Blog Posts

Is Your Board Inclusive - or Just Diverse?

Harvard Business Review


By Zahra Ahmad

By John Steudle

Addressing inequity in the workplace has gained new urgency over the past several years. Even though the law has been in place for more than 30 years...For more detail read, visit @https://lnkd.in/e8ZqB2Bq 

"You can legislate a lot, but you can't legislate how people feel," says Coretha M. Rushing, SHRM-SCP, an Atlanta-based executive coach who previously held senior HR positions at the Coca-Cola Co. and Equifax Inc. and was former chair of SHRM's board of directors. "People typically operate using their heads and their hearts. That's probably the biggest barrier to diversity and inclusion that I saw in the 30 years I worked in corporate America." For more detail read, please visit SHRM Summer 2023: The Evolution of HR and DE&I @https://lnkd.in/e8ZqB2Bq. 

7/31/23

“People with disabilities, women and people of color have long endured suspicions by some co-workers that they were only hired because they are members of a protected class. Those doubts often grow as people climb the ranks. Some workers have developed strategies for handling others' prejudices. Rushing says when she worked in corporate America, colleagues would sometimes make inappropriate comments during meetings. When that happened, she would talk to them about it in private afterward.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM @https://lnkd.in/e8ZqB2Bq. 

8/8/23

SHRM Research Reveals 'Problematic' Findings

"Despite the strides made under the ADA, workers with disabilities continue to face obstacles to employment. The employment rate for individuals with disabilities, while rising, continues to remain significantly lower than that of people without disabilities, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of these workers who do land jobs face discrimination at work. For workers with nonapparent disabilities, the ADA encourages workers to seek accommodations that boost well-being and productivity. But new research by SHRM shows that nearly half (47 percent) of employees with invisible disabilities, such as a learning disorder or autism, have not disclosed their condition at work.” For more detail read, please visit @The ADA Turns 33: Reflecting on Progress Made, Challenges That Remain (shrm.org)

8/9/23

MSU receives partnership grant to support women in STEM- A Co-PI on this project. 

"Michigan State University has been awarded a partnership grant from the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program that will work to build equitable and inclusive work cultures for women in STEM by focusing on both women from racial minority groups and gender expansive/nonbinary faculty who are at higher risk of leaving academic STEM departments.” For more detail read, please visit @https://lnkd.in/gqQWsDav or https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/msu-awarded-grant-for-women-in-stem?fbclid=IwAR00a30kqKpIP6su_TnWNhZe1LZwQUn5AFFD9YuM9QhC3IsvOmoeP11fOxA


8/15/23

Eliminating Stigma Surrounding Nonapparent Disabilities

“Research shows at least 10 percent of individuals in the U.S. have a medical condition that could be considered an invisible disability. Those who speak about their nonapparent disabilities are often socially isolated, resulting in lower morale and reduced productivity.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM @ The ADA Turns 33: Reflecting on Progress Made, Challenges That Remain (shrm.org) or @https://lnkd.in/gEjMxuc6


8/28/23

Conservative Groups Targeting Corporate DE&I Programs

“After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education in June, conservative activists and public officials are taking legal action to disrupt corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts. A report by The Wall Street Journal indicated that several big-name employers are under fire for alleged race-based favoritism:”  For more detail read, please visit SHRM @ Conservative Groups Targeting Corporate DE&I Programs (shrm.org)

8/29/23

EEOC Settles First-Ever AI Discrimination Lawsuit

“We've reached another milestone in the artificial intelligence revolution: The federal agency charged with enforcing anti-bias laws just recorded its first-ever settlement in a case involving AI discrimination in the workplace. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) Aug. 9 legal filing in a New York federal court revealed that a tutoring company agreed to pay $365,000 to resolve charges that its AI-powered hiring selection tool automatically rejected women applicants over 55 and men over 60.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM @EEOC Settles First-Ever AI Discrimination Lawsuit (shrm.org)


9/9/23

Which Racial Group Is Most Vulnerable to Job Loss Due to AI?

“A recent report by Pew Research Center revealed that Asian American employees are more exposed than other racial groups to artificial intelligence.The survey of about 11,000 employees found that 24 percent of Asian American workers are in fields categorized as "most exposed" to AI, followed by white (20 percent), Black (15 percent), and Hispanic (13 percent) employees.

We are reaching an inflection point to confront the issue of inclusion and equity for Asian Americans," she said. "AI just accelerated the urgency of that."  For more detail read, please visit SHRM @Which Racial Group Is Most Vulnerable to Job Loss Due to AI? (shrm.org)















9/29/23

1 in 4 Black Women Believe They’ve Been Denied a Job Interview Due to Hairstyle

"A growing number of states are outlawing hair discrimination in the workplace, but hairstyle bias continues to be a barrier to employment for many Black women, according to the 2023 CROWN Workplace Research Study.

The survey of 2,990 female respondents in the U.S revealed that:


















10/5/23

More than three-fourths of organizations are just going through the motions with diversity and not holding themselves accountable.


"There is no question that the increased focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace is a positive. Younger generations are demanding more from employers and want them to better reflect the society in which they operate. Companies are responding by adopting policies with plenty of words promising meaningful change. But how much of this talk about DE&I is just that—talk? Despite all the research showing how valuable increasing diversity, equity and inclusion is to strengthening an organization, how many companies are simply going through the motions on DE&I without actually stopping and reflecting on what's wrong, what needs to change and how they should change?So far, the majority of those in the HR industry and beyond aren't quite buying what companies are preaching. Last year, a Yoh survey of nearly 1,000 American workers found that while 30 percent say their company acknowledges important dates related to race, ethnicity or gender (e.g., Black History Month and Women's History Month), their employer doesn't take any specific actions to advocate for the groups being recognized. Worse still, more than one-fifth of workers say their company talks about improving DE&I in the workplace but does not follow through with action. Another survey by the Josh Bersin Company found that about 80 percent companies are just going through the motions on DE&I and aren't holding themselves accountable."For more detail read, please visit SHRM @4 Ways to Promote Authentic DE&I Practices (shrm.org)

10/30/23

How to Embrace Neurodivergent Talent and Why You Should
 "An estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of the world’s population exhibits some form of neurodivergence, according to various studies, and despite strides being made in advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace, some say that neurodiversity is still being overlooked." For more detail read, please visit SHRM @ How to Embrace Neurodiverse Talent and Why You Should (shrm.org)






1



11/9/23

Is Corporate IE&D Dying? Maybe Not

“While companies across the U.S. are scaling back their inclusion, equity and diversity (IE&D) efforts, a new survey of 445 HR leaders by software firm Capterra revealed that many others have actually invested more heavily in IE&D in 2023.

The report found that over half (58 percent) of HR professionals with a dedicated budget for IE&D claim their companies are placing even higher importance on these efforts this year than previously. A majority of respondents (65 percent) say their budget actually rose in 2023. After seeing reports and speculation about DE&I cutbacks last year … and given the uncertainty around the economy, I fully expected businesses to report a decrease in DE&I budgets and prioritization in 2023," Brian Westfall, principal HR analyst at Capterra. "Instead, I found the opposite."

Among HR leaders surveyed:

For more detail read, please visit SHRM @Is Corporate IE&D Dying? Maybe Not (shrm.org)




11/16/23

Negligent Hiring Risk Less Than Employers Believe

“Second-chance hiring advocates argue that the fear of being accused of negligent hiring—one of the main reasons given for not hiring people with criminal histories—is overblown.

A recent report by the Legal Action Center and National Workrights Institute shows that while negligent hiring liability does exist, it is far less common than people might think. And when specific roles dealing with vulnerable populations or access to homes or financial assets are removed, there is virtually no risk, the study found.

The groups examined every reported negligent hiring decision from 1974 through 2022 and found that approximately 435 trial court decisions held employers liable for negligent hiring during that time—an average of nine cases per year. For more detail read, please visit SHRM @Negligent Hiring Risk Less Than Employers Believe (shrm.org)












11/19/23

New college grads are more likely to be unemployed in today’s job market

“Lucas Chung graduated in May with a hefty resume: A near-perfect college GPA, several internships and a stint running cross-country for Team USA. Since then he’s applied to hundreds of jobs, but has ended up with little more than a pile of rejection letters.

Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every weekend.

“I had high hopes but it's not really working out for me,” said Chung, 22, who double-majored in political science and communications at St. Mary’s College of California. “I’m feeling a little desperate.”

Despite a surprisingly robust job market, recent college graduates have been having a harder time finding work than the rest of the population since the pandemic. This marks a sharp reversal from long-held norms, when a newly-minted college degree all but guaranteed a better shot at employment. Since 1990, the unemployment rate for recent grads almost always has been lower than for the general population.” For detail, please visit The Washington Post @New college grads are the most unemployed in today’s job market - The Washington Post








12/1/23

EEOC Cracking Down on AI Bias

“The number of employers using AI is skyrocketing: Nearly 1 in 4 organizations reported using automation or AI to support HR-related activities, including recruitment and hiring, according to a 2022 survey by SHRM. However, the NTIA noted that a "growing number of incidents" have occurred where AI and algorithmic systems have led to harmful outcomes. For example, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued an English-language tutoring service for age discrimination. The agency alleged that the employer's AI algorithm automatically rejected older applicants.The EEOC has heavily focused on preventing AI from discrimination at work. The agency has held public hearings and released guidance focused on preventing bias against applicants and employees, particularly those with disabilities. In 2021, the agency launched the Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness Initiative. This initiative helps to ensure that software, including AI, used in hiring and other employment decisions complies with the federal civil rights laws that the EEOC enforces.” For more details, please visit SHRM @How ChatGPT Could Discriminate Against Applicants (shrm.org)

12/12/23

How ChatGPT Can Discriminate

“ChatGPT has been marketed as a scalable, cost-effective tool that can help employers analyze written text, provide responses to customer queries and conduct various tasks that would otherwise be performed by a human. A recent survey revealed that about 43 percent of nearly 1,800 professionals have used AI tools, such as ChatGPT, for work-related tasks—about 70 percent of whom use this technology without their manager's knowledge. If used incorrectly, the technology could deteriorate diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts, according to Jeffrey L. Bowman, founder and CEO of tech platform Reframe in New York City. "ChatGPT is only as good as the data it can pull from," Bowman said. "With the case of talent acquisition, there is already a DE&I issue for most companies, and if the ChatGPT data has gaps, it will likely have gaps across race, gender and age." ChatGPT comprises a dataset that includes 300 billion words and 570GB of data obtained from books, Wikipedia entries, articles and other pieces of writing on the Internet. However, such large datasets can encode bias and reinforce social stereotyping that leads to discrimination. In 2022, Meta's ChatGPT-like system trained on 48 million text samples produced false, biased information and was shut down by the company three days after its launch. And in 2018, Amazon abandoned its recruitment AI technology after it discriminated against female candidates.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM @ How ChatGPT Could Discriminate Against Applicants (shrm.org)





12/29/23

How to Avoid a Discrimination Lawsuit

"Alex Meier, an attorney with Seyfarth in Atlanta, recommended that employers avoid becoming fully reliant on automation in the workplace and continue to involve a human in the decision-making process.

"You will want to have a decision for why someone was hired, promoted or fired," he said. "ChatGPT is a dynamic tool that will not necessarily generate the same results or interpret ability as a human decision-maker."

Companies must understand the tools they're using, he warned. A black box that takes resumes and spits out the recommended hire without any documentation of the process is going to expose a company to legal and regulatory risk.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM @ How ChatGPT Could Discriminate Against Applicants (shrm.org)









2/5/ 2024

 |

Despite Employment Gains, Black Workers Now Face a New Challenge

"As the U.S. celebrates Black History Month in February, recent research shows that more Black individuals are making significant strides in their careers.Black professionals are earning college degrees at much higher rates than they did two decades ago, are starting more businesses and are landing jobs at record numbers. Further, the employment gap between white and Black individuals has shrunk considerably in recent years.

However, a December report by McKinsey & Company predicts that the burgeoning use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the workplace could widen the racial wealth gap between Black and white households by $43 billion annually by 2045, with Black workers also facing a higher risk of job loss due to this technology.

“As often happens, the advent of a new technology can create or exacerbate divides, including the racial wealth gap,” the report said. “One of the most pressing questions about [GenAI] is how it will affect workers and, specifically, workers of color.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM @Despite Employment Gains, Black Workers Now Face a New Challenge (shrm.org)













2/19/ 2024

 |

Five A’s Can Improve Disability Inclusion

“Craig Leen, an attorney with K&L Gates in Washington, D.C., and a former director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, said the report confirms that disability inclusion is good for a company’s bottom line.

“Workplaces that are open and accessible to people with disabilities tend to be open and accessible to everyone,” said Leen, who has a daughter with disabilities. “Inclusive businesses are more successful while having less risk of legal liability. All organizations should take note and include disability and accessibility in their diversity-focused programs.”

The report includes a five-part framework to help businesses become more intentional about disability inclusion:












3/10/ 2024

 |A ‘Glass Ceiling’ Is Hindering Black Employees’ Growth

"A record number of Black executives oversee some of the most successful companies in the U.S. Still, some workplace experts believe too many qualified Black professionals hit a “glass ceiling” that prevents them from fulfilling their potential. Eight Black CEOs lead Fortune 500 companies—the most ever, and doubling the number from 2020. But Black people represent just 1.6 percent of Fortune executives and 5.2 percent of all chief executives in the U.S. despite comprising 13 percent of the labor force.Jen Mahone Rightler, an HR and inclusion, equity and diversity (IE&D) leader based in Flower Mound, Texas, called the record number of Black executives leading Fortune 500 companies “a positive development,” but noted that it is imperative for companies not to grow complacent in supporting Black professionals." For more detail read, please visit SHRM@ A ‘Glass Ceiling’ Is Hindering Black Employees’ Growth (shrm.org)








3/31/ 2024

 |Which Age Groups Like to Talk Politics at Work?

 

“Millennial and Generation Z employees have different viewpoints than their Generation X and Baby Boomer colleagues about discussing politics in the workplace.

Sixty percent of Millennial (ages 35-44) and 58 percent of Generation Z workers (ages 25-34) said they “sometimes” or “frequently” talk politics at work, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers by ResumeHelp. Meanwhile, just 41 percent of Generation X (ages 45-54) and 40 percent of Baby Boomer respondents (ages 54 or older) said the same.

“Millennials and Gen Zers have grown up in the age of social media, where publicly expressing opinions is the norm,” said María Correa, a career expert at ResumeHelp. “I think that lends itself to them being less self-conscious about it in the workplace, too.”

Correa explained that young workers care deeply about politics because they tend to be passionate and idealistic about social issues—and the last few election cycles have been rife with debates over reproductive rights, racial relations, LGBTQ+ issues and climate change concerns.

“I think young people, in particular, see these issues as directly impacting their futures,” she said.

Although younger employees are more likely to talk politics at work, they also have less work experience than older workers and might be “unaware that these conversations can create problems with their colleagues who don’t share the same political opinions,” Correa said.” For more detail read, please visit SHRM@Which Age Groups Like to Talk Politics at Work? (shrm.org)