Catherine Mattice's Blog, page 29

3 Topics to Communicate to Your Workforce About Politics

Yikes, last Tuesday’s debate was brutal to watch. There were insults flangin’ and slangin’ every which way, interruptions, talking over each other… a great example of incivility was displayed. No matter your political views, we can all agree that that debate was ugly.
 
I’m not here to talk politics though, I’m here to talk about politics in your workplace. Have your employees been having discussions about their favorite candidates or important issues?
 
While I don’t have many tips for you on the legal side of political speech in the workplace, I can provide insight into managing employee behavior and diffusing incivility during this election season.
 
Here are three topics you absolutely must cover with your workforce as the election draws near:
 
Managing political conversations is part of building a positive and inclusive culture. Communicate that part of being in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization is diverse political beliefs. Despite differences, people must respect each other and not let those differences impact their relationships. You might lean on your core values as part of this messaging – everyone should understand the expectation for living the core values and how they apply to politics. You might also consider a training to remind people about what’s expected of them. (We’ve been doing a lot of those lately.)
 
Harassment is not tolerated. Remind your workforce that political conversations can easily turn into conversations about protected classes, and that harassment is not tolerated. If employees are talking about abortion, defunding the police, or anything else, the conversation can become a violation of the law.
 
You encourage voting and will do what you can to help people make it happen. The best way for people to be heard in an impactful way is to vote! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seeing a lot of media on the topic of voter suppression, people waiting in line for 8 hours to vote, and closing polls due to COVID. If voting is going to be hard this year, make it easier by offering the day off, for example, in order to be heard and counted.
 
I’ll be diving deeper into these topics on my upcoming webinar –  Diffusing Incivility and Conflict During and After Election Season.
 
Make sure to tune in on October 22nd at 10:30 PST as I share strategies for navigating politics in the workplace to ensure a more positive and inclusive work environment. From training, to coaching behavior, to mediating conflict – I plan to give you everything I’ve got to prepare your organization for what’s expected to be a tumultuous election.
 
Oh, and I’ll be offering 1 SHRM PDC to everyone who attends!
 
Click here to register. 
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Catherine

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3 Tips for Convincing Leaders That Toxic Behavior Must Be Addressed

You tell your CEO that there is bullying, it causes harm, and we should fix it.

Seems obvious this needs to be addressed.

Alas, many HR professionals are met with push back: “People are just sensitive.” “She’s our top performer so hopefully people can figure out how to deal with it.” “Let’s get everyone some training on bullying at work and maybe that person will change.” (That’s my personal favorite because it’s so ridiculous.)

If you’re getting pushback, here are three tips for countering it.

Calculate the Costs

Leadership needs data. Help them see the actual costs of bullying and you might pique their interest.  

Create an excel sheet laying out all of the actual costs of bullying, including hours spent dealing with it, turnover, training new hires, absenteeism, and everything else but the kitchen sink.

Even more cool, if costs of bullying are clearly laid out you can also discuss the ROI of addressing it.

Turn Anecdotes into Clearer Data

Anecdotes are data, but they’re also made up of perceptions. Leaders hear the stories and respond with, “Why can’t they just act like adults.”

I hate to say it, but anecdotes also create the opportunity for HR to be seen as melodramatic, too sympathetic to the employees’ plight and not enough to the business’, and lacking business acumen. 

That’s why we’re introducing our abrasive leader diagnostic. It turns those anecdotes into clear and undeniable data. 

You’ll be asked to put a checkmark next to all of the bullying behaviors you’re aware of (e.g., aggressive body language, yelling, sabotage) and all of the outcomes of that behavior (e.g., turnover, complaints, requests for transfers). 

You receive a report that summarizes your anecdotes in a calm and composed way… in a way leadership can understand. 

Discuss Risk

In addition to laying out costs in your excel sheet, and the list of behaviors and outcomes in your diagnostic report, you’ll want to discuss risk. 

Harassment and bullying behaviors are the same – the only difference is whom they’re aimed at. All it takes is one employee to recognize they may have a hostile work environment complaint, and the organization is doomed for at least a costly investigation. 

Of course, an investigator’s fee won’t crush the business. It’s all the other stuff that makes investigations costly – time wasted participating, time wasted gossiping about participation, loyalty to the organization lost, and so forth. 

Implement these three tips, and you’ll convince your leadership that bullying is a problem that exists, is costly, and most be resolved. 

Sincerely,

Catherine Mattice Zundel

P.S. Don’t forget about our upcoming webinar on Oct 22, 2020. We’ll be discussing politics at work and how to create an environment that can tolerate the emotions and outrage that’s sure to come with election night. We are offering up 1 SHRM PDC for those that attend this webinar!

It’s from 10:30-11:45 am Pacific. 

Claim your spot!

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Workplace Bullying and the Law

This is a long one, so grab a cup of coffee and clear your schedule.

It’s been a while since I’ve written a long and epic article about my super-niche, workplace bullying. With Puerto Rico recently passing a law to prohibit workplace bullying, and Google searches on the phrase going up 30% every other week since COVID, I got inspired.

I thought I’d revisit the workplace bullying laws currently in effect in the U.S., and in doing so address whether bullying is intentional behavior or not. 

Nevada was the first to pass an anti-workplace bullying law in 2009 when they revised their anti-bullying law for schools. The law specifically states that teachers, administrators, coaches, staff members, or anyone on campus who uses school facilities will “be held accountable” if they engage in bullying. The law also requires training, regulates reporting and investigations, and much more. 

In other words, if you’re an adult working in the school system in the State of Nevada, you’re protected by the law from workplace bullying.

In 2014, Tennessee passed the Healthy Workplace Act, which applied only to public employers. In 2019, the Act was amended to include the private sector. 

The Act does not prohibit abusive conduct or workplace bullying, but it encourages employers to adopt an anti-workplace bullying policy by making employers immune from lawsuits if they have a policy in place. The Act also created a model policy – which I am proud to report I was a part of creating.

In 2015, Utah passed its law regarding abusive conduct, which only applies to public employers. It requires state employees to attend a training on abusive conduct every other year, where topics include abusive conduct definitions, resources available to targets, and the grievance process. In alternating years, training topics include ethical conduct, leadership, and integrity.

Also in 2015, California mandated that employers revise their required biannual harassment prevention training to include the topic of abusive conduct. Prior to 2018, only employers with 50+ employees were required to deliver this training to supervisors, but now employers with 5+ employees are required to deliver the training to all levels.

Most recently, in August of 2020, the governor of Puerto Rico signed H.B. 306 into law, which prohibits workplace bullying. The law creates a cause of action for public and private sector employees, the Dept of Labor has until February 3, 2021 to issue regulations and guidance for employers.

In addition to these states/territory, several local governments have policies against bullying that were voted into law by councilmembers. Examples include Fulton County, GA; Tucson, AZ; City of Riverside, CA; and the Municipality of Anchorage, AK.

Is bullying intentional? Should intent be included in the law? 

Currently, two of the five laws include malice in their definitions of abusive conduct (malice is defined as the intention to cause harm, or disregard for the rights of others or the value of human life):

Nevada: Acts that have the effect of physical harm, creating a hostile environment, or interfering with the performance of a pupil; or that are based on a protected characteristic.


Tennessee: Repeated verbal abuse; verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a threatening, intimidating, or humiliating nature; or the sabotage or undermining of an employee’s performance.


Utah: Physical, verbal or nonverbal conduct that a reasonable person would determine was intended to cause intimidation, humiliation or distress; exploits a known disability; or results in substantial physical or psychological harm caused by intimidation, humiliation or unwarranted distress.


California: Conduct, with malice, that a reasonable person would find hostile, offensive, and unrelated to an employer’s legitimate business interests. It can include verbal abuse or physical conduct that a reasonable person would consider threatening, intimidating, humiliating, or sabotage. 


Puerto Rico: Malicious conduct that is unwanted, repetitive and abusive; arbitrary, unreasonable or capricious; not related to legitimate business interests; and that infringes on constitutionally protected rights, such as the protection against attacks to the employee’s reputation or private life, among others.”

Intention has been a hardy discussion among academics who study workplace bullying. Initially, much of the research stemmed from surveys filled out by targets of workplace bullying, who naturally believed the bullying was intentional, so that’s what was reported in the research. In the mid-90’s, however, some well-recognized researchers (such as renowned expert in the U.K., Charlotte Rayner) pointed out that people who bully had not been tapped into for research and that it was a glaring problem. 

These days there are many of us who have tapped into those who bully by surveying them, talking to them, coaching them, and learning what motivates them. 

In my own experience as a coach, I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone who intentionally caused harm or had a gross disregard for others. What motivates bullying behavior is the desire for success – for themselves, their team, and the organization they work for. Often through coaching, their behavior can change. 

In the end, the focus of any anti-bullying laws should be the conduct, not the motivation for the conduct. That’s how it is in anti-harassment laws, and that’s how it should be in anti-workplace bullying laws.

What does the future hold for anti-bullying laws?

Since 2003, the Healthy Workplace Bill (HWB), sponsored by the Workplace Bullying Institute, has garnered interest in over 30 states and has certainly influenced the laws mentioned above. It includes intent, stating that an abusive work environment exists when an employer or employee acts with intent to cause pain or distress. 

Recently, the National Workplace Bullying Coalition, an organization that I helped found several years ago, has developed the Dignity at Work Act (DAWA). DAWA takes a different approach than previous abusive conduct laws and defines unlawful bullying as:

Unwanted abuse of any source of power that has the effect of or intent to intimidate, control, or otherwise strip targets of their rights to esteem, growth, dignity, voice, or other human rights. Bullying may take the form of moral, psychological, or general harassment, abusive supervision, violence, mobbing, aggressions, and other types of objectionable behaviors.

DAWA also:

Provides a longer list of examples of workplace bullying than the HWB
States clearly that intent is not a required element
Holds employers and individuals liable for bullying
Provides a list of steps employers should take (e.g., policy, investigation) for an affirmative defense
Does a whole lot more than what I’ve listed here

DAWA is quickly gaining much attention in several states. If you’d like to keep tabs on its’ progress, you can search and join the Facebook group for the Dignity at Work Act in your state.

As for the future, so far two of five states/territories prohibit bullying while others only make it a topic of conversation. 

I live here in California where we have extensive laws focused on employee rights, so I expect to see more from legislators here over the coming years.

Until any of us in any state can convince lawmakers that bullying and the damage it causes is similar to harassment, we won’t get too far. A main challenge the HWB has faced is legislators’ incorrect assumptions that bullying is similar to incivility, and of course, they don’t think it’s appropriate to regulate incivility. 

All of us in the workplace bullying “industry” agree. We also know that bullying is a far cry from incivility. 

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5 Tips for Maintaining Civility at Work During Election Season

Your workforce is bound to have varying opinions around the issues our nation is facing, which inherently creates a higher risk of conflict and disrespectful behavior.

On top of COVID and #BLM, we’re just months away from a very emotionally-charged presidential election. In fact, we’ve had several requests for training on respect and allyship from some savvy HR professionals who are thinking about the impact November’s big event will have on their workforce.

Over the years, I’ve experienced many elections and witnessed first-hand how they can pull people apart. In 2016, we worked with a group of women who had ousted one peer due to party lines. Political discussions had gotten heated, and these women were completely divided and unable to restore their work friendships.

I don’t know about you, but I keep seeing recommendations for employers to address politics at work with a political speech policy, but there’s so much more your organization could be doing to keep things civil in turbulent times. It’s unrealistic to think a policy on its own will change employee behavior.

So here are five tips for keeping your workplace civil during the election season:

Set ground rules with your team around civility in the workplace. Ground rules can be created at any time to encourage respectful, professional communication and behavior from employees. At your next staff meeting, have a conversation about what is and isn’t appropriate at work. Ask your team how they want to be treated by their peers and managers and gather their commitment to upholding these new ground rules.

Immediately address conversations that cross the line. Every time someone is allowed to behave poorly, the chance of the behavior continuing or escalating increases. Having conversations around politics isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s the way that the conversations unfold that can be dangerous. If two parties can have a civil conversation about their opinions and agree to disagree and move forward, that’s healthy – and is part of a truly inclusive environment. The moment you hear something disrespectful, uncivil, or escalated, however, step in.

Find ways to mitigate bias. It’s natural for us to favor those who are similar to us, including those who have similar political views. This can result in managers promoting people who are similar to them in politics, favoring them for better projects, and overall having a more positive perception of them versus those with opposing political views. While it’s impossible to eliminate implicit bias, it is possible to put protocols in place to mitigate bias, such as having a diverse group of decision-makers when it comes to promotions.

Train managers to mediate conflict. With the upcoming election, conflict is inevitable. I mean, I can’t be the only one who’s social media feed is covered in political arguments. These arguments are bound to spill over into the workplace, and while conflict can be healthy, it can also stifle productivity and hinder collaboration. In other words, it hurts your employees and it hurts your business. Managers need useful tools for addressing conflict and coaching employee behavior when it gets out of line.
Train everyone on being an ally and stepping up when incivility occurs. We’ve been getting requests for training on this topic for good reason. You can ask your workforce to speak up if they feel wronged, mistreated, or not heard, but without the tools – and explicit and implicit permission from their employer – to do so, the chances of them doing it are slim. Provide both tools and permission through a training on how to step up.

It all boils down to fostering a culture that allows for the expression of opinion, but in ways that are accepting and inclusive. And, all of your employees are responsible for creating that accepting and inclusive culture.

Sincerely,

Catherine and Rebecca

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Two Things That Will Make Your Day

We’ve got two exciting announcements for you!

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First, if you’re in California, have 5+ employees, and haven’t done your mandatory harassment prevention training yet, you’ve got until Jan 1, 2021 to do it. (Wait, that’s not exciting.)

What’s exciting is that we can make your harassment prevention training easy, fun, thought-provoking, and useful. Yep, I said it.

We can deliver training to your workforce in their own virtual session, or you can sign people up for our interactive webinar on Sept 8 at 10 am Pacific. Register your entire workforce, stragglers left over from previous trainings, or new hires.

Contact us with any questions on the webinar or to schedule a virtual session for your workforce.

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Second, join me every Thursday at 9:30 am Pacific for my LinkedIn Live show, Catherine’s Corner. Each Thurs I’ll chat with a guest who has expertise in building a positive culture in some way.

Tomorrow, for example, we’ve got Nathan Craig from Culture Insurance. He’s got an interesting take on how insurance impacts culture. (He’s also hilarious if you just need a laugh.)

To watch the shows, just head over to my LinkedIn page at 9:30 am on Thursdays. View the list of upcoming guests so you can plan ahead.

Have a great week!

Catherine

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P.S. Our harassment prevention training webinars are fun and engaging. If you’ve been on a webinar with me in the past, you know what I’m talking about!

Register your workforce for the Sept 8 harassment prevention training before we run out of spots. We’re also doing one on Nov 17 if that’s a better date for you.

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Core Values in COVID Times

I always say core values are key to your culture. Too often, businesses create them but don’t rely on them to manage employee behavior. It’s a missed opportunity to drive expectations and accountability. 

COVID-time is no different. It’s super important to rely on your core values as you make decisions for your workforce, hold them accountable for safety, and help them survive this high-stress year.

With that said, I thought you might be interested in how we translated our core values to COVID-times, in case you wanted to borrow the idea

You can read our actual core values here on our website, and below is what I wrote in our return to work plan. 

BE LEGIT

Do the right thing. Stay home if you’re experiencing symptoms or have been around someone experiencing symptoms. Communicate openly about symptoms so we can ensure to do the right thing for everyone’s safety. In addition, communicate openly about how you’re feeling – if you’re overwhelmed, feeling nervous about coming in, or anything else, let me know. 

HAVE A WARRIOR SPIRIT

Persevere in difficult situations and do whatever it takes to get things done. But you can’t do that if you aren’t taking care of you. Sometimes doing whatever it takes means taking a breather or a break.

LEARN A LOT

We’re all learning, figuring it out, and going with the flow. None of us is perfect, and all of us are doing our best at learning what the new normal is and how we’ll function in it. 

GO PLATINUM

Treat others the way they want to be treated. Wear your mask, wash your hands, and otherwise act responsibly so that everyone around you feels safe. 

BE EXTRAORDINARY

Be the best version of yourself as often as possible. Be courageous. Change the world. We’re going to survive this. 

I encourage you to find ways to infuse safety into your culture. A sign on the door isn’t enough – your employees need to know that safety is a part of “how we do things around here.” 

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3 Lessons Learned From The Ellen DeGeneres Debacle

If you keep up with celebrity news you’ve seen the articles claiming a toxic work environment behind the scenes of the Ellen Degeneres Show. 

Employees are coming forward and sharing their negative experiences working on the show, and there are some pretty serious allegations against Ellen, her producers, and the environment as a whole.

To be clear, I’m not saying the claims against Ellen and her team are true or false or taking a stance on the issue. However, there are some teachable moments in this whole debacle, especially around leadership accountability. 

First, top leaders have an increased responsibility for perpetuating positive behavior, and for addressing negative behavior when it occurs. While everyone is responsible for culture, leaders especially, set the tone for what is and isn’t okay. It comes from the top down. 

For example, Ellen’s producer, Ed Galvin, was specifically identified as a consistent aggressor. Reports claim that he yells at staff, uses intimidating tactics in meetings, and even has a history of sexual harassment.

Apparently, he behaved this way in production meetings with Ellen present and she did not address the behavior. Her silence communicated that negative behavior would be tolerated and is even condoned. Not to mention, it sent the message that reporting similar or worse behaviors was pointless because it wouldn’t be addressed.

Another alleged aggressor said, “I have never had a single complaint against me in my career.” This begs the question – do employees genuinely enjoy working with him, or are employees just afraid to come forward?

Second, leaders need to behave the same way all the time, no matter the context. Ellen has been an icon in the media for years. She’s been revered as a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ visibility, caring philanthropist, comedian, talk show host – the list goes on. Simply put, people adore and idolize her.

However, former employees and even some of her guests claim that her behavior behind the scenes doesn’t reflect her image in the media. One even said, “she’s not the person people see in front of the camera.”

Those who have looked up to Ellen in the past are now wondering if her positivity is truly genuine or if it’s all an act. 

This is why it’s so important to live the core values you preach to others regularly. If you communicate that positivity is imperative, but allow negative behavior in your workplace, you’ll lose all credibility. Good luck trying to get employees on board with anything you do or say after that. 

Third, ignorance is not a defense. When it comes to the well-being of employees, top leaders are expected to be on high alert. Unfortunately Ellen’s apology letter shifts the blame from herself to other leaders, stating that she was unable to keep track of everything as the show grew and so she was unaware of these issues.

While this may be the truth, she’s ultimately responsible for monitoring other leaders and the organizational culture as a whole. In other words, even if she didn’t know, she SHOULD HAVE KNOWN because she should’ve been keeping track.

A toxic culture doesn’t just sprout up over night, it’s nurtured and encouraged to grow. As it grows, more and more symptoms of a negative work environment begin to emerge. Top leaders must be on the lookout for these warning signs, which may include high turnover or low productivity. 

At the end of the day

Top leaders have a long way to fall, and Ellen is a great example of that. Although other A-list celebrities are coming to her defense and claiming that Ellen is nothing but nice to them, the state of the workplace ultimately reflects back on leadership. 

Whether or not the allegations are true, her reputation and the reputation of The Ellen Show will be tarnished for a long time. She’s fallen from grace and it’ll be hard to come back from this.

Lesson learned from Ellen – top leaders must make a genuine effort to foster and stay on top of an environment where employees are happy, engaged and thriving.

Rebecca Del Secco

Consultant & Future VP

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Time’s up for Toxic Workplaces

Harvard Business Review recently ran the article, Time’s Up for Toxic Workplaces, that explores abusive workplace behaviors, and emphasizes the need for organizations to create safe work environments for their employees.

These types of articles are always great for sharing with a boss who just won’t listen when you tell him or her that the bad behavior needs to be addressed.

One interesting point I saw in this article, however, that doesn’t necessarily resonate with my experience, was that abusive supervisors’ performance suffers after inflicting abuse. The researcher/author states that after inflicting abusive behavior on subordinates, supervisors feel a loss of social and self worth and, in turn, their performance suffers, as reported by their own employees.

We often find that those who engage in abusive conduct at work are forgiven by their employer precisely for the opposite reason, they are extraordinarily good at the technical aspects of their jobs and seen as fantastic performers.

The author does go on to say, however, that those who care about their own worth and employee well-being are able to significantly improve their behavior. Those who have psychopathic tendencies (up to 10% of managers according to the author) are not able to change.

This part is in line with my experience as an expert coach of toxic leaders – most do want to change. In fact, they’re often appalled at how they’re perceived once I explain it to them. (Check out this case study, and this one, if you don’t believe me.)

Some other important points made by the author include the following:

Abusive conduct happens in work environments that enable abusive conduct. Supervisors and managers have an important duty to eliminate toxic behavior, and they set an example for their team. If supervisors and managers stand as bystanders, instead of stepping in to stop toxic behavior, employees will remember that response and believe this behavior is tolerated.

Toxic work environments are harmful. It’s no shock that abusive work climates damage motivation and self-esteem. In turn, it takes a toll on performance, productivity, and relationships. Overall, employee emotional and physical health are severely impacted by abuse at work. (Here’s a ton of articles on workplace bullying and PTSD, for example.)

Organizational norms play an essential role in how employees respond to toxic behavior. There is a much higher chance of employees standing up to workplace abuse when they know their organization values integrity and equity. A workplace that honors its core values every single day sets the tone for their workforce.

I close with these three tips:

Abusive conduct needs to be addressed in organizations. And, supervisors need to be educated and trained on the negative impacts of toxic environments and how to combat them.
Employees need a place to safely and anonymously report their concerns and experiences.
Organizations need to set and follow their core values, and communicate the behavioral guidelines expected of employees. Accountability is key.

Catherine

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Times up for Toxic Workplaces

Harvard Business Review recently ran the article, Time’s Up for Toxic Workplaces, that explores abusive workplace behaviors, and emphasizes the need for organizations to create safe work environments for their employees.

These types of articles are always great for sharing with a boss who just won’t listen when you tell him or her that the bad behavior needs to be addressed.

One interesting point I saw in this article, however, that doesn’t necessarily resonate with my experience, was that abusive supervisors’ performance suffers after inflicting abuse. The researcher/author states that after inflicting abusive behavior on subordinates, supervisors feel a loss of social and self worth and, in turn, their performance suffers, as reported by their own employees.

We often find that those who engage in abusive conduct at work are forgiven by their employer precisely for the opposite reason, they are extraordinarily good at the technical aspects of their jobs and seen as fantastic performers.

The author does go on to say, however, that those who care about their own worth and employee well-being are able to significantly improve their behavior. Those who have psychopathic tendencies (up to 10% of managers according to the author) are not able to change.

This part is in line with my experience as an expert coach of toxic leaders – most do want to change. In fact, they’re often appalled at how they’re perceived once I explain it to them. (Check out this case study, and this one, if you don’t believe me.)

Some other important points made by the author include the following:

Abusive conduct happens in work environments that enable abusive conduct. Supervisors and managers have an important duty to eliminate toxic behavior, and they set an example for their team. If supervisors and managers stand as bystanders, instead of stepping in to stop toxic behavior, employees will remember that response and believe this behavior is tolerated.

Toxic work environments are harmful. It’s no shock that abusive work climates damage motivation and self-esteem. In turn, it takes a toll on performance, productivity, and relationships. Overall, employee emotional and physical health are severely impacted by abuse at work. (Here’s a ton of articles on workplace bullying and PTSD, for example.)

Organizational norms play an essential role in how employees respond to toxic behavior. There is a much higher chance of employees standing up to workplace abuse when they know their organization values integrity and equity. A workplace that honors its core values every single day sets the tone for their workforce.

I close with these three tips:

Abusive conduct needs to be addressed in organizations. And, supervisors need to be educated and trained on the negative impacts of toxic environments and how to combat them.
Employees need a place to safely and anonymously report their concerns and experiences.
Organizations need to set and follow their core values, and communicate the behavioral guidelines expected of employees. Accountability is key.

Catherine

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Inclusivity Starts by Asking Tough Questions

As you know, the Black Lives Matter movement has challenged organizations to look at their role in creating and perpetuating systemic discrimination around the world.

What I’m seeing most organizations do is jump into action without fully understanding their current organizational climate around diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

You absolutely must start with discovery, however.

There are a few different ways you can go about understanding employee perceptions and organizational culture. My personal favorite is a climate assessment.

Climate assessments are designed to measure employee perceptions of the current organizational culture. They also allow employees to safely share their thoughts, feelings, and concerns – something they need now more than ever.

The key is asking the right questions. If you’re looking to measure employee engagement, for example, you might ask employees to rate statements like, “This organization inspires me to do my best work every day,” or “I feel the work I do here is meaningful.”

Right now, though, you need to ask some tougher questions that help you measure how inclusive your work environment is.

This includes having employees rate statements such as:

I would feel comfortable reporting harassment or discrimination to the human resources department.Getting to know people with backgrounds different from my own has been easy at this organization.My supervisor is committed to, and supports, diversity.

Also consider asking harder questions (harder because the responses are going to be harder for you to take in), such as, “Throughout your tenure at this organization, have you ever been left out of opportunities for professional advancement based on your membership in a certain group (e.g., gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc)?”

I point out the vast differences between employee engagement questions and equity/inclusion questions because they are totally different concepts. Don’t mistake an engagement or job satisfaction survey as one that measures inclusivity.

No doubt the equity questions look scary and make you uncomfortable, but asking these difficult questions is necessary to make long-term change in your organization.

As an example, we recently worked with a client who was fielding complaints of harassment and discrimination. Our first order of business – conduct a climate assessment.

One significant find was that, statistically, Black and female employees experienced the work environment much differently than other ethnicities and than males.

The data was hard to swallow but armed us with the information we needed to help the organization make a substantial change. After working with them for a year, a follow up survey found that the perception of both Black and female employees had increased dramatically. You can check out the full case study here on our website.

Positive change starts by understanding exactly what’s going on in your organization, even if it isn’t pretty.

The more you know, the more effective your diversity, equity and inclusion efforts will be.

Catherine & Rebecca

P.S. Don’t forget to register for our free webinar, Allyship Begins with Recognizing and Minimizing Implicit Bias. We’ll help you reflect on your own implicit bias and how it affects your behavior as well as provide tools for being a better ally. In fact, some of the ally information you’ll learn was delivered in that client organization. You won’t want to miss it!

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