These are particularly strange and frightening times. The coronavirus outbreak has led life as we know to grind to a virtual halt. Many of the places we gather - schools, restaurants, barber shops, gyms -are all closed as we practice social distancing. It is a time that many of us have never seen the like of before, and we hope we will not see again.
Do female leaders typically leverage different approaches than men in similar positions? Research seems to indicate that’s the case, citing that women tend to be more inclusive, mission-focused and engaging of others when they occupy senior roles. Women also bring diversity of thought and life experience to leadership – key aspects of building stronger organizations.
If you’re like many of our clients, you see huge value in recruiting a diverse workforce. More diverse organizations have fewer blind spots and perform better as a result. A more diverse sales force is likely to be more effective in reaching and selling to a diverse customer base. Diversity in hiring is the right thing to do . . . and it’s good for business.
So, what stands in the way of your recruiting diverse pools of candidates? One factor may be implicit bias – attitudes and beliefs you hold that you are unaware of, unwilling, or unable to articulate.
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) have become important priorities for organizations of all sizes and sectors in recent years. For recruiters, other HR professionals and management staff, using a D &I lens has become critical in their work. This is especially true as the benefits of incorporating D&I in companies’ operations have been proven in many studies in past years; equally importantly, it is the right thing to do! Hiring without bias leads to a workforce rich in ideas and perspectives that can drive a business forward.
Every management team talks about culture. However, while the subject is relatively easy to discuss, putting it into effect represents a much more difficult task. Creating an amazing company culture requires a detailed plan, with concrete programs designed to achieve your goals.
To put it another way, there's a big difference between words and actions. It's not enough to announce your commitment to culture. You have to turn that inspiration into definite policies.
With that in mind, here are four steps you can take to nurture a meaningful corporate culture:
Getting ahead means getting the most out of your opportunities. That, in turn, means maximizing your productivity. If you are able to improve your performance, optimize your efficiency, and magnify your output, you can put your career on the fast track.
That all sounds great for a motivational speech, but it gets complicated in real life. Having the desire to perform better at work is one thing. Knowing how to reach that next level is something else entirely. You need practical advice to enhance your efficiency and boost the quality of your work.
People don't generally think of the workplace as a warm bastion of fuzzy emotion. Still, everyone wants to feel welcome, even when they are at work. In this regard, you, as management, act as a kind of host. It's up to you to create an accepting and inclusive environment.
Part of the job of a leader is to inspire your team. You want to rouse an emotional response for the company and the task at hand. If you can get your employees to love their jobs, you'll see better productivity and a higher level of innovation.
But that isn't an easy task. When you think about it, a full-time job is a big commitment. You spend eight hours a day, five days a week, toiling in the same set of tasks. If you don't love your job, it can become drudgery very quickly.
It's usually treated as a quick courtesy, or a tacked-on coda to the main show. Just as a job interview is winding up, your interviewer will toss out, almost as an afterthought, "do you have any questions for us?"