Latest news with #DEIB
Forbes
27-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
20 Important Pieces Of Workplace Culture To Maintain And Bolster
getty In times of change or budget pressure, it can be tempting for leaders to scale back or even eliminate certain cultural practices. But not all aspects of workplace culture are expendable—some are essential for keeping employees engaged and morale high to support long-term organizational resilience. From recognition and flexibility to trust and opportunity, certain cultural cornerstones shape how teams connect, grow and succeed together. Below, 20 members of Forbes Coaches Council explore workplace practices leaders should think twice about before changing or cutting, and why preserving them can make all the difference in their companies' overall performance. Psychological safety fosters open communication, innovation and error-reporting without fear of punishment. Undermining it can silence voices, suppress creativity and heighten risk exposure, especially in cybersecurity and compliance-sensitive environments where early detection and reporting are critical to resilience and trust. - Damodar Selvam , Equifax Inc. Trust is the foundation of great workplace culture; leaders should think twice before altering anything that erodes it. Trust fuels innovation, candor and healthy conflict. Without it, people go quiet, engagement drops and growth stalls. Remember: Culture isn't what you say, it's what you tolerate. Protect trust relentlessly—it's hard to build and easy to break. - Alex Draper , DX Learning Solutions Eliminating DEIB initiatives risks further ignoring the needs of already marginalized employees. Currently, work doesn't work for everyone. Leaders should be expanding DEIB to support neurodivergent employees, seeking to create cultures where hidden talent not only survives but thrives. If you are losing talent and writing it off as those employees just not fitting in, this might be your problem. - Dr. Nicole Scott, SPHR, CPC, PCC , Evo Exec 4. Unstructured Time With Colleagues One thing I'd be cautious about changing is unstructured time with colleagues. Informal catch-ups and quick chats before meetings might seem dispensable, but they're often where trust is built and ideas surface. When you remove those moments, culture risks becoming transactional. Preserve them, and you protect what keeps the workplace human. - Mo Khan , Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 5. L&D Investments As we all experience massive changes in the workplace and the workforce, there are ostensibly many reasons for making changes to the internal company culture, including expense cutting, realignment, AI integration and so on. However, a company may well lose its soul if it eliminates too many of its employees. A key area to focus on is learning and development. When a company makes that investment, it shows that it really cares about its people. - Ash Varma , Varma & Associates 6. Opportunities For Connection One important aspect of workplace culture are the rituals and traditions that promote employee connection and belonging, such as team celebrations, onboarding lunches or end-of-week wrap-ups. Leaders might see these as expendable to reduce costs. However, removing them can undermine employee engagement, especially in hybrid or rapidly changing environments with fragile personal connections. - Curtis Odom , Prescient Strategists 7. Curiosity Never kill curiosity. It drives innovation, fuels risk-taking and powers moonshot thinking. Remove it, and you lose momentum. In a world moving at exponential speed, curiosity is not a luxury; it is the fuel that keeps teams adaptive, bold and relentlessly forward-focused. - Adam Levine , InnerXLab 8. Open Communication Across All Levels One crucial element of workplace culture that leaders should reconsider before changing is open communication, especially through skip-step meetings. These meetings foster direct connections between employees and higher management, enhancing trust and transparency. Eliminating them can lead to misunderstandings and decreased morale. - Jay Garcia , Jay Garcia Group 9. Visible Brand Values Leaders should never underestimate the power of highly visible brand values. While that big poster on the wall about 'integrity' may occasionally get mocked, it's a daily reminder of what the company stands for and the behaviors it expects. When values are clear, they align the culture from the inside out. This builds consistency and trust for both employees and customers. - Gabriella Goddard , Brainsparker Ltd 10. Cross-Functional Gatherings And Workshops Don't eliminate events such as monthly team dinners or creative workshops where employees freely brainstorm ideas. These gatherings build camaraderie, spark innovation and foster psychological safety. In a hybrid world, maintaining spaces for informal connection and cross-functional ideation is essential for a thriving, collaborative culture. - Dr. Adil Dalal , Pinnacle Process Solutions, Intl., LLC 11. Development Of Internal Talent Do not stop investing in people to reduce costs. Have the right people in the right roles and develop them for current and future positions. Invest in and leverage your talent to drive business results and promote retention. - Karen Tracy , Dr. Karen A Tracy, LLC 12. Leadership Awareness Of Team Dynamics The heart of any workplace culture is how well leaders listen—not just to what people say, but to what they don't say. Culture is really about people, their unspoken feelings and everyday vibes. When leaders stay connected to that, trust and teamwork thrive. Change that, and you risk losing what really makes the workplace feel like a community. - Shikha Bajaj , Own Your Color 13. Spaces That Foster Emotional Intelligence In the era of AI, leaders should think twice before removing spaces that foster emotional intelligence, like group coaching conversations, reflection sessions or peer learning circles. AI can optimize tasks, but it can't replace human empathy or purpose. Preserve what cultivates trust, resilience and meaning. In a tech-driven world, your culture's humanity becomes its greatest competitive edge. - Alejandro Bravo , Revelatio360 14. Consistent Core Cultural Artifacts The best cultural artifacts are unique to an organization and are crafted over time through the actions and examples set by its leaders. However, they all change and adapt as each successive generation leaves its imprint. Keeping the core of these artifacts consistent is crucial, as this core is as individual as the leaders who crafted it and the organization it supports. - Ed Brzychcy , Lead from the Front 15. Food Service Programs Company leaders should think twice before changing or eliminating their food service programs. Food is a community- and culture-building medium. For centuries, humans have gathered to share meals and conversation. This form of hospitality is an integral part of building and sustaining workplace culture. Changes to food programs are highly disruptive and not worth the potential cost savings. - Brittney Van Matre , Rewild Work Strategies 16. Regular Recognition Moments Leaders should think twice before axing regular recognition moments like shout-outs, kudos boards or award moments. These gestures aren't fluff; they reinforce values, boost morale and signal appreciation. Abandoning recognition can erode motivation, diminish engagement and make employees feel invisible, weakening the cultural fabric and undermining long-term resilience. - Kerri Sutey , Sutey Coaching & Consulting LLC 17. Team Bonding Activities When people are well-connected, they collaborate more effectively. The impact of team bonding may not always be immediately visible, but it acts as an invisible glue that reduces friction, builds trust and enhances overall workflow. - Sandra Balogun , The CPA Leader 18. Support For Work-Life Balance One piece of workplace culture that is critical to keep in place (or introduce, if necessary) is support and transparency around work-life balance. For example, employees seek flexible work arrangements (this is much broader than working from home occasionally) and well-being initiatives. These demonstrate that the company truly values the whole person, not simply the productive employee. - Peter Accettura , Accettura Consulting LLC 19. Flexible, Agile Work Environments Eliminating an agile work environment will be detrimental to any company's culture. The landscape of the workplace isn't just rapidly changing; it has already changed. Surviving Covid means we have proven our resilience. Working from home or locations other than the 'office' should always be a choice given to employees, especially in times of need. Offering flexibility makes them feel valued and appreciated. - Kurline J Altes, CWDP , KURLINEJSPEAKS LLC 20. Values-Based Rituals In the push for efficiency, it's easy to dismiss cultural practices, like storytelling at all-hands meetings, value-based recognition rituals or team reflections. Values are the soul of culture, and rituals are how those values are lived and reinforced. - Neerja Bhatia , Rhythm of Success
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Collective Effervescence: Hope From HR Leaders As They Face Challenges
Teamwork and thought leadership can overcome any challenge. If you're in the business of HR nowadays, the world of work can feel bleak. The divides amongst us grow broader and deeper; our businesses face layoffs, real and existential threats; DEIB has become a four-letter word; the C-suite implore us to help solve and ready the organization for an AI-laden near future, except instead of building the plane as we fly it, we're dismantling and repurposing the parts as we take off. At the interpersonal level, those of us in HR can feel like caretakers. We are the willing, compassionate warriors who strive to prevent and alleviate the suffering of others. We are a place where people air their grievances. And many times, that's a good thing. But who cares for the caretakers? Enter Workhuman Live, an HR conference put on by Workhuman, an employee recognition software company. My team attended Workhuman Live in Aurora, Colorado, the week of May 12th this year, and came home full of topical insights, new friends, and, more importantly, hope. Waypower and Willpower In psychology and the social sciences, hope is a measurable psychological state with tremendous power to enable action. Its component parts are Waypower and Willpower. Waypower encompasses the strategies necessary to achieve a goal, and willpower refers to the motivational energy required to reach it. Workhuman Live and events like these, when done well, can provide both. For ten years, Workhuman Live has gathered HR professionals, senior leaders, social scientists, and thought leaders to explore: How do we make work more human? From the likes of Adam Grant and Trevor Noah this year, to Michelle Obama, Brené Brown, Amal Clooney, and others in past years, this conference explores a wide range of topics. It seeks to unpack big questions, ponder challenging ones, and tread on uncomfortable ones, providing a place for HR professionals to collaborate, strategize, and bring actionable insights home to make a meaningful impact. This all contributes to the Waypower aspect of Hope. Beyond the brainpower and best practices, though, this conference provided attendees with the powerful experience of collective effervescence, a sociological term describing the feeling of belonging and connection to a group, making one feel like they are part of something larger. With high-energy visuals, engaging and thoughtful emcees KeyAnna Schmiedl and Holly Ransom, high-powered speakers, coffee bars, customizable water bottles, and (actually) good, healthy food, the week in Colorado at Workhuman Live was a place of connection and re-energization. Through this, Workhuman Live enlivened our Willpower. Key Themes: AI is Here to Stay One of our biggest takeaways from this year's conference was, possibly no surprise, the role of AI as a workplace disruptor. Met by some with cautious optimism, others with trepidation, and others with doomsday predictions, there is no doubt that AI is here to stay and changing work in ways yet to be fully revealed. With heavy-hitters weighing in like Adam Grant, Kelly Jones, the Chief People Officer at Cisco, and Kerry Dryburgh, the Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer at BP, it was nice to know that we are kindred spirits pondering the question: how will AI affect the future of work, workforces, and (up)skilling? Adam Grant suggested that we tap into the collective wisdom and creativity of our own workforces by launching a sort of AI hackathon, inviting employees to unlock the best possible ways to deploy AI to improve the organization. Whether you take his advice or not, the answer is not to crawl under your desk in the fetal position and hope that AI goes away soon. Great leaders are People-Centric We sat down and interviewed conference presenters, authors, and leaders, and asked them to differentiate between good and great leaders. Although our interviewees hailed from different industries, backgrounds, and areas of study, they all agreed that great leaders need to be people-centric, building relationships and cultivating the best in their people. Best-selling author and keynote speaker Cy Wakeman has been pondering this question for some time. Her insights were summed up with 'I think there's a totally new skill needed for great leaders. They are not going to manage the systems and the processes. That is for AI. Leaders should be managing the energy of their people. The new great leaders will be alchemists.' Niamh Graham, Vice President, Global HR at Workhuman said the great leaders truly care about their people. '[They] have to be a good listener, and [they] have to care.' We also spoke with Kia Afcari, Director of Greater Good Workplaces at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center (GGSC), who brings an academic lens to the question, given the GGSC's focus on the psychology and neuroscience behind wellbeing in the workplace. Kia shared, 'We've been doing a lot of research and writing on kindness in leadership. Known in academia as prosocial behavior, prosociality is generally defined as 'positive' social behavior intended to promote the welfare of others. Companies with prosopical CEOs perform better. Employees perform better for prosocial managers.' He writes in his article Why Kind Workplaces are More Successful, 'fostering a prosocial and well-being–oriented workplace is not only 'the right thing to do' but also a strategic business decision.' One way to initiate a more intentional approach to developing people-centric leaders is to explore the compassionate leadership toolkit, which includes a free assessment, and consider attending WorkHuman's next conference for educational and morale purposes.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
From Metrics to Mindset: Advancing DEIB through real-time tracking and inclusive leadership, ETHRWorld
Advt Advt By , ETHRWorld Contributor Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis. Download ETHRWorld App Get Realtime updates Save your favourite articles Scan to download App In 2025, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) transitioned from aspirational ideals to essential components of organizational strategy. As workplaces become increasingly diverse and dynamic, the integration of real-time tracking mechanisms and the cultivation of inclusive leadership have become pivotal in driving meaningful DEIB DEIB assessments, often conducted annually, fail to capture the nuanced and rapidly changing dynamics of the modern workplace. Real-time tracking offers a more agile approach, enabling organizations to –: Real-time data collection allows for ongoing assessment of representation across various demographics, facilitating timely interventions.: Regular pulse surveys and feedback mechanisms help gauge employees' sense of belonging and inclusion, identifying areas needing immediate attention.: Transparent reporting of DEIB metrics fosters a culture of accountability, encouraging leaders to take ownership of DEIB initiatives A study by Culture Amp highlights that organizations leveraging real-time DEIB data are better positioned to implement effective strategies and measure their impact leadership is the linchpin in translating DEIB metrics into meaningful action. Leaders who prioritize inclusivity –: By creating environments where all employees feel valued and heard, inclusive leaders encourage open dialogue and innovation.: Inclusive leaders actively seek out and consider diverse viewpoints, enhancing decision-making and problem-solving.: Through their actions and decisions, inclusive leaders exemplify the organization's commitment to DEIB, setting the tone for the broader from Forbes underscores that organizations with inclusive leadership are more likely to achieve their diversity targets and experience higher employee synergy between real-time DEIB tracking and inclusive leadership creates a feedback loop that reinforces positive outcomes –1.: Real-time insights enable leaders to tailor initiatives that address specific challenges and opportunities within their teams.2.: Inclusive leaders use ongoing feedback to adapt their approaches, ensuring that DEIB efforts remain relevant and effective.3.: The combination of data and inclusive practices fosters a culture where DEIB is embedded in everyday operations, leading to lasting to TalentNeuron, integrating data-driven strategies with talent management is crucial for navigating the complex interplay of modern HR trends, including the clear benefits, organizations face challenges in advancing DEIB initiatives. A report by Affirmity reveals that while 21% of respondents rate their organization as "advanced" on the DEIB maturity model, only 7% see themselves as "expert." Additionally, 45% of respondents consider a lack of budget as their top barrier to increasing DEIB external pressures have led some companies to rebrand or scale back their DEIB programmes. An analysis by The Washington Post found that mentions of DEI in S&P 500 companies' 10-K filings fell to an average of four in 2024, down from a peak of 12.5 in 2022. This decline follows the US Supreme Court's 2023 ruling against affirmative action in college admissions and subsequent conservative activism targeting DEI these challenges, many organizations remain committed to DEIB. A 2024 study by Bridge Partners found that 72% of business leaders expected to expand their DE&I programmes in the next 24 organizations strive to navigate the complexities of the modern workforce, the integration of real-time DEIB tracking and the cultivation of inclusive leadership emerge as critical strategies. By embracing these approaches, businesses not only enhance their DEIB outcomes but also drive innovation, employee satisfaction, and overall the words of a recent HR Research Institute report, "The path to DEIB maturity is paved with continuous learning, accountability, and a steadfast commitment to inclusivity at all levels of leadership."Let us commit to transforming metrics into mindsets, fostering workplaces where diversity is celebrated, equity is ensured, inclusion is practised, and belonging is felt by all.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Medical schools need to take a stand, help students navigate the needs of LGBTQ+ patients
'If physicians are not trained on specific health risks that directly impact transgender patients, how can we provide adequate care? If we are not taught about racial health disparities, how will we work to combat them? If we stop prioritizing inclusion, how can we ensure equal health care for all?' (Getty Images) When the government puts legal barriers in place to strip away or prevent health care access, it's not just politics — it's real people's lives at stake. During the summer of 2024, countless transgender and gender expansive patients expressed to me fears about what might happen to their access to gender affirming medical care if a conservative administration were to win the White House. This worst-case scenario became reality in the first weeks of 2025, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order redefining legal gender identity as a strict binary of male and female — effectively erasing recognition of nonbinary and transgender individuals and interrupting federal funding to institutions providing gender-affirming health care. As a transgender health program intern, I have seen providers try to reassure patients of their well-being and safety while they themselves fear how their job will be affected if the laws would drastically alter the way we practice medicine. As a gay man about to enter the medical profession, I am afraid. The recent wave of anti-trans initiatives pushed by this administration is part of a much broader effort to dismantle diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) programs across the country under the guise of 'restoring meritocracy' and 'leveling the playing field.' But in health care, the playing field has never been level. Minority populations continue to face disproportionate health risks and barriers to care. DEIB is the foundation of medical education. It teaches future physicians how to address these disparities and combat the structural inequities that put vulnerable patients at risk. Studies show medical students have felt unprepared to manage transgender and gender expansive patients upon graduation. One study even claimed that only 27% of students were confident in their knowledge of the health needs of transgender patients. Beyond that, they could not correctly answer questions about race-related medical history despite affirming that understanding historical context is important in medicine. This lack of education was always a problem, and efforts were underway to solve it. Eliminating DEIB would not only erode this progress but set us back behind where we were even before we started. In 2020, the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) rolled out the Structural Competency Curriculum which aims to train providers 'to recognize and respond to the impact of upstream, structural factors on patient health and health care.' Since then, medical schools around the country have adopted the values of this curriculum and incorporated it throughout the course of their students' training. Health equity is a core pillar of medical students' professional development and should be embedded into the culture of patient-centric care. When DEIB is dismantled, programs like these disappear, and awareness of health disparities among marginalized patient populations fades from the culture of those whose job is to provide the proper care and treatment. If physicians are not trained on specific health risks that directly impact transgender patients, how can we provide adequate care? If we are not taught about racial health disparities, how will we work to combat them? If we stop prioritizing inclusion, how can we ensure equal health care for all? Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. Legislation cannot change a person's identity, but it will change their access to health care. Medical schools need to teach this, and we as students want to learn. Future doctors like me are watching everything that is happening, and we are worried. When students apply to medical school, the number one question they are asked is, 'Why medicine?' While the answer to this question can take many different forms, the bottom line is pretty simple: We want to help people. Medical schools can make a monumental difference in how future doctors navigate this political environment and provide care to patients. We urge medical schools to keep teaching us how to do that for all patients. New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. New Hampshire Bulletin maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Dana Wormald for questions: info@
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
We're watching and we're worried: A future doctor raises alarm over dismantling diversity efforts
'If physicians are not trained on specific health risks that directly impact transgender patients, how can we provide adequate care?" writes Alexander Misiaszek. "If we are not taught about racial health disparities, how will we work to combat them? If we stop prioritizing inclusion, how can we ensure equal health care for all?' (Getty Images) When the government puts legal barriers in place to strip away or prevent health care access, it's not just politics — it's real people's lives at stake. During the summer of 2024, countless transgender and gender expansive patients expressed to me fears about what might happen to their access to gender affirming medical care if a conservative administration were to win the White House. This worst-case scenario became reality in the first weeks of 2025, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order redefining legal gender identity as a strict binary of male and female — effectively erasing recognition of nonbinary and transgender individuals and interrupting federal funding to institutions providing gender-affirming health care. As a transgender health program intern, I have seen providers try to reassure patients of their well-being and safety while they themselves fear how their job will be affected if the laws would drastically alter the way we practice medicine. As a gay man about to enter the medical profession, I am afraid. The recent wave of anti-trans initiatives pushed by this administration is part of a much broader effort to dismantle diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging programs across the country under the guise of 'restoring meritocracy' and 'leveling the playing field.' But in health care, the playing field has never been level. Minority populations continue to face disproportionate health risks and barriers to care. DEIB is the foundation of medical education. It teaches future physicians how to address these disparities and combat the structural inequities that put vulnerable patients at risk. Studies show medical students have felt unprepared to manage transgender and gender expansive patients upon graduation. One study even claimed that only 27% of students were confident in their knowledge of the health needs of transgender patients. Beyond that, they could not correctly answer questions about race-related medical history despite affirming that understanding historical context is important in medicine. This lack of education was always a problem, and efforts were underway to solve it. Eliminating DEIB would not only erode this progress but set us back behind where we were even before we started. In 2020, the American Association of Medical Colleges rolled out the Structural Competency Curriculum, which aims to train providers 'to recognize and respond to the impact of upstream, structural factors on patient health and health care.' Since then, medical schools across the country have adopted the values of this curriculum and incorporated it throughout the course of their students' training. Health equity is a core pillar of medical students' professional development and should be embedded into the culture of patient-centric care. When DEIB is dismantled, programs like these disappear, and awareness of health disparities among marginalized patient populations fades from the culture of those whose job is to provide the proper care and treatment. If physicians are not trained on specific health risks that directly impact transgender patients, how can we provide adequate care? If we are not taught about racial health disparities, how will we work to combat them? If we stop prioritizing inclusion, how can we ensure equal health care for all? Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. Legislation cannot change a person's identity, but it will change their access to health care. Medical schools need to teach this, and we as students want to learn. Future doctors like me are watching everything that is happening, and we are worried. When students apply to medical school, the number one question they are asked is, 'Why medicine?' While the answer to this question can take many different forms, the bottom line is pretty simple: We want to help people. Medical schools can make a monumental difference in how future doctors navigate this political environment and provide care to patients. We urge medical schools to keep teaching us how to do that for all patients. New Hampshire Bulletin, a States Newsroom affiliate, produced this column. Alexander Misiaszek is a student at Dartmouth College and has published in Molecular Biology of the Cell. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
