5 Things / Guiding Principles
Listen to The Full Episode Here:
This week I presented to a client the findings and recommendations from our firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion analysis. In my presentation, one thing I emphasized for this client was to always come back to one of their Guiding Principles: We value diversity and actively seek people with different perspectives and experiences.
It’s right there and has been for long before our firm came along to help. Have DEI resisters at the company? Point to this guiding principle. Getting pushback about the DEI budget? Ask the question: are we really following this guiding principle if we cut back on valuing diversity?
Your company probably has something similar as part of its core values -- even if it’s not explicitly about diversity, there’s likely something about respect or integrity, something about caring for employees and customers. How can you do that effectively if you don’t value diversity?
Here Are This Week's Good Vibes:
How DEI Led to a New Barbie and Outdoor Apparel for Every Body
The Barbie movie is out, and Mattel has been a regular in 5 Things as a great case study in actively collaborating with identity-based communities as part of product development. By listening to their customers' diverse needs and engaging identity-group employees, there are a wide variety of Barbies, as seen in the movie. Embracing DEI as a learning approach leads to greater customer satisfaction, improved employee engagement, and a positive impact on the company's reputation.
These Companies Are So Serious About Keeping Older Employees That They’re Offering ‘Grandparent Leave’
As the COVID pandemic accelerated retirements among older American workers, employers are offering a new benefit to retain older employees: grandparent leave. Companies like Fannie Mae and Cisco introduced this benefit, providing paid time off upon the birth or adoption of a grandchild. This is part of a larger trend of companies prioritizing employee well-being and work-life balance.
Wesleyan University Joins Other Schools in Nixing Legacy Admissions After Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Ruling
Wesleyan, MIT, Amherst, and Carnegie Mellon are among the colleges eliminating legacy admissions, following the Supreme Court's decision to strike down affirmative action. Legacy admissions, or the practice of giving preferential admission status to the children of alumni, perpetuates inequality by favoring students from privileged backgrounds and may limit opportunities for students from underrepresented groups. President Biden and others have spoken out against the practice. As opposition to the system grows, Wesleyan's move could influence other colleges to reconsider their legacy admissions.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Opens First-Of-Its-Kind ‘For Members Only’ Credit Union
A little Greek Life in a 5 Things first, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority made history by incorporating its own credit union, "For Members Only" (FMO). The first Black-owned, women-led, sorority-based digital banking institution in the US, FMO empowers its members to control their finances and build economic wealth. This groundbreaking initiative aligns with AKA's commitment to economic empowerment and financial stability for women of color, promoting financial inclusion and ownership. It exemplifies the power of community-driven efforts to create meaningful change and improve financial opportunities for marginalized groups.
Indeed Is Introducing a New Benefit to Support Employees Affected by Legislation Limiting Access to Gender-Affirming Services
Indeed is introducing a new benefit to support US employees affected by legislation limiting access to gender-affirming services or threatening action for supporting non-conforming, transgender, or non-binary children. These impacted employees and their families will be allowed to relocate to a safer location without such restrictions, with $10,000 relocation expenses covered by Indeed, and salary adjustments based on the new location. The move demonstrates Indeed's commitment to supporting its trans employees and fighting anti-LGBTQ legislation and sets a precedent I hope other companies will be pressured to follow. The statement from senior leadership reads “We believe that everyone has the right to make the healthcare decisions that they feel are right for themselves and their families.” Yes, Indeed.
Call to Action:
Follow Mita Mallick on LinkedIn and check out her Brown Table Talk podcast for awesome career and workplace advice.