Recent research underscores the scale of the challenge:

• Approximately 10.8 million full-time workers have a substance use disorder
• 200 millionworkdays are lost each year due to mental health challenges
• Employers spend more than $5M per year per 1,000 employees on mental health-related costs
• Since the pandemic,63%of employees say employee well-being is more important than ever

In response, organizations are adopting the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) model. This nationally recognized training helps employees identify early signs of distress, respond with empathy, and connect peers to the right support before issues escalate.

How MHFA Training Works

Participants of the MHFA program walk away with a 5-step action plan to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness or substance use disorders. The curriculum covers common conditions like depression, anxiety, psychosis, and trauma, and emphasizes connecting individuals to the right professional, peer, or self-help support. The program itself is not intended to diagnose or treat. Instead, it is designed to help employees recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges; engage in open conversations using evidence-based strategies; and connect peers to professional care or internal resources.

CHROs say the program leads to increased mental health literacy, reduced stigma, and greater confidence in supporting peers. Many organizations find that MHFA becomes a bridge between reactive EAP services and a more proactive, peer-embedded support culture.

Training options include:

• A standard 8-hour course (in-person or blended format)
• Specialized modules tailored to different audiences, including workplaces
• A 3-day facilitator certification for in-house trainers

How Employers are Customizing MHFA

The MHFA model is consistent, but how it’s implemented can vary based on an organization’s structure, culture, and employee demographics. For example, some companies offer adapted, shorter awareness sessions that are not part of the core curriculum. Here’s how three employers brought MHFA into their organizations in distinct ways, each adapting the program to their own realities.

Three Custom Approaches to MHFA

Giant Eagle

• Industry: Retail/Grocery
• Employees: 36,000
• Distinct challenges: Frontline heavy, distributed workforce

Giant Eagle adopted a “train-the-trainer” model to speed up implementation. Specifically, they certified internal facilitators via 3-day trainings who then led sessions for regional frontline leaders. The in-person sessions emphasized improving accessibility and retention among high-turnover and older demographics. All participants passed the certification, leading to gains in knowledge and confidence across the board.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

• Industry: Finance
• Employees: 3,000
• Distinct Challenges: High stress roles; security staff see most employees daily

Leadership at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York decided to deliver training across multiple functional areas, most notable including building security officers. Officers were prioritized because of their regular interactions with staff. Training was paired with Lyra Health, a mental health benefits platform, and supported by ongoing internal events and communication. In addition to strengthening early intervention and support pathways, the trainings helped encourage more staff to attend internal wellness events.

Zachry Construction

• Industry: Industrial/Construction
• Employees: 22,500
• Distinct challenge: Physically demanding roles, jobsite culture

Zachry Construction adopted MHFA through a jobsite safety lens. Participants included field leads and safety officers. Notably, champions of the program applied stickers to their hard hats to visibly signal their support. Ultimately, the tactic led to stronger peer trust and willingness to seek support. Now, MHFA is seen as part of the company’s safety culture.

Best Practices Across Employers

While these employers operate in disparate industries with different workforces, their MHFA implementations share several strategic throughlines. What worked in each case included thoughtful adaptation of the model to workforce realities, culture, and infrastructure. Across all three examples, we consistently see the following approaches show the strongest engagement and impact:

Planning To Embed MHFA In Your Workplace? Start Here.

Mental Health First Aid offers a tested, replicable way to build a more responsive workplace for organizations struggling with burnout, absenteeism, low engagement, and other issues. It doesn’t replace clinical care, but it can change how colleagues show up for one another day to day. If you are considering embedding MFHA in how your teams operate, start by answering these questions:

• Who are we training first? (Frontline, HR, site leads?)
• What format fits best? (Standard course vs. adapted awareness session?)
• How will we signal who’s trained?
• What support do our First Aiders need?
• How does this fit into our broader wellbeing ecosystem?

The post A New Kind of First Responder: Equipping Employees to Support Well-Being through Mental Health First Aid appeared first on Seramount.

Why? Accessibility. AI is no longer reserved for engineers and data scientists. Tools like ChatGPT are available to anyone with a computer or smartphone. No coding, no complex interfaces—just natural language inputs that allow users to engage seamlessly.

Another key factor is AI’s evolving capability. Today’s AI isn’t just about automation—it generates new, human-like content, from written articles to complex data analysis. The result? AI is becoming a general-purpose technology that will transform nearly every industry.

That transformation is already underway. AI investments are set to skyrocket, with 75% of companies planning to invest in AI within the next five years. Analysts predict AI-driven automation could impact up to 30% of work hours and 50% of tasks across industries. Goldman Sachs even estimates a 7% increase in global GDP over the next decade due to AI advancements.

As Bill Gates put it: “AI’s impact will be as big as the introduction of the PC. Word processing applications didn’t do away with office work, but they changed it forever.”

AI Won’t Take Your Job—But Someone Using AI Might

Some jobs will be eliminated, but more will evolve. Journalism is already seeing AI-generated content at scale. Basic coding, technical writing, and financial analysis are also shifting. But AI isn’t just replacing jobs—it’s transforming them.

Job postings reflect this shift. Consider these real listings from Indeed:

• Graphic Designer: “Familiarity with AI and ChatGPT technology.”
• Protein Sciences Research Scientist: “Experience utilizing artificial intelligence for protein design and related applications.”
• Content Writer & Researcher: “Proficiency in AI prompting and navigation.”

AI skills are no longer confined to tech roles. Job postings requiring AI proficiency have increased by 1,800% over the past two years. This follows the historical pattern of disruptive technology—just as the Internet revolutionized business in the 1990s, AI is now reshaping work.

Economist Richard Baldwin captured this reality: “AI won’t take your job. Somebody using AI will take your job.”

The AI Skills Gap: Employers vs. Higher Education

Here’s the problem: Employers want AI-ready talent but struggle to articulate what they need that talent to do. And higher education is struggling to keep up.

• Job postings remain vague. In the past year, 71% of postings mentioning AI included no details on what AI tools or skills were required. Companies struggle to define specific AI applications in their roles, leaving students and universities unclear on what to teach.
• AI skills are barely mentioned in entry-level hiring. Only 7% of entry-level job postings request AI-related skills, and most are for technical roles, leaving nontechnical fields behind.
• Higher education operates on a different timeline. Universities analyze job market data, but curricula and new degree programs evolve too slowly to keep pace with AI’s rapid development. Without clear employer signals, universities risk teaching outdated or irrelevant AI skills.

This disconnect is a missed opportunity. The organizations that successfully integrate AI into hiring and the higher education institutions that weave practical use cases into their curriculum will shape the future of work.

AI as a Case Study: The Need for Employer-Education Partnerships

We’ve seen successful collaboration before. Consider the accounting field, where the National Accounting Board works directly with higher education faculties to shape curricula based on industry needs. This ensures students graduate with relevant skills, reducing the learning curve for new hires.

The same approach is needed for AI. Employers and universities must work together to identify:

• Which tasks AI will automate vs. augment. For example, cybersecurity analysts used to manually evaluate phishing attempts. With AI handling detection, analysts now focus on broader security strategy.
• Where AI complements existing work. The World Economic Forum predicts that for data scientists, 35% of tasks will be automated, 55% augmented, and 10% unaffected.

Understanding these breakdowns across fields, disciplines, and jobs will help universities adjust their programs accordingly.

Bridging the Gap with Job Simulations

This is where Forage comes in. Job simulations offer a scalable, real-world solution to closing the AI skills gap.

Forage connects early- to mid-career talent with leading companies through virtual job simulations that reflect real employer needs. Instead of theoretical coursework, candidates engage in practical tasks—like learning how a company uses AI for data analysis, marketing, or coding.

For companies, this provides a way to signal AI skill requirements more clearly than traditional job postings. For the candidate, it offers tangible AI experience before entering the workforce. Talent walks away knowing what to expect before applying for the role with skills employers actually need.

Preparing for the AI-Driven Workforce

AI’s impact on the workforce is undeniable. But the transition won’t be smooth unless employers and universities collaborate to define AI competencies. The future of work won’t be dictated solely by AI’s capabilities—but by how well we prepare the next generation to use it.

The post AI Is Reshaping Work—But Are Employers Ready? appeared first on Seramount.

Rapidly evolving consumer needs, demographics, and preferences present both challenges and opportunities for all businesses. Today’s changing customers expect increasingly personalized and customized experiences tied to brands aligned with their values.

Truly understanding your diverse customers involves integrating best practices for customer-centric DEI across your organization to create a more inclusive ecosystem directly impacting your customer experience and bottom line.

As Clara Stroude-Vazquez, Chief of Culture and Inclusion at the Miami Heat NBA basketball team puts it, “DEI has many layers, you have to think about it from a customer-facing standpoint and making your customers feel welcome when they interact with your brand.”

“DEI has many layers, you have to think about it from a customer-facing standpoint and making your customers feel welcome when they interact with your brand.”

Clara Stroude-Vazquez, Chief of Culture and Inclusion, Miami Heat

Getting this right means improving organizational performance with inclusive products and services. While customer inclusion presents many market opportunities, this article focuses on the business benefits of size inclusion through a case study of the Miami Heat.

The Heat’s size-inclusive products are innovatively capturing new markets, meeting diverse customer needs, and promoting a sense of fan and employee belonging.

Size Inclusion: The Business Value of Customer-Centric DEI

The story of the Heat’s success, however, would not have been possible without leaders’ awareness of the team’s diversifying customer base, part of a broader local and national market phenomenon.

As Jeff Chen, a leader in the smartphone 3D body scanning industry points out, average body types and sizes in the US are rapidly evolving, with growth in the market for plus-size fashion expanding at twice the rate of total apparel sales in the United States.

Yet the Heat’s work responding to these dramatic demographic shifts and market opportunities remains the exception rather than the rule. Recent cross-industry research broadly demonstrates the prevalence of out-of-date brands and attitudes regarding size inclusion.

Marketing researcher Omar Rodríguez-Vilá (Emory University), for example, recently conducted a social media analysis finding that leading US firms across all industries fail to represent diversity in the marketplace. According to the research, considering skin type, body type, and physical (dis)ability, major US brands lag 20 years behind the current demographic makeup of the country.

Recent data from the fashion industry paints a picture of a sector equally out of touch with marketplace reality; the latest Vogue Business size inclusivity report finds an incremental decrease in total size inclusivity represented across 230 major fashion shows and presentations. Of the 8,800 looks presented, only 0.8 percent were plus-size (down from 0.9 percent last season) while a mere 3.7 percent were mid-size (a decline from last season’s 3.9 percent).

Vogue data on menswear reveals an even starker reality: out of 2,855 looks, only 1.5 percent were mid-size (down from 7.7 percent from last season) while a mere 0.2 percent were plus-size (down 50% from last season).

Case Study: The Miami Heat and Size-Inclusive Apparel

Keenly aware of the impact of these gaps between broader market shifts and their past product offerings, brand and DEI leaders at the Heat worked tirelessly to create a one-of-a-kind size-inclusive apparel line.

Engaging the customer of the future, it turned out, required a data-driven awareness of specific demographic changes to their fan base. For the Heat, creating a truly inclusive fan experience capitalizing on these new business opportunities meant developing a new line of size-inclusive apparel designed with all sizes in mind.

Heat leaders were quick to recognize the most pressing inclusion gaps in their merchandise offerings, with women’s clothing in particular lacking variety, design choices, and size options. If past offerings excluded a significant portion of their fanbase, new designs could promote inclusion and engage women fans while also driving business outcomes.

Yet Heat leadership also quickly came to understand the core problem they would need to overcome to achieve this goal: limited sizing options from existing suppliers.

As this example proves, even in today’s context of rapidly evolving demographics, existing constraints mean that customer-centric DEI solutions are rarely easy, simple, or straightforward.

Jennifer Alvarez, project lead and Senior Vice President of Brand and Chief Creative Officer at the Heat, shares that the work involved staying the course for long-term business and DEI outcomes: “It took us eight years to get to a place where we can finally have this conversation.”

The Court Culture Line: Women-led, Self-sourced

As Alvarez and Stroude-Vasquez put it, the journey to a size-inclusive brand can be as challenging as it is rewarding: “We can do hard things together—inclusion benefits everyone.”

The transformative Court Culture Line that the Heat ultimately developed was women-led and self-sourced.Unable to find existing manufacturers offering inclusive sizing, the Heat’s solution involved manufacturing in-house.

Taking matters into her own hands, Alvarez ultimately partnered with a garment manufacturer to source, design, and manufacture new garments. The result: they were able to offer a wider range of styles and sizes (XS–4X) for women.

The Court Culture Line: Apparel for All

The Heat’s commitment to size inclusion engages fans of all ages, cultures, and sizes. The impact of customer inclusion was immediate. The Heat captured a new market, directly engaging the customer of the future.

The Business Impact of the Heat’s Size-inclusion Program:

• Increased sales and a more inclusive shopping experience
• More balanced shopper demographics (50/50 men and women in a sports franchise context)
• Positive feedback from fans and employees who had previously felt excluded
• Social media stories highlighting the emotional impact of size inclusion on lived experiences

Stroude-Vazquezadds that the program helped re-confirm and broaden the bulletproof business case for DEI: “Our leadership understands why this is important. The results confirm we did the right thing. They also confirm the holistic business case for DEI.”

For the Heat’s innovators, belonging together meant moving beyond exclusive, limiting options that defined the broader marketplace. The end result ultimately offered fans who had been historically excluded from fully immersive experiences a chance to participate.

Key Takeaways: Size Inclusion Case Study

• Needs assessment is crucial: identify gaps in your offerings to directly address the customer of the future.
• Building strong partnerships inside and outside the organization is essential for success.
• Inclusive practices can create positive brand perception and help propel sales growth.
• Understanding the customer of the future can open new markets, drive innovation, and create novel experiences.

Building a Comprehensive Customer Inclusion Strategy

As the Heat’s award-winning DEI work demonstrates, engaging the customer of the future is critical to organizational outcomes today.The business benefits of inclusive design and marketing practices across products and experiences are clear.

Integrating DEI into these areas improves customer experience and product quality while increasing market share and revenue. Successfully integrating inclusion across the organization, however, is an ongoing journey rather than a destination.

Need help navigating today’s increasingly diverse workplace and marketplace? Connect with Seramount and learn how we can help you take your organization’s DEI strategy to the next level.

The post Size Inclusion: The Miami Heat, Customer-Centric DEI, and the Customer of the Future appeared first on Seramount.

Krista Lindsey [KL]: Is it okay if I interview you for a blog I am working on? If so, what can I call you?

ChatGPT [CG]: Of course, I’d be happy to help with your interview for the blog! You can refer to me simply as ChatGPT, your AI collaborator. What do you want to talk about?

[KL]: Thank you! Can you explain in plain language what generative AI is for our audience?

[CG]: Absolutely! Imagine you have a really smart assistant who’s not just good at answering questions but can also create new things—like writing a story, drawing a picture, or even composing music. Generative AI is like that assistant. It’s a type of artificial intelligence that can generate new content, something that didn’t exist before, after learning from a lot of examples.

For instance, if you’ve seen beautiful artwork or read an article that was created by AI, that’s generative AI at work. It learns from lots of data—like thousands of paintings or countless books—and then it can create something on its own that feels new and original. So, in simple terms, generative AI is a tool that helps create new things based on what it has learned from existing information.

[KL]: Thank you for setting that foundation. Do you believe that gen AI can be beneficial to those who are neurodivergent?

[CG]: Absolutely, generative AI holds significant potential benefits for individuals who are neurodivergent. Neurodivergent people, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurocognitive variations, often have unique learning styles, communication preferences, and ways of interacting with the world. Generative AI can be tailored to support these diverse needs in several impactful ways:

1. Customized Learning: Tailors educational content to learning styles
2. Assistive Tools: Aids in writing, organizing, and communicating
3. Social Interaction: Enhances social skills through virtual practice
4. Sensory Processing: Adjusts digital environments for sensory needs
5. Routine and Organization: Designs personalized schedules and reminders
6. Employment and Creativity: Supports creativity and automates routine tasks

Harnessing AI for Neurodiversity: Practical Prompts for Professional Success

In the enlightening article “AI, Generative Production, & Accessibility,” authors Melissa A. Clark and Melanie E. Gagich explore the use of AI and generative production by students with various neurotypes. A standout feature of this piece is the showcase of diverse sample prompts and the outputs generated by ChatGPT, tailored for students. Building on this innovative approach and continuing my interview with gen AI, here are several prompts designed to assist professionals in advancing their projects.

[KL]:  Pretend you’re supporting neurodivergent employees in their daily work tasks. What are some sample prompts that tailor assistance to accommodate the unique needs associated with various aspects of neurodiversity?

ChatGPT 4.0 Response:

For Employees with ADHD:

1. “Can you suggest a tool that breaks my projects into smaller, actionable tasks and reminds me of deadlines?”
2. “What’s the best way to minimize distractions in my digital workspace?”
3. “How can I effectively prioritize my tasks when everything feels urgent?”

For Autistic Employees:

1. “How can I create a predictable work schedule that accommodates unexpected tasks or changes?”
2. “What tools can help me manage sensory overload while working?”
3. “How can I leverage technology to streamline team collaboration in a way that aligns with my communication strengths?”

For Dyslexic Employees:

1. “What are the best tools for converting text to speech or for helping with reading and writing tasks?”
2. “How can I organize digital files for easy retrieval when text labels are challenging?”
3. “Can you provide tips for making detailed reports or presentations more manageable?”

For Employees with Dyspraxia:

1. “What strategies can help me organize my physical and digital workspace for efficiency?”
2. “How can I use technology to streamline tasks that require fine motor skills?”
3. “What’s the best way to plan my day to accommodate physical movement and rest?”

For Employees with Social Anxiety:

1. “What are the most effective ways to prepare for meetings or presentations to reduce anxiety?”
2. “How can I set boundaries in digital communication to manage my workload and social interactions?”
3. “Can you recommend tools that facilitate asynchronous communication with my team?”

For Employees with Sensory Processing Sensitivities:

1. “What are the best noise-canceling tools or apps to use in an open office or public setting?”
2. “How can I adjust my virtual meeting setup to reduce sensory overload?”
3. “What workspace adjustments can reduce the impact of harsh lighting or screen glare?”

Navigating Generative AI Bias

In the exploration of generative AI and its intersection with neurodiversity, the challenge of bias within AI systems emerges as a critical concern. Even within this article, I have adjusted some of ChatGPT’s responses to eliminate dialogue that does not align with Seramount’s inclusive language principles. Insights from the article “Shedding light on AI bias with real world examples” by the IBM Data and AI Team highlight the complexity of this issue. Biases, embedded in data and algorithms, can amplify negative outcomes, particularly affecting neurodivergent individuals who may face misrepresentation or exclusion in AI-generated content. This underscores the necessity for ethical AI development that actively includes and values diverse cognitive profiles, ensuring that AI supports rather than sidelines neurodivergent individuals.

To navigate and mitigate these biases, robust AI governance focused on compliance, transparency, and fairness is paramount. Drawing on IBM’s advocacy for ethical AI practices, including thorough evaluation processes and secure deployment, it becomes evident that generative AI must be developed with a deep understanding of and commitment to inclusivity. By adopting such an approach, we can guide generative AI toward being a force for positive change, fostering an environment where technology celebrates and amplifies the richness of human diversity, making the digital realm accessible and empowering for everyone.

Interested In Learning More?

Generative AI is just one of the many subjects that can affect neurodivergent folks in the workplace, and we recognize that. With a commitment to fostering inclusivity and understanding, we have consistently organized events tailored to address these crucial issues. Leading these initiatives is Jess Kramer, our Associate Director of Events Programming, who has been instrumental in bringing insightful discussions on neurodiversity to the forefront. Our April 9 Member Webinar on neurodiversity promises to keep the discussion going.

What will this program entail? We’re excited to feature an enlightening keynote by Haley Moss, a renowned neurodiversity expert, attorney, advocate, thought leader, and author. Haley’s presentation will highlight the value of neurodiversity in the workplace, offer practical advice on navigating common challenges in the job-seeking process, and provide guidance on supporting neurodivergent individuals through disclosure and accommodations. Additionally, attendees will gain insights into encouraging open communication for successful employment and an introduction to universal design principles. This event will also include sessions that communicate the success of Goldman Sachs Neurodiversity Hiring Initiative and KPMG will showcase their inclusive neurodivergent training models.

All our Diversity Best Practice partners are invited to register. If you’re not yet a partner, this is the perfect time to join us on this important journey.

The post AI and Me: Navigating Neurodiversity and Technology’s New Frontier appeared first on Seramount.

Developing and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs is already an imperative in travel and tourism, particularly given the perennial talent drought in the sector. Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano recently cited the labor shortage as “the most significant challenge being faced by the hotel industry.” In this context, and with general population data showing that 50 percent of candidates won’t consider an organization with a bad employer brand and 67 percent of job seekers look at the diversity of the workforce, DEI simply can’t be ignored from a talent recruitment and retainment perspective.

However, to effectively put programs in place, organizations first need to engage and learn from diverse perspectives to identify and understand what barriers and challenges exist. The experiences of their customers will allow for them to take a holistic approach to addressing these issues.

So, what should corporations do?

Double Down on DEI Efforts

The good news is that most large corporations have at least gotten started on their DEI journey. The majority have created DEI policies, installed DEI teams, stood up ERGs, rolled out training, and launched professional development initiatives for underrepresented talent. Additionally, many are starting to benchmark against other companies and have applied to Seramount’s Best Companies List. From gender parity initiatives to supplier diversity programs, here are some strong examples of what companies have done:

IHG has assigned every member of their executive team a DEI-focused goal, committed to gender parity at group leadership levels, and rolled out an inclusion training program across the organization, amongst other initiatives. SIXT has launched a particularly bold initiative with their “Female Career Tandem.”  The initiative means that all employees, regardless of gender, are “accompanied in their professional and personal development by a female manager for over a year.” 

United has rolled out systemwide trainings and created a mutual mentoring program that pairs leaders across levels and cultures. The airline also recently “updated appearance standards for uniformed, customer-facing employees to reflect a modernized look and more inclusive standards to better express individuality,” a development that we have now been seeing at many other organizations, such as Disney. 

Some organizations have also done great work in expanding the reach of their DEI programs to better account for external stakeholders. Hilton, for example, has developed a robust supplier diversity program and now has more than 2,500 diverse- and women-owned suppliers and a total of more than $221 million in diverse supplier spend. In 2022, Marriott launched “Bridging the Gap,” its multi-year $50 million hotel development program to “help propel historically underrepresented groups in the journey to hotel ownership.”

Learn About Customer Experiences from Diverse Perspectives

While having a more diverse workforce and an inclusive internal culture will contribute to a more inclusive experience for customers, that alone is not enough to really move the needle. 

Many organizations have started taking different approaches to tapping into diverse perspectives and gain a better understanding of different travel experiences. American Airlines recently formed its Community Council, made up of seven distinguished Black leaders, which is intended to “provide the airline with critical objective insight, perspectives, and support on the challenges Black customers face.”  This approach has already led to more Black representation in dining, in-flight products, and entertainment. 

It’s also very important to dig into the data where possible. For example, Airbnb has conducted an extensive audit of metrics such as “booking success rate” to better understand where both conscious and unconscious discrimination exists in customer experiences. 

However, one of the greatest opportunities for better understanding diverse experiences and perspectives is through engaging employees and activating ERGs. Hyatt is a fantastic example of a corporation doing just that. Hyatt’s approach is that “each Diversity Business Resource Group should be focusing on inclusionary goals and objectives that ultimately influence business results in the categories of workforce, workplace, and/or marketplace.”

Translate Insights into Action to Create More Inclusive Travel Experiences

To turn those insights into more inclusive customer experiences, corporations then need to act to implement change. This involves commitment from stakeholders across all business lines. 

Airbnb, through Project Lighthouse, has created a resource center to help hosts learn how to foster belonging, including tips for hosting guests with accessibility needs and advice for welcoming LGBTQ+ guests. Also, Airbnb reports removing 1.3 million people from the platform for “declining to treat others without judgement or bias.” Finally, their humility in stating “there’s still a lot more work to be done” is realistic and commendable. 

Disney has made numerous changes thanks to feedback actively sought from “cast members” around the world. For example, in 2021, several rides with racist connotations were “rethemed.” Disney has also made strong inroads in creating more inclusive experiences for neurodivergent individuals by partnering with firms specialized in neurodivergent accessibility to start providing break areas for overstimulation, companion bathrooms, and attraction details that gauge level of stimulation. 

Marketing and communications departments also have a key role to play in the way they position their brands. A highly visible commitment to DEI, such as displaying awards and inclusive imagery in advertising, can help reinforce inclusion and belonging. Airlines including Lufthansa, Alaska Airlines, and Avianca have started deploying airplanes with special Pride livery to demonstrate their support of the LGBTQ+ community. Rainbow flags are also frequently seen at hotels and other establishments. 

Hilton is a particularly noteworthy example of a large corporation doubling down on inclusive marketing. The company has consistently leveraged the insights of their Pride TMRG (Team Member Resource Group) both to help create “even more meaningful and inclusive travel experiences” and develop much more inclusive marketing. In general, Hilton has strived to leverage images of diverse guests, stating, “We’re proud to depict and reflect our guest diversity in our advertising.”

Delta, in addition to ensuring the use of diverse imagery in its own advertising, is going one step further. Through their “Faces of Travel” initiative, the airline created a “collection of visual assets that showcases a diverse range of travelers in various destinations that breaks away from stereotypes.” They’ve made this available to Adobe Stock’s more than three million users at no cost. 

All that being said, it’s important for marketing and communications to ensure that well-intentioned attempts to celebrate diversity and inclusion don’t cross certain lines and end up causing offense. There are far too many examples of marketing missteps involving cultural appropriation or insensitive language or imagery. Marketing teams should engage their DEI team to leverage their insight. Careful wording is important, and seeking out diverse perspectives can help avoid potential damaging blunders. 

Whilst this blog focuses on examples from travel and tourism, there are lessons here that can be applied across all industries. Organizations need to ensure that internally they are leading the way in DEI but also find ways to learn from diverse perspectives and then translate that insight into action to create more inclusive and equitable experiences for all their stakeholders, both internal and external.  

Contact me directly at james.cowling@seramount.com to learn more about how Seramount’s DBP Membership can support the advancement of your organization’s DEI strategy.

The post Three Ways the Travel and Tourism Industry Can Create a More Inclusive Experience appeared first on Seramount.

Some employers, recognizing this growing intersectionality, have been moving away from traditional affinity-based employee resource groups (ERGs), preferring to address all “multicultural” needs together. They have created Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) councils or other groups that have representatives from various affinities but look at DEI issues more holistically. Employers also are responding to requests from some employees who feel that affinity-based groups are unfair to those who haven’t been historically marginalized.

With these trends in mind, Seramount asked this critical question: Are affinity-based ERGs (centered on individual dimensions of diversity) still necessary? A Seramount survey of more than 200 ERG members finds the answer is a resounding yes.

Download the full report, The Future of ERGs: Are Affinity-Based Groups Still Necessary?

Here are some of our key findings:

Groups Based on Specific Identities Are More Crucial than Ever

Are affinity groups still necessary in the modern multicultural workforce? The survey found powerful evidence that ERGs remain important to underrepresented talent, including young workers. Some specific reasons that were highlighted by respondents include:

• Affinity groups create a vital space during turbulent times: “[No affinity groups would create a] lack of a safe space to talk about issues impacting my specific identities. [Which leads to] fear of my identity group not getting the strong advocacy that they need.”
• Affinity groups create a sense of community and belonging: Data from BetterUp links higher levels of employee belonging to a 56 percent increase in job performance, a 50 percent decrease in turnover, and a 75 percent reduction in sick days.
• ERGs advance business needs that benefit specific markets: “I don’t think we’ve evolved to a level that is inclusive organically. [DEI] is not quite yet how we do business…dismantling the perspectives that each DEI group brings to the table [could lead to smaller groups being] left behind.”
• Affinity groups help meet the different needs of different groups: “There are varying needs of the affinity groups and merging them all into one silences the concerns and unique experiences of each group.”

Respondents Urging More Collaboration with Allies and Other Groups

In a variety of comments, respondents overwhelmingly said ERGs need stronger allies—people who do not identify with the affinity group but are publicly supportive. When more senior company officials serve as allies (sometimes as executive sponsors) they can help elevate the needs of the affinity group. To help increase inclusion of underrepresented talent, workplace allies can:

• Mirror the language someone uses to describe their own identity—such as using they/them pronouns—which works to remove stigma
• Intentionally recognize holidays of coworkers that may not be part of mainstream religion and acknowledge and support underrepresented team members when they may not feel confident speaking up at meetings

Survey comments also revealed a need for more collaboration and intersectionality between ERGs. There is a difference between collaboration and intersectionality. With collaboration, companies may encourage a business unit, such as a design team, to partner with an affinity-based ERG, such as a group for Black employees, to create a product that would be well-received by the Black community. With intersectionality, a company might encourage a Latine ERG and a Mental Well-Being ERG to create a survey for the Latine community to determine gaps in the community’s mental well-being.

Linking Affinity-Based Groups to Business Impact Is Crucial

In recent years, more companies have moved toward the business resource group (BRG) model, linking these groups directly to business goals, including internal goals (increasing representation, retention, and promotion rates) and marketplace goals (market share, customer cultural competence or increasing supplier diversity). Lately, BRGs, and some ERGs, have also been linked to environmental, sustainability, and governance (ESG) goals, which may also include community impact initiatives. Comments from survey respondents centered on a need for greater acknowledgment of the impact ERGs have on business needs, with many saying ERGs can make a crucial difference to business outcome.

• “ERGs should be more strategically embedded throughout the enterprise…they should also be tied to the innovation efforts of an organization—ways to crowdsource or center community perspectives.”
• “ERGs need to balance the needs of employees as well as the business. They need to be seen by the business as a true resource that can capture not only employee sentiments, but can actually function as captive focus groups.”

Respondents also stated that ERG leaders need to be credited for their roles—and they would prefer these roles not be for volunteers but be part of job descriptions. The respondents felt that creating evaluation and reward cycles for ERG leaders would increase their effectiveness.

• “…I would like to see ERG leadership become part of ERG leaders’ job expectations and have them receive increased compensation, as well as a rebalancing of their time and bandwidth so that they can devote sufficient time to ERG leadership in a meaningful way…”

Respondents Cite Need for Virtual, Global Mindsets

With so many now working in hybrid or fully remote workplaces, some respondents to the survey noted there are still few options and capabilities to take ERGs virtual and global. Having more virtual access will allow for more engagement and buy-in from employees, they said.

• “ERGs need to expand to partnering with other company ERGs, especially in a virtual first and hybrid environment.”
• “ERGs need to develop strategies to address a virtual workforce and keep people engaged while virtual.”

Seramount Recommendations

Based on the survey data and the decades of experience of Seramount’s DEI experts, we recommend:

• ERG collaboration: Social issues are intersectional, so ERGs have common areas of interest. Bringing in more perspectives can further DEI goals, including increasing representation and community/market outreach.
• ERGs can impact business results: ERG goals should directly follow business goals, including new market opportunities, innovative cost-savings, and creating inclusive cultures to support retention and engagement.
• ERG volunteer leadership should be part of performance evaluations: ERGs are usually volunteer-based. Leaders of these groups want their time and efforts to be part of their jobs and to be factored into advancement opportunities They are also interested in compensation/rewards for these efforts.
• ERGs need a virtual-first mindset: Events and opportunities through ERGs can be offered with as much accessibility and flexibility as possible. As more ERGs are global, the need for virtual access is even greater.

To access the complete research findings, download our report, The Future of ERGs: Are Affinity-Based Groups Still Necessary?

Interested in learning more about Seramount and how we can help you to advance your ERG strategy? Contact us.

The post The Future of ERGs: Are Affinity-Based Groups Still Necessary? appeared first on Seramount.

Sharing the stage with me were Paralympic triathlete and disability inclusion consultant Erin Brown, Disability:IN’s Global Disability Equality Index Director Dorothy Garcia, Sephora’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga, Accessibility Manager – Distribution Centers Jessica Jolly, and my colleague Sarah Crump, Director, Diversity Best Practices at Seramount.

My Own Experiences

The speakers I invited to the event represented various dimensions of disability: there were those with non-apparent disabilities, those with physical disabilities, and allies. Personally, I was excited to moderate this event because of my lived experience as an autistic woman. I didn’t have this understanding of myself until I was an adult.

I opened the program by sharing how medical gender bias and the differences that exist for autistic girls and women have left us (plus people of color and nonbinary folks) under-diagnosed and subsequently under-supported. The recent uptick in people, especially women, being diagnosed as autistic and with ADHD has led some people to think that there are more neurodivergent people today than before or that people are being over-diagnosed. However, the reality is that we’ve always existed; the nuances of these experiences are just being more clearly understood now.

The Power of Storytelling

A prevalent theme was the connective power of sharing our own stories.

Bahamian Erin Brown shared her personal story of resilience as someone who acquired a disability when she had a leg amputated following a cancer diagnosis. She found “courage in her cancer” and had a shift in perspective in navigating the world with a lens on accessibility, becoming a Paralympic triathlete.

She faced rejection and other barriers to employment. When she couldn’t get a job, she created her own by starting her disability inclusion consulting firm, Erin Brown Connects, to support others on their disability inclusion journeys. She is now also the sole person managing disability compliance at the University of The Bahamas.

Erin personalized her story further by sharing how disability inclusion benefits not just the employment space but families too. She is able to provide for her own family, which in turn impacts the community. “Access is a human right,” she said, and “accessibility today is inclusion tomorrow.”

Dorothy Garcia also shared her lived experience and connection to disability. Her rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis “have affected every single life decision I’ve made as an adult”—from where she lives to where she works to the timing of having children. Seventy-five percent of disabilities are, like hers, non-apparent ones. Growing up in the Philippines, she noticed how people with disabilities are often relegated to the background, and parents with disabled children are less likely to push their children to achieve life goals. She personally hid her disability in the workplace prior to working at Disability:IN, a nonprofit for business disability inclusion.

Disability Is Wide-Reaching and Intersectional

The rate of unemployment for people with disabilities in the United States is 10.1% compared to the unemployment rate among those without a disability, which is 5.1%. The number of unemployed autistic college grads is at approximately 80%, almost 20 times the national average. The consequences of not being understood and supported can be tragic. The rate of suicide for autistic folks is three times higher than for allistic folks.

Looking at disability more broadly, we highlighted how disability is intersectional and shifting: it cuts across every dimension of diversity, and anyone can become disabled at any time. One in four adults in the United States has a disability, 15–20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent, and almost half of adults over 60 have a disability.

Dorothy also shared just how prevalent disability is globally and how serious the barriers can be. At least one billion people, 15% of the world’s population, have a disability. Unemployment among persons with disabilities is as high as 80% in some countries.

How Companies Can Create Inclusive Environments for Employees with Disabilities

Disability allies from Sephora, a member of Disability:IN, shared their practical approach to disability inclusion. George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga positioned disability inclusion as part of Sephora’s overall DEI strategy of being a DEI employer, retailer, and partner of choice.

Jessica Jolly launched their newest ERG, SephorAbility, and manages the All Abilities Hiring Initiative, a nine-week paid program leveraging local advocacy groups and educational institutions to train and recruit people with disabilities. Since launching in 2017, the program has provided jobs to 246 disabled candidates across four distribution centers. Overall, people with disabilities make up 3% of total Sephora employees and 9% in their distribution centers.

Their keys to a successful disability recruitment program include top-down commitment, buy-in from people leaders (with communication and hands-on trainings), ensuring the interview process is inclusive and the work environment is ADA-accessible, and providing reasonable accommodations and ongoing support. Sephora plans to expand this initiative into their stores and corporate offices soon.

As Dorothy pointed out, the wins for companies are clear: there’s huge market share and spending power of people with disabilities, disability is an asset to companies as opposed to a liability, accessibility is key for clients and customers, and companies have an opportunity to brand themselves as pioneers and drivers of inclusion.

Disability:IN’s Disability Equality Index (DEI) can also help companies on their disability inclusion journeys. It is a comprehensive benchmarking tool helping companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions toward disability inclusion and equality. This year, there were 415 participants (most of whom are Fortune 1000 companies), whose work is measured in the areas of Culture and Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment Practices, Community Engagement, Supplier Diversity, and Non-US Operations.

A few key takeaways from their pilot include these: company satellite locations need in-country, local leaders who have lived experience with disability and/or are strong allies for the disability community, and inclusive leadership needs to come from multiple levels, including from the C-suite, an active ERG, and an in-country leader who is an ally.

Attendees Ask Their Pressing Questions

Attendees had some tough questions for the presenters, who were prepared with practical answers. Some key takeaways included these:

• Folks with non-apparent disabilities may opt to not disclose unless accommodations are needed and then disclose solely to HR to ensure legal support is provided. Erin recommended potentially suggesting what accommodations would be most helpful. If folks are more comfortable, they may choose to stand in solidarity with others who can’t hide their disabilities and disclose more broadly to their colleagues.

• It’s important to have true commitment from senior leaders and have a DEI internal census, which anonymously collects data to share in an aggregated way with HR. ERGs also play a critical role in sharing those messages of inclusion.

• Erin reminded attendees of the importance of getting buy-in across the organization and working to address other gaps, including understanding the importance of universal design and employee retention.

The Business Case for Disability Inclusion

The NDEAM webinar exemplified why disability inclusion needs to be an essential component of every organization’s DEI strategy. It isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also good for companies’ bottom line. Most companies report no additional (or very minimal) cost for accommodations, and companies with inclusive environments for disabled folks report 28% higher revenue. Autistic people alone can be up to 140% more productive than non-autistic people when working with jobs aligned with our skills. Disabled people broadly bring fresh perspective and innovation to the table and are reported to have higher retention rates too. Plus, 87% of US customers would prefer to support businesses employing disabled folks.

We have an opportunity with a new hybrid work model to continue our path to progress by listening to disabled folks, many of whom have been unsuccessfully advocating for remote/flexible work for many years. Remote work also is more inclusive for parents/caregivers with changing schedules as well as people of color who experience fewer microaggressions. Including disabled people in policies and programs for us is essential to meaningful change. Nothing About Us Without Us!

To provide more information, my colleagues Christian, Krista, and I have created a one-pager on supporting neurodivergent folks in the workplace, but these tips can be supportive of those who identify as neurotypical as well. When you design workplaces for the most marginalized, everyone benefits.

Each heritage month, Seramount hosts a celebratory webinar for all employees of our Diversity Best Practices’ member organizations to facilitate engagement, learning, conversation, and community. Interested in learning more about membership? Contact Us.

The post Lessons Learned from Our Powerful National Disability Employment Awareness Month Event appeared first on Seramount.

• Download or order the official 2022 NDEAM poster and create a display (or Slack channel!) to encourage employees to engage with the company’s commitment to an inclusive work environment and learn about people’s experiences.
• Review policies to ensure they demonstrate a commitment to an inclusive workplace culture.
• Launch an employees with disabilities employee resource group (ERG) to offer opportunities for employees to connect, engage, and learn about people with similar and different backgrounds. Ensure allies of people with disabilities can also join.
• Host refresher trainings with managers and employees to review relevant policies and learn through informal educational events, such as lunch and learns.
• Create an easily accessible resource bank that can facilitate activities to learn, such as disability etiquette materials and the “I Can” public service announcement.
• Offer time for employees to participate in Disability Mentoring Day, which promotes career development for youth with disabilities. This event is held on the third Wednesday of October, but companies have the option to host their own events on any day of the month (or throughout the year!).

Below, see what some Diversity Best Practices members are doing to support NDEAM this year:

Freddie Mac

Freddie Mac has a business resource group (BRG) dedicated to abilities that will host several activities throughout the month, including:

• Diversity consultant Dr. Betty Lovelace for a virtual event, “Hidden in Plain View: Beyond the Mask.” In addition, employees will participate in a forum on the importance of housing for individuals with special needs.
• Margaux Joffe, award-winning producer and founder of Kaleidoscope Society for Women with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, will lead a discussion on “ADHD in the Workplace.”

Nasdaq

Nasdaq’s Accessibility Network, dedicated to the company’s differently-abled employees, caregivers to people with disabilities, and their allies, will be hosting several events for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, including:

• A discussion session on the documentary “The Reason I Jump,” a movie that follows non-speaking children with autism around the world.
• A giving campaign in which Nasdaq employees will be encouraged to donate to charities dedicated to people with disabilities; Nasdaq will match these donations.
• An interview with Eric LeGrand, former Rutgers defensive tackle who was paralyzed from the neck down. He is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, ESPY winner, and community builder.

New York Life Insurance Company

New York Life’s ENABLE Employee Resource Group is hosting several exciting events to bring people together and to raise awareness throughout the company:

• A conversation about community and mental health with Charlten Henderson, a trained counselor and barber who was highlighted in New York Life’s Love Takes Action podcast. The discussion will cover how he created a place where community members feel comfortable sharing their personal challenges.
• During New York Life’s annual “Beyond Disability” panel, employees will share their personal stories while engaging in a conversation that highlights the differences—and similarities—of their experiences with disabilities.
• The company will host speaker Jill Griffin, who will discuss how her traumatic brain injury and her journey from silence to disclosure impacted her personally and professionally.
• New York Life’s Vice President of Benefits will provide a 2023 benefits review in preparation for open enrollment with consideration as to how the company’s workforce can promote health and wellness for people with disabilities.
• Throughout October, New York Life will hold a virtual walkathon and weekly “Cheers for Charity” events, where employees have the opportunity to catch up with colleagues in person and enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, with the entry fee supporting Achilles International, a global organization that transforms the lives of people with disabilities through athletic programs and social connection.

Sodexo

Here is how Sodexo is celebrating this month with their employees:

• Encouraging team members to identify as a person with a disability, if applicable, through a Self-ID Campaign.
• Creating a SOAR’s Toolkit and related Inclusion Spotlights which aim to uplift employees’ voices through submissions of personal quotes and headshots.
• Creating a “Mental Health & Wellbeing” virtual course for employees.
• Sodexo’s JUST_IN_TIME Toolkit – Includes tips, checklists, and resources to help managers lead a disability-inclusive workforce. Examples include:
  • Frontline Training: Disability Module
  • Requests for Accommodation: Don’t let talent slip away because you are unsure how you can make a reasonable accommodation.

The company will also be encouraging employees to attend a variety of external offerings, including:

• Seramount: NDEAM Member Webinar – This program will feature stories that amplify and uplift the efforts of individuals and employee resource groups working to support people with disabilities both at their organizations and in the communities they serve.
• Disability Voice: World Mental Health Day Webinar – Celebrating World Mental Health Day and learning about mental health and trends in disabilities across the globe as part of this year’s theme: Shaping an Inclusive Future.
• Disability:IN: Disability Mentoring Day – In celebration of Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), this webinar will focus on stories and takeaways from disability mentoring programs. Participants will hear from NextGen Leader Alumni, DOBEs, and Disability:IN Partners as they share the meaningful impact mentoring can have on a young person or a business owner with a disability. Participants will learn from direct experience how corporate mentoring programs can positively affect both culture within the workplace and business overall.
• Global Best Buddies: ACCESS 360 – Best Buddies will host a panel discussion with a focus on ACCESS in the workforce. They will feature a 360-viewpoint covering personal experiences and firsthand knowledge around accessibility and accommodations in the workplace.
• Retaining Valued Employees with Disabilities: The Importance of Performance Coaching and Management – Participants will learn about effective strategies managers can use to support and empower their employees with disabilities when engaging in coaching and performance dialogues. All employees, including those with disabilities, benefit from regular feedback on their performance. Effective performance management provides the employee with opportunities to grow existing skills and develop new ones.
• “Intersectionality Through the Lens of Disability” with Alycia Anderson,  a TEDx motivational speaker, disability advocate, corporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility consultant, and the founder & CEO of The Alycia Anderson Company, LLC. Alycia’s authenticity and charisma draws others to her and naturally connects them to inspire, mentor, champion, and support. A tennis player, cyclist, identical twin, and wheelchair user since birth, Alycia shares her journey globally to help communities and companies understand the true benefits inherent to building a diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplace and society.

TD Bank

Leo Salom, TD Bank President & CEO, is kicking off NDEAM and introducing keynote speaker Spencer West. The company will host its annual Disability Summit on November 17.

Learn more about Seramount’s Diversity Best Practices Membership.

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After a whirlwind couple of years that disrupted most workplace norms and elevated DEI to a top priority, a new challenge came to light with the Great Resignation when leaders realized that upwards of 40% of their workforce might quit in the next year. The combination of new return-to-office mandates, previous departure plans that were delayed by the pandemic, and many new revelations about the need for better work-life balance started what seems to be a record-breaking departure from jobs in a shockingly small window of time.

This has major implications for companies’ DEI efforts. Many talent teams that were already facing capacity issues are now struggling to fill talent gaps. In a climate where underrepresented job seekers are in high demand and many will be part of the group leaving their jobs, organizations face a major risk of seeing their diversity numbers get worse.

To avoid sliding backward at this critical juncture, organizations must consider their authentic cultures of inclusion and belonging to compete for talent, and as Gen-Z enters the workforce and Millennials and Xers take on increasingly senior roles, expectations around DEI are front and center. Seramount’s Senior Director, Megan Pierouchakos, understands this well. She has worked for nearly two decades in HR within the talent lifecycle with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Megan shares some concrete ways that organizations can both set up and achieve meaningful goals that will empower them to further build inclusive workplaces.

What are some of the best ways a company wanting to make a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion can achieve its goal?

Megan Pierouchakos: What I tell companies is that if you want to achieve meaningful change in hiring and recruiting practices, you need to shift to making data-driven decisions when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion. A company must address workplace vulnerabilities first to understand what areas need work. You have to be able to measure current data and track future people analytics in order to track success and improvements.

For instance, data from employee engagement surveys or exit interviews, and increasingly more we are seeing companies conduct stay interviews, to help understand your inclusion gaps. If this data does not exist or does not tell the organization anything compelling or actionable, the organization should consider engaging in a culture audit to identify opportunities for inclusion. 

It’s important to be proactive and not reactive if your organization is starting to set diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments. It is much better to go in with a long game mindset and not a check-the-box mindset in order to create real and meaningful change.

Organizations don’t always realize how they may (or may not) attract underrepresented groups to their cultures. For instance, how does your organization’s employee value proposition speak to an underrepresented group? Is it speaking to multiple audiences individually or with a broad stroke? Then turn the lens outward and ask, does what the organization think about itself accurately reflect what’s on its website or how they show up with its social media presence?

Next, an organization needs to take a deep dive into the recruitment data and processes, and I suggest setting up a really good applicant tracking system that can give you the different levels of data that you need within the funnel – from application, to interview, to hire. And then the recruiters need to be armed with this information.

There’s a reluctance to engage with the data out of concern that decisions are being made based on gender and ethnicity, but it is important to specify that it’s not hiring practices, it’s recruiting decisions. How many are women, how many are men, how many are coming from other groups? Further, breaking it down by division and department allows for a more intentional recruitment process, allowing some organizations to promote in-house and others to be recruited elsewhere (buy vs build talent strategy).

When recruiters have access to and an understanding of workforce demographic data as well as external labor market information, they are positioned as true talent advisors and can work in a more effective and accountable way with their hiring managers and other internal partners in the organization.

What are the common misconceptions and missed opportunities that you see in this field, and how would a company go about improving them?

Megan: There is a common belief that diversity and inclusion in recruiting happen organically.  I would argue that an organization has to be very intentional about its strategy. First, organizations try to boil the ocean by pulling too many levers and get discouraged if they don’t see progress. Instead, I suggest identifying 2-3 areas of opportunity to focus on and ensure you have the means to track those areas by benchmarking the starting point and then tracking progress. These metrics should be included on existing recruitment or human capital dashboards. Remember, what gets measured gets done.  If an organization engages in an external partnership to expand its candidate pool, that is a leading indicator.  The number of applicants, interviews, and subsequent hires are the lagging indicators from engaging in that partnership and will take time to show up on the recruitment dashboard.  And this will take time – it’s important to stay the course.

Also, there is research supporting having diverse slates and the data shows that having wider candidate pools inclusive of more than one candidate that identifies from an underrepresented group does result in the organization hiring a candidate who identifies as underrepresented. For example, Harvard Business Review found that when the final candidate pool has only one underrepresented candidate, they have virtually no chances of being hired. If there are at least two candidates who identify as female in the final candidate pool, the odds of hiring a female-identifying candidate are 79 times greater. If there are at least two underrepresented candidates in the final candidate pool, the odds of hiring an underrepresented candidate are 194 times greater.

This methodology is referred to as the “two in the pool effect.” The challenge is that there is no “one size fits all” on this. Definitions of diversity vary from organization to organization and person to person, but most often diverse interview slates refer to a pool of candidates that contains a certain number or percentage of women and/or from historically underrepresented groups (which is why understanding your data is so important). This practice is not exclusive to recruitment – many organizations extend the diverse slate requirement to internal promotions as well.  Organizations that work with external recruitment firms can also work with the firm to ensure slates are reflected in the searches that are performed on behalf of the company as well. This line of thinking should also extend to the pool of high potential or future leaders in the organization.

When you talk with a company about how to analyze and improve their diversity and inclusion practices, what areas are most ripe for improvement?

Megan: Company brand, the language used, and the way the organization comes across in their digital spaces and on social media are very important. We try to find ways to be authentic in the external space, making sure that the talk of diversity and inclusion comes with meaningful measures on how an organization is welcoming to all backgrounds, not just window dressing.  Along the lines of language, organizations can audit their job descriptions for inclusive language, especially gender-inclusive language.  Organizations can also audit their websites for accessibility especially if they want to attract employees with different abilities.

Also, more can be done to educate and train recruiters and hiring managers on basic diversity and inclusion concepts, including the unintentional biases that creep up in the hiring process. We all carry some unintentional biases.  We need to take steps to actively make sure those biases can be mitigated on an individual level.

You mentioned that we all have unintentional biases. How do people go about identifying those and beginning to shift?

Megan: Harvard has an implicit bias test online that anyone can take and it’s free. It’s a good baseline for people to better understand what biases they bring to the table, even without realizing it.  There are also many articles and resources online to ensure that any training selected is rooted in how to both recognize AND mitigate biases.

What is something that people and organizations do not fully understand about diversity and inclusion practices? 

Megan: One thing that gets lost in the conversation about diversity and inclusion is how much should be focused on retention and development of existing talent. This is critical to job mobility. According to a recent McKinsey study, 41% of workers quit their jobs due to a lack of career development and advancement. There is a lot of focus on bringing in the talent, but fewer conversations dedicated to workplace culture and talent retention. Organizations need to be open to all people bringing their authentic selves to work. Sometimes you can have a great organizational culture but a more problematic department or team, so that needs to be understood as well.

For any organization that carries risk, having talent leave too quickly can be a significant financial burden, so attention should be paid to both sides of the balance sheet.

You’ve worked for nearly two decades in this field, which has gained a lot of prominent attention recently. In your opinion, how has this field changed?

Megan: More organizations, especially within the last 18 months to 2 years, are realizing that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not sidelined conversations anymore.  The conversation deserves a prominent place at the table.  Organizations are seeing diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of the entire employee lifecycle, not just in recruitment but talent management, communications, training, benefits, etc. – every part of the workplace that touches the employee has to have the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion applied to it. We’ve seen how, when done properly, it can have a lasting impact on the culture of the company, its employees, and the products/services it provides.

Organizations and talent acquisition departments have a unique opportunity during this time of the “The Great Resignation.”  Job seekers are much savvier and do their research before joining a company.

• Research shows that Gen Z looks for an organization’s stance on social justice and DEI issues.
• We’ve also learned Gen Z will search 24 organizations on average before deciding on employment.
• General population data says that 50% of candidates won’t consider an organization with a bad employer brand.
• Sixty-seven percent of job seekers look at the diversity of the workforce as well.

Given this, recruiters, hiring managers, and organizations will continue to see the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion with their day jobs as they seek to attract, develop and retain the best talent.  How will you be intentional about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the new normal?

Forage job simulations can help your company target the best-fit talent and streamline your recruiting cycles. Visit our Forage Solutions webpage to see how job simulations can help connect your organization to a wider network of next-generation talent.

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