overlooked in our workplaces. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Discussing faith and spirituality can be a daunting and sensitive topic. Our beliefs are a core part of our identity and employees feeling excluded or unrecognized can be detrimental. Faith & spirituality, whether observed or not, is often highly influential in informing who we are, the choices we make, the way we interact, our aspirations, and our values. When considering DEI efforts, we think you should find opportunities to affirm the important role that faith plays in how your employees contribute in the workplace.

Recognize Your Employees Beliefs 

It’s important to recognize and offer time away to practice each individual’s traditions and practices. Offering an open vacation policy or flexible scheduling allows employees to take the time to fully immerse in their practices. 

Nadir Mian, Graphic Designer at PerkSpot, shared, “At companies with a designated limit to PTO, some people have to use their vacation for their religious holidays whereas others have time off for their religious holidays built into their schedule. Although accommodating for every religious holiday may not be feasible, extra days on top of the allotted PTO time should be available to those who witness religious holidays that don’t fall under the traditional corporate holiday schedule.”

Another way to recognize your employees is by holding company-wide events or smaller breakout groups. It allows the opportunity to reflect, discuss, and participate in sharing personal stories when comfortable. We don’t advocate discussions that compare or contrast belief systems. But rather, allow employees to share how faith has influenced who they are, their life experiences, and what’s important to them.

We encourage you to use this unique overlap of traditions as a reminder to recognize your employees’ differences in beliefs. Offer a safe, open working space that allows for exploration and recognition.

Is There a Difference Between Diversity and Inclusion?

 

….And Do We Really Need Both?

Diversity and inclusion are two of the most popular buzzwords in HR today. But, let’s be honest. How many of us have truly spent the time to break each of these down and what they mean? Do we know the difference between the two? Plus, if they aren’t the same thing, do we really need both?

We’re breaking down Diversity and Inclusion and what these two mean for our businesses

  • Definition of Diversity and Inclusion
  • The Difference Between Diversity and Inclusion
  • Why Diversity Matters
  • Why Inclusion Matters
  • The Case for Both Diversity and Inclusion

Defining D&I:

First, let’s get our definitions straight with Merriam-Webster:

Diversity:

The condition of having or being composed of differing elements. Try thinking of diversity outside of human resources. Really, it’s just adding variety to something. You could have a diverse palate by enjoying foods from different cultures, or a diverse wardrobe that contains all the colors of the rainbow.

Inclusion:

The act of including; the state of being included. For inclusion, maybe it’s helpful to think in terms of membership of a group or club. All the members actively decide to include someone on the outside. This is the act of inclusion.

The Difference Between Diversity and Inclusion

There’s a well-known quote by D&I expert, Vernā Myers, that puts it perfectly, ”Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”. Diversity is great because it brings more ideas and perspectives to the table. Inclusion complements diversity by embracing those differences and finding ways to make every perspective feel welcomed and every voice heard.

Diversity Matters

Did you know that more CEOs in America are named David than are women? That’s powerful stuff when you think about the impact on these businesses’ bottom line. In “Diversity Matters” by McKinsey, they surveyed 366 businesses in Canada, Latin America, the U.S., and the U.K. to find out the effect of diversity on financial returns. The findings were significant: Companies in the top for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians, and companies in the top for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have higher returns.

Making your workplace more diverse isn’t guaranteed to be easy, but it’s definitely worth it.

Inclusion Matters

Diversity isn’t the only initiative producing high returns. In fact, in a study by Deloitte Australia, reported that when employees felt included, companies saw an 80% uptick in business performance. If this isn’t a case for inclusion, we don’t know what is! Employees who experience inclusion are more motivated to work harder, making a huge impact on the business.

You Need Both Diversity and Inclusion

So what good is a party without a little dancing, right? Diversity and inclusion go hand in hand in building a stronger workplace. Bringing in a ton of new perspectives and ideas is the first step. However, if employees don’t feel comfortable voicing these opinions, it’s a moot point. On the other hand, with nothing but a homogenous group, inclusion loses its power. That’s why diversity and inclusion are two sides of the same token. We have to seek out a diverse workplace. Then, we have to work to make each employee feel included and respected.

We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long road ahead of us. What are some ways your business is making a difference for D&I?

the ultimate guide to a better workplace

The Returnship

Have you seen the movie, “The Intern”? You know the one. Robert DeNiro comes out of retirement to work for a thriving start-up in the fashion industry run by Anne Hathaway. Funny, heart-warming, and inspiring, it’s a film that not only highlights the new “Lean In” culture with corporate feminism at its core, but also focuses on the generational gap that exists between DeNiro and his fellow co-workers. Returning to the workforce after a tech boom caused DeNiro’s character to face many new obstacles he might not have anticipated.

returnship

Don’t worry. We’re not writing a film review here. But “The Intern” got us thinking about this relatively new trend called the “Returnship”.

“Returnship” was a phrase coined by Goldman Sachs in 2008 when they developed an onboarding program specifically designed for people who had taken a break from the workforce, either to raise kids, serve in the military, or just simply, to take a break and reevaluate. Similar to an internship, their purpose in this program was to sharpen skills that they may not realize they need after taking an extended time off and to help these employees land a job, either at their firm or elsewhere.

But Goldman Sachs isn’t the only firm providing this service. In fact, you can find returnships from many other companies such as Deloitte, PwC, Ford, Johnson&Johnson and more!

If you’re thinking about a Returnship or offering the program to your employees, here are a couple of the benefits you can find:

Returnships Provide Tech Training

Technology is constantly changing. Whether you’ve taken 2 years off or 10 years off, chances are you have a few things to catch up on. By participating in a Returnship program, you have an opportunity to sharpen your skills, without neglecting your job responsibilities. Returnships can provide the support and training needed to do the job successfully: a win-win for both employees and employers.

Returnships Provide Equal Opportunity

43% of women take time off to raise families. This fact alone has made it difficult in the past for women to have equal opportunity in the workforce. Returnships are changing that. No matter the reason for taking a break, Returnships provide equal opportunities for men and women to step back into the workforce when they are ready while gaining the necessary skills and growing their network.

Returnships Provide Launching Pads

Many people returning to work may not be 100% sure what type of job they’re looking to fill. For some their previous job may not exist, while others might be considering a career switch. Returnships can be a great launching pad for experimenting with various types of roles and understanding the various nuances and changes of each. After completing a returnship, employees will be better informed and prepared for the role they’re stepping into.

The internet is full of mixed reviews when it comes to returnships. Are you thinking about implementing this program at your company? What are the obstacles you think you’ll face?

Making a Difference for Diversity and Inclusion

The news of Charlottesville has shaken most of us to our core. As a result, it can be easy to lose sight of the efforts we’ve made for diversity and inclusion.

diversity and inclusion

The following stories do not take away from the effects of Charlottesville and the battle we must continue to fight. However, we think it’s important to also recognize the good. There are companies in the U.S. who are taking a stand and making a difference. They are creating a safe, fulfilling, and supportive environment for employees of underrepresented communities.

Here are companies making a difference for diversity in 2017. Oh, and best of all, they all happen to be PerkSpot clients.

Humana:

Leading the charge, Humana focuses on the well-being of their associates through the Executive Inclusion & Diversity Council, led by their President and CEO, Bruce Broussard, and various Network Resource Groups that provide business outreach and professional development. In turn, their goal is to make Humana associates passionate about I&D in order to better serve their communities and help them to achieve their best health.

“Humana serves millions of members, and each of them is unique … By reflecting that diversity in our associate population, we can meet our members where they are on their health journeys and better understand their needs. Our associates’ vast variety of backgrounds, perspectives and beliefs makes us a stronger, more nimble and more empathetic company.” – Bruce Broussard, CEO

Abbott:

Voted number 10 on DiversityInc’s Top 50 most diverse companies list, Abbott is leading the charge for diversity. Women and people of color make up almost 50% of their corporate board of directors. In fact, as a whole women make up an impressive 47% of management. With cross-cultural mentors and corporate diversity goals, diversity is a top priority for Abbott.

“Diversity is a strength, period. It takes diversity of gender, ethnicity, and background to drive the diversity of ideas that we need to succeed. We do business in more than 150 countries; to understand and serve a rich and varied world, a broad range of perspectives isn’t an option — it’s essential.” – Miles D. White, Chairman and CEO

AbbVie:

In 2017, AbbVie launched a new Diversity & Inclusion Committee, aimed at offering their employees “the tools, training and experiences they need to reach their potential.” AbbVie also created Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), that bring employees together who share a common interest while focusing on mentoring, networking, and professional development.

“Developing and bringing innovative, life-saving medicines to patients requires diverse thought and approaches. Bringing together experts from diverse backgrounds and thought is crucial to our ability to deliver today and into the future.” – Richard A. Gonzalez, Chairman and CEO

We are inundated with  story after story on the news of tragedy and hate. However, we hope these stories will inspire you and your company to flip the script.

Stop Saying Culture Fit

Culture Fit is so last year.

We recently read an article that resonated with us about the idea of culture fit. The author explains the tension between finding a candidate that “fits in” and is able to hit the ground running, while still fulfilling the need for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Coining a new phrase “culture add”, she states “you are looking for candidates to bring in new ideas, a different point-of-view, and bring out different traits in others in a collaborative, positive way.”

As you look to hire new people this year, consider these few things before begin conducting interviews to ensure you find candidates that don’t just fit in, but who add value and a new edge to your culture.

culture fit

Start With the Basics

When hiring any candidate, the first thing you should do is go back to your mission and vision as a company. Consider where you are and where you’d like to be, and determine how this particular role will enable you to get there faster.
Here are a few questions to consider:

    • How does this role tie into the mission and vision of the company as a whole?

Be as specific as possible about the job function and how this fulfills your mission. If your job description is functioning as it should, this should be fairly obvious.

    • Attribute their future responsibilities and past experience with your company values.

For example, at PerkSpot, one of our values is people, so for a customer service role we would be looking for a candidate who has experience demonstrating how they consider others, whether clients or colleagues, when performing specific tasks.

Examine Current Strengths

Think about your current culture. We don’t just mean looking around and seeing what race, ethnicities, or genders surround you. Instead, consider where most of your employees come from, what they like to do in their free time, and any natural “cliques” that might have formed. By examining your current culture, you’ll get a great idea of your strengths and weaknesses.
Consider these questions to help you get a feel for your culture:

  • Are most of your employees thoughtful or more aggressive?
  • Does your company sway with having more doers or thinkers?
  • Are your employees more aspirational or pragmatic?

You may even want to take it a step further and do personality tests at work to see which personalities are currently represented and which ones you may be missing. Plus, it will help your current teams work better together by understanding what makes them tick. Win-win.

Determine Areas of Growth

Once you’ve determined how your current culture is leaning, this should give you a good sense of where you need to grow. Take what you’ve learned and think about where you want to go.
These questions can help you get started:

  • What viewpoints are currently not being represented (or underrepresented)?
  • Are there any types of experience you are missing on your team? For example, if most of your employees have worked at a large corporation, maybe you could benefit from hiring someone from a start-up environment.
  • Are there any client demographics you are struggling to reach and how do they compare to your office culture? This is huge for not only improving your culture, but increasing revenue as well!

Create Your Process

Once you’ve determined what you’re looking for, it can be easy to fall into the hiring bias trap. Make sure that you conduct interviews in a methodical way that levels the playing field for candidates. By having a set of five to ten questions that you ask each candidate, this ensures you’re giving everyone a fair chance to express how they fulfill the needs you’re looking to meet. Here are a few staple questions to include:

  • What about their previous company culture did they like or dislike?
  • What are some ways they’ve dealt with problems in the past and how did they come to a solution? This gives great insight into how they process information and develop solutions based on personality and past experience.
  • What most excites them about the role and the company?

Hire Well

Hiring isn’t about finding your new best friend or a clone of your most successful employee. Every candidate has unique experiences and backgrounds, and it’s important to find the one that can add the most value and meet your needs. Don’t just hire for culture fit, hire someone who will push you and your team to step outside your comfort zone and see the world through a different lens.

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