5 Things / Day to Day
This week I joined my friend and colleague, LaTonya Wilkins (author of Leading Below the Surface), for a DEI Double Feature during which we discussed creating a culture of belonging in a hybrid world.
One of the key distinctions LaTonya described in our conversation is the distinction between a “remote work culture” and “work from home”. In a remote work culture, the organization takes a stand and leads with a framework for hybrid work with specific guidance and new norms for everyone including leadership. For example, leaders attend virtual social events, virtual lunch-and-learns, and otherwise making themselves visible to employees. Whereas in a work from home environment, there are no such expectations, guidance, or visibility from leaders – and that leads to a lack of belonging.
Additionally, we discussed how leaders should be communicating with their employees who may be affected by trauma (any of the many kinds). LaTonya’s guidance here is that leaders shouldn’t only be having conversations and check-ins about how an employee is feeling only after a specific traumatic incident. Instead, they should be focused on building day-to-day trust, empathy, and psychological safety. Great questions to ask on a regular basis include: What are some of your wins this week? What are some of your frustrations? What do you wish you could change? And leaders, if it’s true, don’t be afraid to agree with what you hear!
Here are the good vibes I found this week:
Las Vegas Casino Owner Surprises 5,000 Employees With $5,000 Bonuses
The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas just gave all 5,000+ employees a surprise of $5,000 each, totaling $27 million. I guess the gambling business is strong these days! This matters simply because it shows employees that they’re cared for and valued.
2022 Si Swimsuit Rookies Are a Group Like No Other
Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue has more diverse cover models than ever, and the issue showcases models with a wide variety of backgrounds and body types. This matters because representation always matters, and there are a whole lot of ways to be beautiful.
Goldman Sachs Allows Senior Staff to Take Unlimited Vacation
Goldman Sachs made news this week by instituting a policy requiring employees to take three weeks off each year starting in 2023. This must include at least one week of consecutive time off. This is notable because it represents a departure from Wall Street’s historically hard-charging culture that drives employees to burn out and worse. This matters because it shows a value for the mythical work-life balance and sets a precedent that hopefully, many other Wall Street firms will follow.
Microsoft Reinvents the Mouse for People With Disabilities
Microsoft has made the computer mouse more accessible by unveiling a new modular design that is adaptable for a variety of people, including folks with tremors and other disabilities. This matters because the design removes barriers to use, which can enable more people with disabilities to succeed in the workplace.
Walmart Woos College Grads With $210,000 Future as Store Bosses
Walmart makes 5 Things for two weeks in a row. This time, I’m celebrating Walmart for creating a faster track to store manager, a position with an average salary of $210,000. Their new College2Career program provides training, mentoring, and hands-on experience to employees who are then expedited into management positions. (Walmart also pays 100% of college tuition.) The goal of the program is to increase the pipeline of store managers. This matters because internal leadership development, especially for people from historically underrepresented groups, is often lacking, contributing to the lack of diversity at the top, and the racial wealth gap.