Category: Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is an important and ongoing strategy of any HR plan. Ensuring that your company supports hiring, engaging, and retaining diverse workers with varied backgrounds will set your company up for long-term success and an increased bottom line. This topic offers the latest strategies for talent management, key insights from diversity leaders, case studies on D&I in the workplace, and more.

A Decades-Long Commitment to DEI

It’s perhaps due to the traditionally unsung nature of human resources and DEI that so few of the diversity leaders we feature in our profiles had such roles in mind when they started their careers. Instead, they embarked upon careers in fields like marketing, sales, finance or operations and found their way to HR and […]

Benefits Disconnect: Closing the Perception Gap for Mental Health

People don’t want to be told what to do; they want to be heard. In my experience as a clinician and an executive in people operations, the greatest opportunities for both personal and organizational change occur in a psychologically safe environment that invites engagement. Such safety is established in one-on-one conversations and by fostering company-wide […]

The Shift in Corporate Abortion Policies and Support

It’s hard to find a more controversial and polarizing topic than abortion. It not only is an extremely personal issue but also straddles the intersection of three subjects that are generally best avoided in the office: religion, politics, and sex. Supreme Court Decision Creates Controversy But in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision […]

Workplace Investigations: Leveraging the ‘Honest-Belief Rule’

Conducting investigations of disputed workplace events is a routine responsibility for HR leaders. Faced with disputed facts, employers can make reasonable fact determinations based on a diligent probe and still obtain summary dismissal of a discrimination claim. A recent decision from the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals confirms how employers can best ensure the […]

HR Works Presents A Seat at the Table: The Power of a Vulnerable Leader

In the latest episode of A Seat at the Table, listen in as Elena Valentine, CEO and Co-founder of SkillScout Films, a media company that has helped some of the most iconic brands tell their stories, discusses the value of fostering storytelling cultures, emotional connections, kindred curiosity, and more in today’s workplace. On July 20th, Elena […]

What Does ‘Equity’ Really Mean to Effective DEI?

In preparing for this piece, I set my sights on demystifying the term “equity,” as in diversity, equity, and inclusion, (DEI). I wanted to explore the part equity plays in creating a healthier workplace culture, which led me to this question: “What exactly is the difference between ‘equity’ and ‘equality’?”  I came across this situation […]

How Objective Hiring Methods Can Reduce Bias and Discrimination

It has never been more important for HR teams to be capable of building and sustaining a diverse workforce. Companies with diverse employees aren’t just more innovative and high-performing than their peers; they’re also in a stronger position to attract and retain top talent. However, many organizations are still using traditional hiring methods that constrain […]

Failure to Accommodate Autistic Worker Ends with Settlement of EEOC Disability Lawsuit

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) prohibit an employer from discriminating against an individual who is (1) disabled within the statutes’ meaning and (2) qualified to perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation. Once an employee discloses the need for a reasonable accommodation, […]

lgbtq+ workplace inclusion

LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion Infographic

As Pride Month comes to an end, we’re taking a look at how to build inclusive workplaces for the LGBTQ+ community. Over 25 million people are openly LGBTQ+, but 10% of out employees leave their jobs because they feel the work environment is unsafe. So, what protections are in place for the community, and what […]

Reggie Willis: Making a Difference By Taking a Strategic Approach to DEI

We often find that the chief diversity officers (CDOs) we speak to are driven by a passion for helping and working with people. That passion doesn’t necessarily focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) specifically or exclusively, but DEI work tends to be a great outlet for that passion. And it has been a great […]