5 Things / High Potentials
This week I facilitated a conversation with a client about my book Inclusive 360. In the conversation, I was struck by how often my conversations around DEI quickly focus on hiring for diversity. Yes, that’s important, but data tells us that at the entry-level of organizations, the percentage of men vs women, and White people vs BIPOC are fairly balanced. The gaps widen as employees are promoted. Classic unconscious bias.
It’s clear to me that organizations should instead prioritize embedding equity into the employee lifecycle to give everyone a fair shot at success and growth. This includes everything from updating and standardizing the performance review process, to inclusive leader training for managers, and coaching for high potentials. There’s a reason that many organizations are paying out big bonuses right now…it can be far more cost-effective to invest in current employees than hire new ones.
Yes, we can help you with those things…but here’s how to start making the case for this: share the data that shows it can cost 3x an employee's salary to fill a role (including time spent by other employees as part of the hiring process). Then ask some of your high potentials, “what can we do to keep awesome people like you around?” Listen to the ideas and work through what’s reasonable, bit by bit.
Here are the good vibes I found this week:
Period Poverty: Scotland First in World to Make Period Products Free
Scotland became the first country in the world to require all public settings to provide free period products. According to a study, one in four women experienced “period poverty”. The new law requires these products to be available to anyone who needs them (regardless of gender) in the toilets of schools, colleges, and other public settings. Period poverty is an equity issue and this policy alleviates that.
Global Consumer Brands Are Wading Into an Uproar Over the Firing of a Popular Female Television Anchor
Lisa LaFlamme, a popular Canadian TV anchor, and journalist, reportedly lost her job after she let her hair grow grey. Since then, several brands have also gone grey in support of aging women, and while Wendy’s logo was cute, Dove’s (owned by Unilever) #KeeptheGrey campaign wins in my book. Yes, it’s advertising. It’s spin. But this matters because it shows there are many ways to be beautiful.
Ben & Jerry's and Tony's Chocolonely Team Up To Tackle Cocoa Slave Labor
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream has a new partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely, a brand that’s committed to ensuring there’s no child and/or slave labor used in the cocoa supply chain. I didn’t realize this was a thing, but I now know it’s a big problem. In addition to some co-branded products, Ben & Jerry’s will adopt Tony’s set of sourcing principles and practices to end slave labor in chocolate production. This matters because when brands make these kinds of commitments, it puts pressure on the suppliers to change their practices.
All-Black, All-Female American Airlines Crew Flies From Dallas to Honor Bessie Coleman
American Airlines honored Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license on a recent flight. She earned her license two years before Amelia Earhart. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of her license, the airline convened an all-Black women crew, including pilots, flight attendants, and cargo and maintenance team members. Less than 1% of aviation industry employees are Black women, and this matters because it shows visibility, possibility, and pride.
Races Are Finally Making Room for Nonbinary Runners, Whose Stories Are Driving the Change
Earlier this year, the New York City Marathon added a nonbinary category. Now the Chicago Marathon has done the same, and the Boston Marathon will in 2023. This topic is near and dear to Patti Flynn, our Senior Consultant, endurance athlete, and trans woman. One of our clients is Running USA and Patti developed policy recommendations for their member races. This matters because there are more than two genders and these updates allow everyone to participate authentically.
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