Opinion: How unconscious bias affects C-suite recruiting | How a 4-day workweek pilot is going so far | Strategies to create a more fulfilling, authentic life
The homogenous makeup of executive search firms can lead to the homogenous makeup of C-suite applicants put forward for consideration. Kelly Lewis, vice president of diversity and inclusion at TurnkeyZRG, highlights specific factors that can result in unconscious bias against Black applicants and recommends further attention to diversity in hiring for sports and other sectors.
Eight weeks into an experiment involving thousands of people in the UK who transitioned to a four-day workweek, some participants report that they are performing better at their jobs and feel healthier and happier as well. The six-month pilot will be evaluated by researchers measuring the project's effects on productivity, employee well-being, gender equality and the environment.
Brandon Hall Group's Cliff Stevenson explains four ways employers can accelerate skills development within the workforce. Give employees mentoring and coaching opportunities, offer stretch assignments or job rotations, provide personalized learning programs and support employees in mapping out their own career paths, Stevenson advises.
With workplace mental health and wellness at the forefront of people's minds, leaders must act to nurture a culture of self-care within their teams and build a psychologically safe workplace by promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. A 2021 survey found more than 50% of respondents viewed mental health as a DEI issue, and researchers Kelly Greenwood and Julia Anas say "Millennials and Gen Zers, as well as LGBTQ+, Black, and Latinx respondents, were significantly more likely to experience mental health symptoms" and more likely to leave for these reasons.
New leaders can easily build their confidence by focusing on their values, defining what leadership means to them and envisioning how they will handle the challenges of the job, writes Marlene Chism. "Trusting yourself grows as you face reality, tell yourself the truth, keep promises and make decisions in alignment with your organization and with your own values," Chism writes.
My friend Tee* got married last Friday. The night before the wedding, a bunch of us girls got together to toast Tee and her soon-to-be husband Jay*. We got to talking and she told us about how they met and their early days together.
“Girl, we went broke flying back and forth to see each other,” she said. Tee lived in Texas when she and Jay met. He was in California. They would take turns flying back and forth to visit and it was costly. Tee eventually decided to move back to California to be with Jay and he flew out to help her move. When they got back to his place in California, she made a startling discovery.
“He skipped paying his electricity bill to come see me!” she laughed. “He just been sittin’ in the dark.”
We all laughed (“Awww!”) but I was struck by what Jay did. Tee mattered to him. She was his priority. And if getting to her – helping her move her life – meant going without lights for a time, he was going to do it.
Our Leadership & Development story today from INSEAD talks about living a fulfilling life. It lays out 10 steps for achieving this, and one talks about giving generously to others. I couldn’t help but think of Jay and Tee when I read this. They gave generously to each other (down to their last dollar!) and their relationship to make it work.
And it so does. It was so much fun watching Jay and Tee at their wedding. They laughed constantly and couldn't stop smiling. It wasn't fake. They shine with genuine love and affection for each other.
Because that’s what happens when generosity and unselfishness are your core.
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*Names have been changed to preserve the bride and groom’s privacy.
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