Beth SchaeferNovember 6, 2023Pandemics, Holidays & Other Stresses, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

Making Your Lists and Checking Them Twice | A Workplace Blog

By Beth Schaefer

IPD Director

Thanksgiving – just a few weeks away – used to be the kick-off of the holiday season.   That is no longer true.   The holidays have crept into October.   As soon as Halloween wraps up on October 31st, people are swapping out their spooky decorations for the next holiday.

The holiday =  more parties and potlucks, more shopping and spending, more decorating and baking… more, more, more… STRESS!

Even though most of this stress is from our home environments, it can creep into the workplace.  As we move into the last 2 months of the year, be aware that the stress of holiday preparations and celebrations may affect your staff and coworkers in different ways.
Read a list and cheers to reducing the stress of the holiday season.

Based on my own experience and some light internet research, here are some top holiday stressors:

Time Management – more parties and potlucks, more shopping, more pageants and festivals, more cooking, more decorating, and more wrapping – all this can lead to more decisions being made with less sleep and changes to routines. Stress.

Family Conversations – so many divisive topics and so much time together – in addition, some family members may no longer be part of the family (death or divorce) and some may be failing cognitively or physically, and seeing these changes firsthand can be jarring. Stress.

Money – while your cash reserves may be spinning downward, many do not even have cash reserves making economic disparities more visible, frustrating, and discouraging during the holidays. Stress.

High Expectations – Besides trying to plan the perfect holiday gathering, finding the perfect gift within your budget, or trying to provide idyllic memories for your children, you may also be scrambling to wrap up the goals you had for 2022. Stress.

Illness –More gatherings also mean more opportunities to spread illness. While this is a relatively new item on the list, it carries quite a bit of stress. The pandemic has made us more aware of doing our part to not spread any germs, but having to choose to stay away from a special gathering because you might have something that you do not want to spread is a tough decision to make – and can also be a no-win situation.  Some will be pleased with your consideration, and some will be miffed that they missed seeing the grandkids or that you could not bring your famous dessert.

STRESS!

All this busyness and stress can lead to less exercise and more eating and more stress –  which may mean weight gain and decreased immunity, or the stress can even lead to physical illness, such as upset stomach, headache, sleeplessness, or even sore muscles.

You can take some actions to manage this year-end stress.

Managing Holiday Stress at Work

As a supervisor:

  • Encourage team members to handle extra holiday chores during lunch times so that workers are present and focused on their tasks.
  • Workplaces can have extra visitors or visiting or parties taking place this time of year; provide some additional quiet spaces for those who need them to concentrate and stay focused to complete work.
  • Remind staff that some people, such as the finance department closing out year-end, are extra-busy during this time and to be patient when interacting with them.
  • Encourage employees to stay home when sick so that you do not spread illness across the department or to each other’s families
  • Help team members prioritize work– especially with their and others’ holiday and vacation time.

As a coworker:

  • Plan so that the work you need others to do can get completed amongst the extra time off and holidays.
  • Check-in with co-workers if you note the stress. Remind them of any Employee Assistance programs they could use or just listen.
  • Be mindful of those who may be alone during the holidays or are experiencing the first holiday without a loved one. Offer comfort if your co-working relationship allows, “I know that this is the first New Year’s Eve without your husband, that must be difficult.”
  • Partner with a coworker and take walks during your breaks.
  • For those who have taken the IPD communication course, remember to flex! Assess the communication style of the person you need to receive your message and then flex your communication style to accommodate them – and remember – we all communicate differently when under stress.

Manage your Holiday Stress

The tried and true include:

  • Eat smart whenever when you are not at gatherings.
  • Skip tasks (do not send out cards) or cut corners (do a cookie swap rather than baking them all yourself).
  • Set a budget for gift-giving and stick to it.

Some more strategic and thoughtful approaches to holiday stress include:

Generate a master schedule of events, prioritize them, and remove the bottom 10 or 15 % of the list. Fewer events and less hustle and bustle will allow you to be present and focused on the ones you attend.  Choose quality over quantity.  Think about planning gatherings with those you missed in December a few months into the new year instead.

Trigger your feel-good endorphins by spending time or money on others. Consider visiting a relative or friend who cannot get out to the big gatherings due to limited mobility issues.  Save money on presents for friends and family and donate it to a homeless shelter or a women’s crisis center. Pack some food for those who are in need. Use technology to reach out to friends and family who may be long-distance and not able to travel back to see their loved ones.

Avoid these questions at family gatherings:

  • When do you plan on starting a family?
  • Why aren’t you engaged yet?
  • Remember when (fill in any embarrassing moment or past argument)?
  • Have you gained weight? Have you got more gray?  Lost weight?
  • Don’t you need a job that pays more money?
  • What do you mean you are not working; what do you do all day?

Mark some days as “off limits.” Mark them off at somewhat equal intervals. Do not schedule anything on those days or nights and use them to get caught up, or just take time to relax, or just hang out on the couch to watch a favorite holiday film or binge-watch a favorite show.

Prepare yourself for difficult social situations (family or otherwise) with these tips:

  • Anticipate awkward questions you might be asked and have a light-hearted vague answer at the ready.
  • Try to position yourself so that you can walk away from conversations you do not want to be a part of.
  • Prepare a list of questions to change topics if a conversation gets heated:
    • I am wondering where to travel this year. Where have people been?
    • I am looking for a good BBQ Shrimp (cake, salad, chili) recipe. Does anyone have one or know where I could look?
    • ____ and _____, I am not sure if I know how you met. Can you share that story with us?
    • I want to binge-watch some shows this winter, what do you recommend?
    • I need to pick the next book for book club. Any ideas?
  • Prepare a list of questions that people (generally) enjoy answering:
    • What are you looking forward to in 2023?
    • How is your (garden, hobby, cooking class, sport, DIY project) going?
    • How was your trip to ____ last summer; do you have any pics on your phone?
    • How old are your grandkids (kids, nieces, nephews, dogs, rabbits) now?  Any pics on your phone?  What are they up to these days?
    • And follow most answers up with, “Tell me more.”

Choose. For those of you who have taken the IPD course on handling conflict, remember there are five choices for how to handle conflict with others.  While you learned these strategies in a workplace context, they work for other environments as well.  Review your 5 strategies for handling conflict and make a choice rather than defaulting to whatever the situation brings.

With those 6 strategies, go forth and have a happy and stress-free holiday season!

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Beth SchaeferOctober 5, 2023DEI Blogs, Leadership and Strategy Blogs, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

Interdependence Part 1: The Goal | A Workplace Blog

Moving to Interdependence

By: Beth Schaefer

In search of an employee who is a self-starter and can work independently?  Not me.

 

In writing the posting for our new IPD Operations Lead role, I pulled out a word that I had not thought about for a while, but it seems like a word we should use more – Interdependence.

 

Back in a class I took (high school or college – too long ago to remember), I was taught that Interdependence, not Independence, is the real mark of maturity.

 

The theory was that being able to ask for help when you need it and being willing to support others when they needed it was far superior than being alone on your own island of independence (see the chart below).

 

However, in American culture, we have our roots in the rugged frontier which still transfers to modern day with the self-made person.  We love a “rags to riches” story where one person overcomes all the odds to gain power and riches.  However, I am sure that if you drill down into these stories, you would discover they are myths.  Even as I think about the terms associated with independence such as frontiersman and self-made man, those terms sound antiquated and out of place in today’s world.

 

Frontiersmen relied on someone to teach them survival skills, and others to support a supply chain, and others to care for children, and others to form towns and cities.  They may have moved outside “the grid,” but they used the community for support. They were not wholly independent.

 

I think too of the rich plantation owners that built the southern economy.  Self-made?  Hardly.  They relied on forced labor- slave labor.  Entire communities of slaves to build their empires and fortunes.  They were not independent at all. In fact, they may have even fallen more to the dependent-side of the continuum.

 

While we may not use these specific examples anymore, our culture still idolizes the multi-billionaires who presumably build corporations by themselves using their own ideas. The harm of putting the self-made rugged (or now-days contrarian) individual on a pedestal is that we send the message that NOT asking for help or NOT accepting help is the goal.

 

There are plenty of public service announcements that attempt to tell us that it is OK to ask and accept help for our mental health, but I feel like the step of asking for help is still considered a last-ditch effort to solving a problem.

 

Interdependence in the Workplace

We hire for the self-starter independent worker and are then surprised that we find that person lacks the skills to be a “team player.”

 

It is time for us to realize that we are not working on an island.  We need to teach people to work interdependently, ask for help early, and work with others to dream big and solve large problems.  We need to cultivate work places that value and respect this balance.

 

Look for a series of future articles to discuss the philosophy of Ubuntu that provides a framework to lead based on the African worldview of the interconnectedness between people.

* Examples of resources include = ability to comfort, mentor, ability to pay bills, listen, do errands, make purchases, provide advice, recognize limitations, see other’s strengths and weaknesses, solve problems, maintain person and home, give grace

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Beth SchaeferAugust 23, 2023For the Public Sector, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

Public Sector Hiring Challenges (and Solutions)- Part 2: Disrupt and Innovate | A Workplace Blog

Public Sector Hiring Challenges (and Solutions)

Part 2: Disrupt and Innovate

By Beth Schaefer

IPD Director

In the previous article, I presented 6 steps you can take to give your public sector organization a recruiting edge.

This article moves from the concrete to the abstract.  It is the hope of a 7th action step that is yet to be defined.

Be disruptive and innovative

While I hope the 6 action steps can assist your organization with recruitment, nothing in that list is innovative.  As someone who has spent her entire career in the public sector, I find it sad that the organizations that grow and maintain our democracy are in a talent crisis.  I also find it ironic that so many of our roles focus on helping people with their career pathways, yet our own public sector pathway is hidden.

I stumbled into my public sector career- perhaps like many of you.  I started as a public-school teacher – which I did not even associate with being a public sector role.  When I was ready to move into leadership, I kept finding that the jobs I found appealing required a Master’s degree in Public Administration.  I had never even heard of that degree, but I enrolled in a program, earned the degree, and continued my public sector career in higher education.

I am fortunate that my heart for service could be supported with resources for the convoluted career pathway I took; not everyone has the same resources that I had.  Once they stumble onto the public sector pathway, they may not have the resources to make that change.

This hidden pathway leads me to ask some larger questions:

  • Could we be doing more to promote this career pathway?
  • Are there actions we could take as a collective to promote public sector careers?
  • Could we start the recruiting process in middle school or high school rather than waiting for people to stumble into a public sector career?

Let’s be a choice, not a default.

To me, the younger generation is much more focused on community and service than my 80’s generation ever was.  Let’s leverage those values and show those at the start of their careers that almost every profession and almost any interest can be found in the wide array of public sector roles.

If you want to be disruptive and innovative, here are some links to organizations and events that start their industry recruiting early; maybe they will ignite a spark for the Minnesota Public Sector to collectively promote ourselves as a great career option.

MN Technology Association

Statewide Tour of Manufacturing

4 Ways to Sell Your Program at Parent-Teacher Conferences

Conferences, Job Fair coming April 25th

Southwest Minnesota Career Expo

Perhaps there is a way for us to join forces and collaboratively build the talent pool rather than compete against each other for qualified candidates.

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Beth SchaeferJuly 31, 2023For the Public Sector, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

Public Sector Hiring Challenges (and Solutions) Part 1: Recruit | A Workplace Blog

Part 1: Recruit

Compiled by Beth Schaefer

IPD Director

While almost every industry sector is suffering from the challenge of the Great Resignation, the public sector is suffering more than others.  Sources report a 25% vacancy rate for government jobs – up from 13% before the pandemic.

Several factors contribute to this crisis; The Public sector is:

  1. Experiencing high levels of retirement
  2. Requiring non-essential years of experience or degrees for positions – especially since 2/3 of Americans over the age of 25 do not hold a bachelor’s degree
  3. Moving too slowly through the hiring process and losing candidates before the offer phase
  4. Losing the recruitment banner of “great benefits” as corporate benefits have caught up or surpassed government benefits
  5. Trailing on inflation: public sector wage growth has only been 3.4% compared to 5.5% in the private sector

Insufficient qualified candidates prompted 51% of surveyed Public Sector HR Managers to reopen and extend their recruitment period.

What is Working

The National League of Cities surveyed Public Sector Managers who could check any and as many recruitment tactics they thought produced results.  Here is what the survey revealed:

55% or More Selected

Government Websites
Social Media
Employee Referrals

54-30% Selected

Profession-Specific Media
Commercial Websites
College Outreach/Partnerships
Job Fairs

29- 20% Selected

Internships
Apprenticeships

16 other options received 20% or less approval from HR Managers as being effective.

6 Talent-Recruiting Actions to Find Public Sector Employees in Minnesota

For those of you who are part of Minnesota’s public sector infrastructure, here are 6 actions steps that you can take to increase the probability of hiring qualified candidates for your open positions.

1.  Partner with Metro State University’s programs for Public Sector Administration Degrees.

Contact Dr. Crystal Fashant to learn more about providing capstone projects to Metro State students.  This program is a win/win.  Graduate students receive real-world experience and your organization gets to know a qualified potential employee.

Dr. Crystal Saric Fashant, MPNA DBA (she/her)
Associate Professor and Department Chair
Department of Public and Nonprofit Leadership, College of Community Studies and Public Affairs

 651.999.5853 | crystal.fashant@metrostate.edu

 

2.  Become a vendor at the annual Law Enforcement Opportunities (LEO) Career Fair.

Metro State partners with Hennepin Tech and a small nonprofit to host this annual career fair. Contact Mary Schober Martin, the program advisor or the link to get more information.

Mary Schober Martin (she/her)
Academic Advisor
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (SCJ)

mary.schobermartin@metrostate.edu

LEO Career Fair

 

3.  Post jobs on Metro State’s Career Center

Current Metro State students and alumni have access to Handshake, an online recruiting platform.  Use this link for Handshake information and registration.  The Career Center may also be able to assist you with internships and apprenticeships – especially for roles in IT.  Contact Emily Johnson, the Internship and Apprenticeship Coordinator.

Emily Johnson (she/her)
Internship and Apprenticeship Coordinator, Career Center

651.793.1513 | metrostate.edu

Emily.Johnson@MetroState.edu

Metro State Career Center Handshake

 

4.  Grow your employees by assisting them with a defined career path.

Use these links for more information on building a career path that combines experience with education.  Combine this with a re-examination of your education requirements when posting a position. Here is a sampling of links for Metro State programs – many with online options:

Public Administration

Criminal Justice

Human Services

Search all Programs

 

5.  Support employees with professional development offered through Metro State IPD.

Word of mouth on how well you treat your employees will boost recruitment efforts. Plus, you can build leadership skills with those who are already have experience and knowledge specific to their roles.  Use this link to check out public sector training options or contact IPD to build your own.

Metro State Professional Development

 

6.  Join Minnesota cooperative groups that post public sector roles

Use these links to find out more about these options.

Association of Minnesota Counties

League of Minnesota Cities

 

While I have provided the links and contact information, IPD is part of the Metro State team, and I would be happy to help you connect with the right person with an option(s) that work for you.

Beth.Schaefer@metrostate.edu

Resources

Governing: The Future of States and Localities

American City & County: Overcoming Worker Shortages in Public Sector Amidst Growing Demand

National League of Cities: The Public Workforce Recruitment Challenge: New Data

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metrost4-caJune 2, 2023DEI Blogs, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

Pets, People, and Practices: Rethinking Bereavement Policies for a Diverse Workplace | A Workplace Blog

Pets, People, and Practices: Rethinking Bereavement Policies for a Diverse Workplace

By: Destyn Land

One of the most important aspects of my culture is the way we view family. While the term “immediate family” typically includes only parents, children, and siblings, my close family extends beyond these traditional boundaries. For many of us, cousins are like siblings, aunts and uncles are like second sets of parents, and our family doesn’t always fit neatly into biological relationships. This fluid concept of family is vital to understanding the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the workplace.

If we look closely enough and put on a different lens, we often will discover gaps between policy and practice. Despite organizations having policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, it’s essential to assess their effectiveness in practice. For instance, even if a company has a policy on using inclusive language, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee the eradication of discriminatory language in the workplace. To create a supportive and safe work environment where all employees feel valued, the voices and experiences of marginalized individuals should be genuinely listened to and taken seriously. Action is necessary when employees from marginalized communities share how they’ve been harmed to strengthen the company’s commitment to DEI.

One area where DEI policies often fall short is in bereavement policies. The average bereavement policy gives a certain number of days off for the death of parents, siblings, children, grandparents, grandchild, extended family members, and close friends. However, there are potential gaps in this policy.

 

Broadening our understanding of family is the first step.

 

  • For many of us, family is not limited to biological relationships. There are many people within the LGBT+ community whose biological family has caused them harm, and now they no longer keep in touch with some of them. They still may have what is often referred to as “chosen family,” individuals who are as close to them as any biological family member. When a bereavement policy defines who an employee’s “close family” is, it erases the fluidity of family that exists for many people. Chosen family members are just as much family as biological family members, and a bereavement policy should reflect that. Additionally, some pet owners consider their pets as family members, and bereavement policies should include them too.

 

  • Have you thought about whether your bereavement policy includes pets? As someone who didn’t grow up with pets, I didn’t initially appreciate how significant losing a pet could be for some people who consider them family members. However, my perspective shifted after my close friend’s dog of 16 years passed away. Listening to their stories, I realized that the dog had been a source of emotional support throughout tough times. Unfortunately, their employer didn’t allow bereavement to leave for pets, which had a negative impact on both their mental health and job performance. It’s essential to recognize that pets can hold a significant place in employees’ lives and to offer appropriate support during times of mourning.

 

 

Another vital aspect of bereavement policies is recognizing that mourning practices look different across cultures.

 

  • When someone dies, the grieving process can vary greatly across cultures. For some individualistic societies, mourning is prepping for a service or memorial of some kind, and then after the service life resumes as normal. However, for some cultures, mourning can extend far beyond this. For example, when my partner’s family member passed away, in their culture every family member spends time at the eldest member of the family’s home from the day of death, until the day of the funeral. My partner and her family spent the night there close to every night, sitting together, sharing memories, cooking food, and grieving as a community. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with loss, bereavement policies need to respect the fact that different cultures have diverse customs, rituals, and practices surrounding death.

 

You may be questioning, is this too open-ended, and too easy for people to misuse or abuse? Despite the seeming disadvantage associated with such policies, it’s essential to consider cultural nuances where personal needs differ from one another. The goal of equity is not fairness, but rather it’s about having what every person needs.

While there is always room for someone to game the system, constant lies about the death of a family member or friend to get time off point to a much deeper issue with the company culture that needs addressing. Instead, writing the policy in a way that accommodates some level of nuance while still setting guidelines is the way to go. For instance, the policy could include a guideline indicating the number of days available for bereavement leave. The policy can also acknowledge that people process grief differently and that cultural backgrounds play a role in how people react to grief. The policy may state, “We recognize that grief impacts people differently, and different cultures have different norms for grieving. If, for any reason, an employee needs extended bereavement leave beyond the given number of days, they can contact Human Resources or their direct supervisor.”

The goal should be flexibility rather than rigidity. The work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion demands us to think and act beyond our comfort zones in specific situations, making it crucial to keep questioning and brainstorming new solutions. Being risk-averse is okay, but it’s equally important to embrace possibilities for making workplaces more supportive for everyone.

While there may be many concerns about bereavement policies, ensuring employees can grieve and come back to work ready to be productive is essential for a company’s health and longevity. Writing policies in ways that accommodate nuances while reinforcing guidelines is a right step in the goal of creating a workplace where everyone has what they need to thrive.

 

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Eric Dormoh, JrMay 11, 2023DEI Blogs, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

It’s More Than Memorizing a List: Inclusive Language in the Workplace | A Workplace Blog

By: Destyn Land

Part Three of Who’s Sitting at Your Table?

May has always held a special place in my heart, a time when people from all social classes come together in celebration of the many milestones that make this time of the year so magical. It is a month filled with pride as we watch our loved ones graduate, taking their first steps into a brand-new chapter of their lives, while others may see two hearts joining together in a beautiful wedding ceremony. For those of us living in Minnesota, May marks the end of the long and harsh never-ending winter and the beginning of the warm and inviting summer. With anticipation, we look forward to the social events and gatherings that await us, where we will make new connections and strive to navigate this new and exciting space with grace and charm. As we venture into uncharted waters, we will inevitably find ourselves questioning if we’re saying the right or wrong things.

In my last article (which you can access here), I emphasized the importance of expanding our definition of diversity. We must begin to recognize how our social identities intersect with one another and go beyond what is merely visible. By becoming more aware of our own identities and the identities of others, we can equip ourselves to live more equitably and inclusively. One of the most effective ways we can promote DEI at work and in our everyday lives is by recognizing the power of language and adopting inclusive language. Often, the assumption is that inclusive language is just about memorizing lists of words and phrases that we should no longer use, but while these lists are useful starting points, true inclusivity begins by examining the intentions of our hearts.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is all about love. A genuine love for people should drive our desire to live in a world where everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, religion, ability, or body type, is well-represented in every industry. Love should drive our desire to want to work in a place where all employees receive equitable pay, discrimination is nonexistent, and where everyone can be their authentic selves without fear of judgment. The true measure of our commitment to DEI lies in our hearts’ intention. We must ask ourselves why we care about DEI—is it merely a matter of being compliance-ready or is it about co-creating a world where everyone can thrive?

The language and modes of communication adopted in our workplaces could have the power to determine who will succeed and who will not. Inclusive language, therefore, is essential.

 

Here are three ways to improve the use of inclusive language in the workplace.

 

  1. Avoid Using Acronyms
    1. Acronyms can be a significant challenge for new employees at a new workplace, as they need time to become familiar with the nuances of a new environment. Although acronyms tend to be common within tight-knit groups, it’s important to remember that not everyone will retain or understand the meaning of a given abbreviation. Although avoiding acronyms may seem like a minor suggestion, common usage of abbreviations can quickly create a sense of ‘in-group’ and ‘out-group’ dynamics, making new employees feel excluded from early on.

 

  1. Develop an Inclusive Language Policy
    1. Inclusive language is not just about eliminating acronyms – it involves deeper reflection on the language that may have roots in oppression and exclusionary histories (racism, anti-Blackness, homophobia, etc.). A true commitment to inclusion requires a shift in organizational culture to respect, empathy, and growth. Establishing an inclusive language policy enables organizations to align their values and mission with accountability, demonstrating to employees that they are committed to creating an equitable workplace. Those of us with marginalized identities have often witnessed organizations making empty promises – the mission statement sounds great, yet the actual practices fall short. In next month’s article, we will dive deeper into how policy can be a powerful tool for achieving a work culture that authentically reflects the organization’s values.

 

  1. Model the Way
    1. Whether we hold a position of leadership or not, others often pay close attention to our actions and words in the workplace. It is our individual responsibility to use language that does not discriminate against any group and to actively address and speak out against discriminatory language when we encounter it. Although Minnesota may be known for an aversion to confrontation, this should not stop us from taking a stand against exclusionary language. We can approach individuals who use non-inclusive language in a respectful one-on-one conversation to better understand their perspective and educate them on why their language was inappropriate and should be avoided in the future.

 

It is important to understand that no one is capable of always choosing the right words 100% of the time. Language is constantly evolving, and as we learn new information and gain new perspectives, we should reconsider our word choices. When we make mistakes (and we all will), it is crucial to remember that our intentions do not negate the impact of our words. Even if we did not mean to offend someone, that doesn’t take away the hurt or harm that our words have caused. In these situations, it is important to apologize, take responsibility for our actions, and educate ourselves to prevent future occurrences. Do not make the mistake of trying to defend yourself or convince others that you did not do something wrong. Instead, focus on recognizing and owning your mistake, learning from it, and working to avoid similar incidents in the future.

 

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Eric Dormoh, JrApril 6, 2023DEI Blogs, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog, Workplace Wins

Who’s Sitting at Your Table? Part 2: It’s Beyond What You Can See | A Workplace Blog

In last month’s article (read it here), I provided an illustration about a dinner party hosted by a person that did not consider who their party guests were, and what they may need to fully enjoy the evening. Some of the guests were gluten free, vegan, or needed halal options, yet there were no alternatives to the menu. It didn’t just stop there — the chairs did not fit all body types, the building was not accessible, some guests were using non-inclusive language, and overall, the party wasn’t the best experience for certain groups of people. If we were to take a close look at this party, we would see that the party was only a great experience for the people that had the most similar experiences and identities as the host. When we’re planning, designing or building something, it’s easy to assume that if something is good for ourselves, then it’s good for everyone.

If we’re not careful we can create a workplace culture that only gives space for people who are the most like us to thrive.

One way that we can combat creating this kind of work culture is by Broadening the Definition of Diversity.

Diversity is the fact that we are all different and bring different things to the table. It is the acknowledgement that our workplace is full of people from different racial backgrounds, ethnic groups, religions, genders, interests, and much more.  Expanding our understanding of diversity means looking at people more holistically and looking beyond the pieces of someone that (we believe) is visible. Our identity is not just our race, and age but it is also:

  • Ethnicity
  • Socio-Economic Status
  • Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Religious or Spiritual Affiliation
  • Language
  • Body Type
  • Education

And so much more! All these identities influence the way that we move through the world, and the privileges that we may have been given or denied. You may be asking yourself the question, “What do these identities have to do with the workplace?” Just about everything.

To ignore or dismiss any piece of a person’s identity is to ignore and dismiss them.

Currently around the world, millions of Muslim people are fasting from food and water from dusk to dawn for Ramadan. As you may imagine, fasting impacts everyone very differently, and while some people may feel more energized overall during Ramadan, some may feel their energy or mood shift while their body is adjusting to fasting. As a colleague or supervisor, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself, be aware, and be ready to make adjustments (if they’re needed). In many cultures, and in many workplaces, a lot of our community building and connection time revolves around food. Whether it’s a team lunch, company potluck, or after work happy hour, we have seen the evidence of how food brings people together. During the month of Ramadan instead of hosting a team lunch or potluck, consider having an optional team community building time outside of the lunch hour so that people fasting can participate without continuously being asked, “Why aren’t you eating?” You could even take it a step further and host Iftar (the main meal during fasting at sundown) for your team. Learning about identities that are different from our own equips us to better understand, serve, and support our colleagues and team.

We must keep in mind that people are not a museum, meaning, we don’t want diversity just because it ‘looks good.’ We need diversity to challenge our ideas, to help us think bigger and more creatively. We need it to make the world and workforce better. However, diversity should always move us to act. Because we have different experiences and different needs, we must do things differently. A good first step is to ask yourself which one of your identities (you can look at the list above) do you think about the most, and which one do you think about the least? Often the social identity that we think of the least is the one that we tend to not consider as much when talking about diversity; therefore, it’s likely an identity that we need to push ourselves to learn more about.

Some of our identities come with unearned privilege, or the denial of privilege.

Here’s an example:

I have been a part of the Christian faith for most of my life, and that comes with a lot of privilege in America. Here’s a few of them:

  • I have rarely had to take off work to observe any of my religious holidays or celebrations (Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, etc.).
    • In addition to this, I am not pressured to celebrate holidays from another faith.
  • I can usually assume that most people are familiar with the core tenants of my religion.
  • I often see people of my religion, or my religion positively referenced in many forms of media.
  • I can practice my religion without being questioned or mocked.
  • My religion is taught or offered as a course by most colleges and universities.

The privileges that I’ve mentioned here are not one’s that people who practice Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism, or Shamanism can say that they receive. Because of the domination of Christianity, we assume that religion is a weekend, or Sunday morning practice, when for many people (even within the Christian faith), religion is a daily way of experiencing and looking at the world.  Because religion is a part of someone that isn’t always visible to others, we make the mistake of not considering it when building our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion expectations, policies, and procedures.

As we continue to ask the question ‘Who’s Sitting at Your table?’ We must remember that we all are continuously rotating between teaching and learning positions in life. When we have identities that are of the dominant or majority culture, as we broaden our definition of diversity, we must find ourselves spending more time as the learner, and not the teacher. When we see diversity from a more expansive lens, we will take the path of becoming more equitable and inclusive in the workplace and beyond.

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metrost4-caMarch 6, 2023DEI Blogs, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog, Workplace Wins

Who’s Sitting at Your Table? Part 1:The Dinner Party | A Workplace Blog

By: Destyn Land, M.Ed.

 

Imagine that you were personally invited to a dinner party hosted by one of your favorite celebrities (for me this would be the late Chadwick Boseman).

Upon your arrival, you realize the table you were assigned to sit at has seats that you do not fit in comfortably. Because you’re so excited to be in the same room as (fill in the blank) celebrity, you try your best to make it comfortable and not make too big of a deal out of it. As the night continues you realize that the food that is served is not in alignment with your dietary needs, and there are no other options. You also notice that the people at your table don’t tend to listen when you speak, and say things that offend you, but say, “It’s just a joke” when you try to interject. I imagine that regardless of how excited you may have been to see the celebrity you chose, your night wouldn’t have been the greatest, and you would probably not come back for another party.

This dinner party is what our workplace is like when we only think about “diversity.”

Diversity is all about getting different people into the door, while equity and inclusion make sure that the people we’ve invited are given what they need to thrive and have a great experience. Before we ask the question, “What can we do to recruit more diverse candidates?” we must ask, “What are we currently doing to retain our Black, Indigenous, and staff members of color?”

If we want people to feel a sense of belonging in the workplace, we must understand the role and importance of diversity but also prioritize creating equitable and inclusive environments that support diverse populations. Over the next three months, I’ll be discussing three different ways you can begin building or growing your equity and inclusion initiatives:

  1. Broaden the Definition of Diversity
  2. Utilize Inclusive Language
  3. Look for Gaps in Policy and Practice

Every table that we sit at is full of people with varied experiences, and histories (even when the people at our table share similar identities). While we need to be aware of who’s sitting at our table, we also must be aware of who’s not there, and what voices are not being heard.

Whether you are just starting your DEI journey, or have been riding the road for some time, remember that each of these concepts (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), work together to create workplaces where everyone can feel supported, safe, and empowered to be their most authentic self.

 

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Beth SchaeferJanuary 6, 2023DEI Blogs, Leadership and Strategy Blogs, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

Diversify to Recruit and Retain | A Workplace Blog

By Beth Schaefer

Recruitment and Retention remain top concerns for HR departments and hiring supervisors.

If you have not thought about the role of diversity in these 2 challenges, now is the time.

Diversity Defined

Research, polls, and surveys tell us that the younger generations are seeking multicultural diverse workplaces.  Before discounting that environment (or rolling your eyes), take a look at what actually defines that type of organization because I think you will find that is the type of organization all of us want to work for.

Some of the characteristics and attributes of diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace environments include:

 

  1. Respecting Individuals – People want to be appreciated for their unique contributions to the organization. Respect builds trust, and trust builds engagement with the work.

 

  1. Communicating Honestly – People want their organizational leaders to “walk the talk.”  They want the policies that the company says they have to be adhered to by everyone in the organization.  If they say they have an inclusive culture in their value statement, they want to see inclusive actions in their hiring practices or promotion opportunities.

 

  1. Valuing Innovation – Characteristics of innovative organizations include learning about customer needs by including all ages, genders, and races when problem-solving.  The organization makes a commitment to inclusion.

 

  1. Practicing Culture Add – Culture fit can imply that only people who already “fit the mold” are hired. Whereas Culture Add encourages the addition of different perspectives and sees that as a value.

 

  1. Creating a Sense of Belonging – When people feel they are valued for their unique skills, talents, backgrounds and perspectives, and can see how those attributes contribute to the organization’s goals, they feel that they belong in that organization.

 

  1. Evaluating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Challenges. Recognize areas that need improvement and taking steps to address those gaps.   About 80% of companies “go through the motions” of DEI, but do not hold themselves accountable (Society of Human Recourse Management).  See Items 1 and 2.

When I look at that list of 6 attributes, I think those embody that type of organization that could recruit me and retain me as an engaged talented worker.

Cultivating Culture

Of course, getting your entire organization aligned to doing the values it states, may be out of your sphere of influence; however, there are some things that you can do locally to retain the young people you hire.   This website contains many past articles on getting your workforce engaged – which leads to retention.  I encourage you to visit or revisit those and consider the suggested actions steps.  However, for people like me who are X Generation or Boomers, you may need to rethink and move beyond the way you have always done things.  The list below states some changes (for people my age – paradigm shifts are what we use to call these) you may need to make.

  1. Do not expect people to find their own way. Be intentional about supporting their career and development.   On my first day of teaching, I was assigned a teaching mentor; he was paid for exactly one day to mentor me.  Fortunately for me, he thought that was bunk.  While they paid him for a day, he mentored me the entire time I was in that teaching role – 4 years.  Here I am still in education 33 years later.  The current statistic for teaching tenure is that 44% of teachers leave the profession within 5 years.  I am sure that other occupations have similar drop out rates.  Provide a career pathway and help your employees achieve their goals. People will stay and work for your organization if your organization shows it cares about them.
  2. Provide Input Opportunities. I grew up in an era where young people were to listen and learn from those older and wiser. While young people can learn from the older generations, the older generations need to recognize that they can also learn from the younger generations.  Respect the skills and knowledge of everyone on your team.  Do not expect the younger generation to sit on the sidelines observing; provide the “Why” and let them join the game.
  3. Reward Quality Work. There might still be some “pay your dues” believers left in the workplace.   This phrase means that regardless of your skills and talents, you need to just wait patiently for your time to come; for a space to open up; for you to become more seasoned and experienced. My dad coached me on how to pay my dues and how to temper my enthusiasm for wanting to move forward.  Most young people do not see time as a qualification for work.  If they can do the work, they want the chance, they want the recognition and they want the reward in the moment – regardless of their age.
  4. Offer Made-to-Order Opportunities. The younger generations have grown up in a world that asks for and honors their preferences.   I ordered a new Discover card last week, and not only could I pick from hundreds of designs, I could create my own personal image – all at no extra charge.  From creating a video game character, to selecting a wait list of show to watch, to choosing ring tones to recognize their contacts, the younger generations have grown up in a tech world that allows them to make all kinds of choices. When I was young, Burger King let you “have it your way” by removing lettuce off your burger.  Now Subway and Chipotle personalize your order by having you build your sandwich, wrap, bowl exactly the way you like.  Figure out how to be flexible and offer personalized workplace options whenever you can.

While I am not a young worker anymore, I look at the list of 4 things and think, Would I like to work for someone who does these 4 things?   Of course, I would!

In my research, I came across all the usual statistics that support these ideas from a financial outlook.  Of course, it saves money to have engaged employees rather than a revolving door.  Rather than reciting those numbers again, I am going to say one of the best reasons to rethink the old ways, is because the new way is actually more fun.

 

Read more from the sources used for this article:

Gen Z in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know – Architectural Digest website
What Do Newer Generations of Employees Want and Can Your Business Adjust? – Forbes website
Four Things Gen Z and Millennials Expect From Their Workplace – Gallup website
Emphasizing DE&I in Employee Retention – Strategic Finance website
5 Extraordinary Benefits of Age Diversity in the Workplace – Vervoe website
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