Declining demand seen for chief diversity officers | 4 tips for hiring people with the skills, traits you need | What to ask remote workers to foster deeper connections
Demand for chief diversity officers is on the decline after a surge in interest a few years ago, and these executives are facing higher turnover rates than their counterparts in human resources, according to Live Data Technologies. In addition, some diversity chiefs say that the Supreme Court's recent ruling against affirmative action in higher education is bringing additional scrutiny to their efforts.
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For more effective hiring, focus on talent rather than solely hiring for experience, and be clear about the essential requirements of the position while being realistic about what you can expect from job candidates, writes Joel Trammel, owner of Texas CEO Magazine. "Avoid creating a job description that includes everything but the kitchen sink," Trammel says.
Taking time off can help you recenter your mind, body and soul and return to your job better rested, more centered and with improved focus, writes Rebecca Zucker, an executive coach and a founding partner at Next Step Partners. "When we bring our authentic selves back to work, we are more likely to shed our protective veneers, which includes not wasting energy or resources on hiding our inadequacies, so we can redirect them to the work at hand," Zucker writes.
CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure urged employers to help workers losing Medicaid coverage by extending the enrollment period for group health plans beyond the minimum 60-day requirement, allowing employees to sign up at any time over the next year. HHS estimates that about 3.8 million people who are expected to be dropped from Medicaid will be eligible for employer-based insurance, while around 2.7 million will be eligible for subsidized insurance through ACA marketplaces.
Business leaders can be both confident and vulnerable, and the latter comprises everything from a willingness to take risks to the courage to own your mistakes with colleagues, writes Damon Lembi, author of "The Learn-It-All Leader: Mindset, Traits, and Tools." "If you try to hide the truth from your teams out of ego or fear, you'll be seen as inauthentic, breed distrust and model unproductive behavior," Lembi writes.
Events of the last few years, including the death of George Floyd and the emergence of voices calling for change, moved many companies to increase their focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Several organizations allocated budgets for DEI and hired experts who specialized in leading these types of programs.
Now, though, there seems to be an unusual turn in the DEI tide, according to our top story today. Many people hired for DEI roles -- including chief diversity officers -- are now leaving their organizations. Some were laid off. Others were frustrated by what they perceived was a waning commitment to diversity initiatives.
This puzzles me. Are companies taking their foot off the DEI pedal? Were all the slogans and promises just lip service? I don’t want to believe that, but this new trend has me wondering.
What do you think? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.
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