5 Things / finding the win-win
This week I learned about an incredible and simple policy change that Expedia made as part of its pandemic response. They discovered that they had IT staff who had less to do with employees no longer onsite. Some of these IT help desk employees were facing a furlough.
At the same time, they realized that many of their employees were now struggling to balance work from home with supporting their kids in remote learning. Those parents were looking for extra help. Expedia found the win-win. They created a policy which allows employees' children to call its IT help desk for assistance with tech problems. They even sent out a few replacement laptops. That may sound like a tech person's worst nightmare -- but the move prevented furloughs.
I love this policy because it's a clever and creative solution to two problems. Time and again, I've witnessed incredible creativity in 2020. I've witnessed people-first leadership. I've witnessed companies leading with purpose. I've read hundreds of commitments made towards a more equitable future -- public commitments to which companies will be held accountable.
Let's make sure we push that accountability. We each have more influence than we may think.
Here are the good vibes I found this week:
Earlier this year, Zappos unveiled a test program where people could buy single shoes or mixed-size pairs. This Zappos Adaptive program has now been expanded to offer a much bigger selection of brands. This matters because the products are now more inclusive of people with disabilities -- and even skateboarders who often wear out one shoe more quickly...
Beginning in January, a class on Black & Latinx history will be offered in all public high schools in Connecticut. As of July 2022, the class will be mandatory. This matters because the experiences and contributions of Black and Latinx people (and LGBTQ people) have been significantly overlooked in general history class. This new policy corrects that.
Chobani Yogurt's founder is a refugee who launched the Tent Foundation to help other refugees. In a partnership with the the Human Rights Campaign, 1,250 LGBTQ refugees from countries where it's not safe to be openly LGBTQ, will receive mentorship from dozens of companies in virtually every industry. This matters because it provides access and opportunities to people with a host of marginalized identities.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, added his pronouns to his Twitter profile. So did Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris. You can do this, too. This matters because it sends a signal to under-represented people, especially transgender people, that you want to be their ally.
Thanks for all you do to build a more inclusive world-
All the best,
Image by: Pinterest