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Excellence in Hiring: Designing the Optimal Frontline Employee Selection Process

If a job application takes more than 15 minutes to complete, more than 70% of job seekers say they’ll bounce, according to a 2022 survey reported in HR Dive. This barrier is particularly germane to companies that employ frontline workers, often working against a narrow time-to-hire. Those recruiters have to scale operations quickly, efficiently, and often with little notice. Time matters, and even a small amount of friction can be enough to convince a job seeker to look elsewhere.“Going from three business days down to a one-second communication timeframe was huge for us,” said Carlie Lockey, the founder and CEO of Remarkable People Solutions, a recruitment firm based in coastal North Carolina. Lockey’s business had reached a tipping point: she needed to scale operations quickly, but couldn’t forfeit speed or efficiency. She shared what she learned from the process during a recent From Day One webinar on the optimal employee-selection process for frontline workers.What was she looking for? First, a high degree of automation–Lockey’s staff needs to stay nimble. Second, a high degree of customization–all her clients deploy different recruiting processes. “We needed something that would take a lot of the mindless work off of our hands, provide the best applicant experience, as well as serve each of our clients individually,” she said.Communication, and the speed of communication, was also high on the list for Remarkable People Solutions. The company needed to get its clients communicating with applicants immediately and provide consistent updates on their position in the process.She chose Fountain, a platform for frontline workforce management. It used to take the firm five business days just to notify applicants that they weren’t being sent to the next round. After adopting the platform, Remarkable People Solutions was able to invite top candidates to schedule a phone interview within an hour of applying. As Lockey put it, “the maximum amount of time is saved.”Carlie Lockey of Remarkable People Solutions and Nico Roberts of Fountain were interviewed by Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza during From Day One's webinar (photo by From Day One)Fountain was engineered to be flexible, said the company’s chief business officer Nico Roberts. “We made a decision really early on to allow a ton of customization, so [clients] can hone in on the exact flow that they’re looking for, the experience that they want to tailor, and the target applicant they’re trying to find.”There’s also the matter of bottlenecks that inevitably arise in recruitment cycles, those impediments that prompt so many applicants to abandon the process.Roberts likes to look for opportunities to grease the wheels, breaking it down “day to day, season to season, position to position, state by state, and city by city.” At other times, it’s worth slowing things down. “There might be some markets where you’re getting so many applicants that you want to figure out where the quality is and have those applicants rise to the top,” he said.One way to speed things up is to incorporate text messaging into the application and recruitment process. Roberts said 85–87% of applications that Fountain handles come in via text message or mobile device. The rest are email. “Our number one request is to add more WhatsApp capabilities, so that’s coming soon, and we’re currently building Facebook Messenger capabilities,” he said.It’s not only popular among young workers. Before Covid arrived, Roberts said, text message application users were usually aged 18–40, but that’s changed. There’s no single demographic over-indexing for their text messaging tools. He credits the popularity of delivery apps during lockdowns. “A lot of [people] had to download apps to get groceries and became very proficient on mobile devices.”The trend indicates a frontline worker on the go. “They don’t want to sit in front of a laptop or wait until they get home for a desktop. They want instant communication,” Roberts said. “These folks are applying on lunch breaks or after work. They’re tired, most likely they’re frustrated.  There’s a reason they need another job or a second job or a fourth job. The more barriers you can remove, the bigger success you’ll have with hiring these folks.”Another barrier often overlooked? Talent acquisition isn’t always available when applicants have questions. Fountain has been developing AI bots that keep the recruiting engine running even when recruiters have clocked out for the day. “More than 60% of all applicant questions happen in non-business hours, and [applicants] typically have to wait for recruiters to log back in to help answer,” said Roberts. “But if you have an FAQ bot trained, they can start answering in real time, whether it’s 10 o’clock at night or one o’clock in the morning.”But for every click tech feature one could add to their recruiting cycle, it’s worth asking whether  it should be added. If it isn’t a reflection of your employer brand, skip it or tailor it to suit your employer identity.“The folks that are crushing it have an authentic side,” said Roberts. Where there’s opportunity to connect more personally with applicants–like by sliding in videos of current employees giving advice to prospective workers–employers should do it where it feels natural and true to their brand.“The authenticity piece I think is most crucial, whether you’re scaling up or not,” Lockey said. “If you’re just trying to hire warm bodies–that’s not authentic. You want to hire people for a purpose, to be on a team and make an impact both on your team members’ lives and your clients.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Fountain, for sponsoring this webinar.Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | June 05, 2024

How Investing in Employee Experience Brings a Positive Return

With all the employee-experience software options to choose from, the idea of choosing one to incorporate into your HR structure can be daunting. And in times of tightening budgets, it can be challenging to make the case for the spending. But according to a recent study by employee experience platform WorkTango, organizations that invest in employee-experience software see a 2-to-3 times return on the money they put into it.The study surveyed 1,077 North American HR leaders, 90% of whom said that knowing which employees are engaged is especially important in an uncertain economic climate. An interested and enthused workforce is a loyal, steady workforce and employee experience (EX) software can help HR managers keep a finger on the pulse of workers’ attitudes, needs, and desires.As WorkTango states in its recent report, “EX investments represent a low risk and high potential reward when it comes to creating an employee experience that connects your workforce across hybrid environments, supports the daily efforts of individual employees, and enables every team member to perform at their highest level.” Ninety-three percent of those surveyed achieved a positive or neutral ROI from investing in EX software.Finding the Right SoftwareAmong the several types of EX software on the market, each has its own unique offering to complement your organization’s long- and short-term strategies and goals. Among those surveyed, 70% prioritized software that helped with performance management, 67% wanted employee recognition and rewards, and 56% needed support with employee listening and surveys.Some employees respond better to certain interactions with organizational leadership than others. WorkTango recommends surveying team members to see what matters most to them, from public recognition to company swag, and then choosing software accordingly. Ideally, you should identify a solution provider that offers several capabilities within a single platform for maximum ROI.Click above to view and download WorkTango's reportAs you make your software selection, WorkTango suggests focusing on the three deciding factors listed as most important among those surveyed: reporting and analytics capabilities, ease of use, and cost. That said, researchers noticed that among the few companies that reported neutral or negative benefits reaped from employee experience software, all named cost as their top deciding factor. It’s important to invest in a quality product, and not just check a box while watching the budget.The ROI on Employee Experience InvestmentsWhat do employers hope to achieve with their investment in employee experience technology? It’s not just about saving money or making the HR department more efficient, although those are certainly added benefits. The focus for many organizations is the return on individual people. The top areas of expected ROI among those surveyed were an increase in employee productivity or performance, an increase in employee retention, and an increase in customer satisfaction.According to WorkTango’s report, it takes time, as well as employee adoption and utilization, to produce positive outcomes. You may not see results overnight, as the employee-experience technology implementation requires a gradual culture shift. Seventy percent of the HR leaders surveyed said that their executive team expects to hear about the impact of these investments within the first six months.It’s important for HR to align on executive expectations for key updates and have a conversation about the timeframe for implementation and what is realistic and measurable. HR leaders should be prepared to report on three key areas: people ROI (employee engagement and regrettable turnover), company ROI (customer satisfaction and performance/productivity), and HR’s ROI (cost savings and team efficiency).The real ROI results are clear: EX software is the smart, meaningful, and financially savvy choice. Out of the 1,077 organizations surveyed who invested in this technology:65% achieved higher employee productivity and performance 58% improved employee retention54% increased customer satisfaction33% saved on costs compared to their previous efforts32% saw a higher employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), meaning employees are more likely to recommend the company31% reduced the total HR time spent administering employee-experience programs31% saw reduced absenteeism17% saw an increase in Glassdoor ratings16% saw an increase in company stock performanceBest Practices for Achieving ROIA few trends popped up among those surveyed who had success with their employee-experience software. These organizations prioritized data-based measurement of the program’s impact over anecdotal evidence, setting specific goals and then measuring against those goals over time to demonstrate value.They also aligned early with executive leadership on what success for EX investments should look like, whether that’s an increase in productivity, retention, customer satisfaction, referrals, positive brand awareness, or a combination of all those factors. And finally, these organizations encouraged and incentivized employee experience platform adoption.The more the platform is successfully used, the higher the ROI.Frequent employee recognition and engagement was positively correlated to company performance, with those surveyed seeing an increase in quarterly revenue. WorkTango’s ROI report states that “supporting employees by investing in the employee experience leads to what we call the compound interest of a great team member: they stick around longer (retention), they produce at a higher level (performance), and as a bonus, they tell others about what a great company they work for.” By investing in the happiness of their employees, leaders are investing in the success, growth, and longevity of the organization.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, WorkTango, for sponsoring this sponsor spotlight. Download WorkTango’s ROI report here.Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on CBS New York, Cheddar News, and iWomanTV.

Katie Chambers | June 04, 2024

How a Giant Retailer Is Transforming Its Talent Strategy to Stay Ahead of the Competition

13,000 company-operated and franchise-operated stores, plus two store support centers, a direct-support team and indirect support: that’s the company Treasa Bowers was recruited to.Bowers is the executive VP and chief HR officer for 7-Eleven. Her original plan was to work in finance, but as she has learned in her years in HR, things are always evolving. “It’s a very complex environment,” she said. Bowers spoke about her experience during a fireside chat at From Day One’s Dallas conference. Will Anderson, editor in chief of the Dallas Business Journal, interviewed her. Founded by Joe Thompson over a century ago, 7-Eleven has the philosophy of giving customers what they want, when they want it, where they want it, Bowers says. Store manager Johnny Green realized people wanted milk, eggs, and bread on the weekends, since grocery stores weren’t all open on the weekends. Thus began the company’s path to responding to customer needs.“We’ve been innovating ever since,” Bowers said. “All of that innovation is ongoing, it has to be and how we continue to galvanize and be relevant to our customers, is what we get to do and in human resources. [We’re] finding that talent that enables that.”Attracting Talent in a Competitive MarketOne of the biggest challenges any HR manager faces is attracting talent. 7-Eleven employs about 80,000 people, so they’re always looking to hire. There is a serious battle for talent, especially post-Covid, she says.“Whoever gets to the candidate first has the best shot at bringing that candidate onto the team,” Bowers said. “So we had to innovate. Our talent acquisition team has done a great job of leveraging AI to help us get to that workforce very quickly. Now, around 85% of the candidates are able to apply and be scheduled for an interview within an hour. And it takes about three days from the time of the interview to the day they’re able to start working.”Treasa Bowers, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer of 7-Eleven was interviewed by Will Anderson, Editor in Chief of the Dallas Business JournalNext comes training in the way they prefer to be trained: whether that’s leader-led, a facilitated conversation, learning on their own, or if they want a menu of options. That aspect of HR is constantly evolving.“We’ve had to innovate, and we're going to continue to have to,” she said. The key is to try to anticipate what’s coming so you can stay ahead of the curve. But it also means doing the right thing, whether or not it’s in vogue. Bowers is grateful that 7-Eleven has always viewed diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential, not just a trend. “It’s been really important and core to our business, because it’s who our customers are, it's who our franchisees are, and therefore, absolutely, who our employees are. It's a business imperative for us.”A big part of that is building trust within the organization—always doing what you say you’re going to do. Because otherwise, employees leave, Bowers says. “There are too many choices in today’s economy for them not to,” she added.Always AdaptingOne part of diversity at 7-Eleven is what they offer in their stores. Products vary from store to store to store, reflecting what the locals want. That’s how we bring it to life in the stores. They know that not every customer wants the same thing at every store,” Bowers said. “It’s different for everyone. And that’s part of the diversity message.”Understanding the values of different generations, particularly Gen Z, is a priority for 7-Eleven. The company actively listens to its employees to shape its value proposition, acknowledging that they still have work to do in this area. Bowers shared that their talent acquisition campaign, “I am 7-11,” highlights diversity and personal stories from employees, attracting new talent and showcasing career growth opportunities within the organization.The best piece of advice Bowers has received over her career? In every situation, you have an opportunity to be a student and a teacher. In other words, educate others but also be educated.It’s about understanding what’s going on in the world, in the company, and with the team members. “Then being able to educate others about what we’ve learned doing that in a way that they can digest it,” she said, “but also doing it in a way that compels action.”Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

Carrie Snider | June 04, 2024

Building Upon Workplace Culture Through Recognition, Inclusion, and Belonging

Railroads are not traditionally considered an industry welcoming to female workers, yet at BNSF Railway, women are seeing a future in railroading.Kalisha Holland, chief diversity and inclusion officer and general director of talent acquisition at BNSF Railway, says that employee resource groups play a crucial role in fostering a culture of belonging. BNSF has 10 of these groups, but “we’ve taken it a step further,” said Holland during an executive panel conversation at From Day One’s Dallas conference.Holland and fellow panelists discussed the topic “Building Upon Workplace Culture Through Recognition, Inclusion, and Belonging,” where they shared best practices for workplace belonging.Creating Opportunities for AllIn addition to plentiful ERG offerings, BNSF Railway has diversity councils across its entire network that allow union employees and management to “team up to not only work together to spread the message of diversity and inclusion, but also share our initiatives, talk through our resources, and act as sounding boards for things that might go unnoticed,” she said.The diversity councils have made BNSF more welcoming for all employees, says Holland. She noted that “there’s not representation across genders” in the transportation field, so the company created groups designed to help women “feel like they are supported, giving them mentorship opportunities, making sure they have someone they can go to if they feel uncomfortable, or if they just want a place to unwind and give their honest feedback.”Holland said the goal is to “spread the message that people at our company all have an opportunity to reach their full potential and can come to work every day and be their authentic selves, know that they're valued, and that they are in a safe space.”The security field has traditionally been seen as male-dominated, but more than 73% of Allied employees are women. Part of the reason is the company’s emphasis on career development, says Kimberly Ardo-Eisenbeis, vice president of human resources and recruiting at Allied Universal Security Services.“We offer robust training for all of our employees,” she said. “You don’t have to be a security professional to start with us. We’ll grow you to be one.” Allied employees are taught an ‘I Care’ approach to leadership, which Ardo-Eisenbeis said “is really about meeting our employees where they’re at, being flexible, being responsive, being open.” For example, Allied offers flexible scheduling, which is “nice for our female population,” Ardo-Eisenbeis said.Attention to DetailInclusion also comes in the form of asking questions to get it right. Kaanji Irby, the director of diversity and inclusion for Signet Jewelers, is used to having her first name mispronounced. “I’ve been called everything from Kanga to Congo,” she said.That’s why she appreciated it when a leader she’s worked with began every introduction with, “Hello, my name is Rich, can you please teach me how to say your name?”The panelists spoke to the topic "Building Upon Workplace Culture Through Recognition, Inclusion, and Belonging" in DallasIrby told moderator Christine Perez, editor of D CEO magazine, that she likes to share this story because “we all feel a connection to our names. So being in a space and working alongside a leader who intentionally took that time to make sure that he established that connection, and as the leader set the tone for everyone that he communicated with, I think is a true example of creating an inclusive environment.”Getting Involved in CommunityArdo-Eisenbeis says that Allied Universal Security Services empowers employees to do volunteer work in their communities. For example, the Allied Midwest team developed its For You Campaign, in which employees volunteer at a local food band or school.“That creates a culture of belonging,” Ardo-Eisenbeis said. “They feel seen, they feel heard. They’re building in their communities.”Employees volunteering in the community can increase retention and productivity, but it's essential to do it year-round rather than have one big annual event, says Michal Alter, co-founder and CEO of Visit.org.Alter says Visit.org corporate partners typically do weekly events in the community, as well as monthly events to celebrate different observances and international days for ERGs or new employee onboarding.Visit.org regularly surveys participants in these types of events. According to the most recent survey of 40,000 responders, 70% said that the event “had a major impact on their sense of belonging to the company,” Alter said. “The second thing that we saw is that 90% of employees asked their employer to do more of these events.”Measuring the ImpactA genuinely inclusive environment goes beyond looking at race and gender, says Adrian Seligman, executive board member and CCO of the Top Employers Institute. The company has “started getting into other areas that are a little more difficult” because success is more challenging to measure.One of these areas is family-friendly policies, such as parental leave, which is less widespread in the United States than in other nations, says Seligman. He said South Korea is leading the way in this area, with new parents getting 54 weeks of fully paid leave.Making sure neurodiverse job candidates and employees feel welcome is also a crucial part of inclusion, says Seligman.“There are individuals who traditionally struggle with our standard recruitment processes who can really excel in some roles,” he said. “There’s just amazing talent out there, but how do we set up our workplaces to include talent like that?” This is the work the panelists continue to push forward.Mary Pieper is a freelance writer based in Mason City, Iowa.

Mary Pieper | June 04, 2024

How to Make Upskilling and Reskilling Part of a Corporate Culture of Learning

When there’s a problem at Fortive Corporation–maybe it’s a recurring operational hiccup, high employee turnover, or a slow production process, for instance–the company invites the best and brightest to put their heads together and come up with a solution. And by best and brightest, they mean anyone willing to come with an open mind and think creatively.“It’s good to have a few experts who know exactly what the process is and why, what the critical steps are, and things like that. But it is even more important to have people who know nothing about the process,” said Shannon Flynn, VP of corporate HR at the industrial technology holding company. Anyone is encouraged to participate in the problem solving, from individual contributors to the C-suite, but, to join one of these Kaizen sessions, “you park your title at the door.” This, Flynn says, is a culture-creator.How employers can create a culture of corporate learning was the topic of discussion among a panel of HR experts during From Day One’s May virtual conference. The events of the day addressed employee retention, coaching, and advancement.“Shifting a culture really is different than just implementing a program,” said Erica Ishida, the CEO of executive coaching firm Yellow Cedar Group. She participated in the panel along with Flynn and their long-tenured colleagues in human resources. “It requires a shift of minds and hearts across the organization. I suggest that you think about it organically, leading by example.”How to Lead by Example“The best advice I can give is to start at the very top,” said Yonata Rubin, head of talent at entertainment and hospitality company MGM Resorts International. “We are very fortunate that our CEO and board is incredibly invested in leadership development. They actually came to us, rather than us going to them,” she said, but not everyone will be able to start from that position. Make sure you have the agreement at the top of the organization that learning is a priority, then move on to strategy. “What is it that you are trying to build? Where is the biggest need? What do your employees want?” she said.Meredith Haberfeld, the founder and CEO of leadership development platform ThinkHuman, said it’s worthwhile to have executives talk candidly about what they’re learning, and what they’re grappling with. “Those with power and authority create influence,” she said. “We found it super useful to get CEOs to share learnings from the last quarter. It’s just a small action — what did they learn that they can share with the company?”The panelists discussed the topic, "How to Make Upskilling and Reskilling Part of a Corporate Culture of Learning" at From Day One's May virtual conference (photo by From Day One)When business leaders are forthcoming, lower-level employees are encouraged to do the same. “Leaders need to pay attention to the environment that their people are working in,” said Ishida of Yellow Cedar Group. “People can only learn in an environment where they feel psychologically safe–do they feel free to learn and try new things, and maybe fail?”Structured Learning or Free Exploration?What about the mode of delivery? Maybe your staff feels comfortable trying new things and making mistakes, but, practically, where and how are they learning those new skills?Will Campbell is the VP of learning and leadership development at commercial real estate firm JLL. He says that an exhaustive menu of new skills or training programs isn’t likely to generate much engagement. Instead, he recommended making it easier for employees to jump in by narrowing the options. For instance, perhaps frontline managers pick from one tailored list of courses, junior leaders pick from another, and senior leaders from a third list.This limits the number of choices, prevents analysis paralysis, and helps workers stay on track. “Structured doesn’t mean rigid,” said Campbell. “You have to have structure. Otherwise, it will be a free-for-all. But you can be flexible. You can make it fun, you can make it exciting.”Formal structures may facilitate long-term upskilling and reskilling across an organization, but small habits build a learning culture at the team level. For quick hits, Haberfeld recommended beginning meetings with five to ten minutes of “microlearning.” For instance, an individual contributor might bring back ideas from an industry conference and prepare a short lesson. “We rotate who is teaching so people from all different parts of the organization get to show their expertise, and the organization gets to learn,” she said.MGM International takes a similar tack. “We have ‘odd shifts’ or ‘pre-shifts,’ where you gather small groups of employees and do a quick huddle and then debrief,” said Rubin. She’s found this to be a time-efficient way to deliver upskilling to frontline workers, who don’t have the luxury of sitting down for a thirty-minute learning session.Getting Workers Excited About LearningSometimes being made to learn new skills can feel like punishment, said Campbell of JLL, especially when the training is for compliance purposes. But “people have an interest in things that aren’t their daily responsibilities,” he said. When people get to pursue new skills because they want to, “that fire has been lit, that groundswell now takes hold, and the whole thing takes a life of its own.”If workers don’t see the connection between what they’re being asked to learn and how it will benefit them personally, you’ll struggle to engage them, said Ishida of Yellow Cedar. Managers can be the ones to make that connection for their direct reports. “One of the key ingredients is having supportive relationships. Connect [the new skills] to the individual’s wishes and desires, and make sure they have people around them to support them in the change.”Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | June 03, 2024

Bridging Business Goals with Human-Centric Hiring to Impact the Bottom Line

As a young finance and real estate professional who witnessed mergers and acquisitions fail from the inside, Stephanie Manzelli realized that a critical component of a deal’s success was in the aftermath: how well the people were integrated culturally into the newly merged workplace.With this revelation, she changed direction and embarked on a career in HR with an emphasis on talent management and acquisition. Now as the senior vice president of human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion at Lever, a talent acquisition suite and an Employ brand, Manzelli has developed key strategies for successful hires.I spoke to Manzelli during From Day One’s webinar, Intentional Recruiting: Bridging Business Goals with Human Centric Hiring to Impact the Bottom Line. During this fireside chat, she shared insights and advice, particularly on how to map out a company’s goals and influence leadership.Manzelli made it clear that knowing a company’s business goals is only one part of understanding its needs. She breaks down each business goal into a four-part roadmap that then allows her to analyze what skills and experience the company needs to meet its objectives. Manzelli calls this horizon mapping.Horizon mapping begins with the ultimate goal and then reverse engineers the interim horizons to meet that goal. She gave the example of a company that wants to go public in a few years. She sets that as horizon four. The three horizons before that are big goals, or “rocks,” the company needs to achieve to successfully attain horizon four. So horizon two might be a successful series A funding round. “Underneath each of these horizons, every business unit has deliverables that they must achieve,” she said.Once the horizon has been mapped, she does a talent gap analysis and develops what she calls a “make versus buy strategy.” ‘Make’ refers to developing skills within the current talent pool of employees at the company, whereas ‘buy’ is talent acquisition. Using horizon mapping, “we find the roadmap that we need to start to build out those talent pools and source the right candidates more proactively, so that we can fill those business needs before our business actually needs them. And that should be the North Star,” Manzelli said.Stephanie Manzelli of Lever was interviewed by journalist Jeanhee Kim during the From Day One webinar (photo by From Day One)Sometimes it’s not easy to know what the business goals are, Manzelli acknowledged, that it takes one-on-one discussions with key business leaders and skill to build the right relationships within the company and communicate effectively. One of the most effective skills she employs is influencing without authority, which requires “flexing your communication style to meet the needs of your audience.”Knowing the styles of your leaders is essential. For data-driven individuals, Manzelli comes to the conversation armed with reports, metrics and return-on-investment figures. Other leaders depend on their gut and intuition. Those conversations are easier, she says, and are based on relationships and trust. But to maintain that trust, she prepares the reports as backup.“I always enter an organization or a conversation as slowly as I can. I really like to build the relationship before we dive into the tasks,” Manzelli said. “It's not a thing that takes me a long time to do, but it does pay off on the backend, and ensures the people that I’m partnering with have the bedrock of a relationship with me.” That relationship building then allows the leadership to have more open dialogue about their goals.These skills, horizon mapping and influencing without authority, are key for any successful HR professional. “HR, right, wrong or indifferent, is oftentimes looked at as a highly administrative function where we’re often only engaged when people need help.”But she said knowing what your company’s goals are and how HR and talent acquisition can get the company to meet its goals is always in the back of her mind. “You always have to make that connection point for the business. That’s our responsibility.”Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Lever, an Employ brand, for sponsoring this webinar. Jeanhee Kim is an independent journalist who has worked for CoinDesk, Crain’s New York Business, Money magazine and Forbes Asia. 

Jeanhee Kim | May 30, 2024

How Leaders Are Evolving Their Approach to DEI

In the midst of corporate austerity, some of the work around corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion has started to slow. At From Day One’s conference in D.C., a panel of leaders discussed how they are reframing their approach to DEI to push the ever-important work forward. David Yozzi, EVP, general manager, inclusive workplaces, at Texthelp says that technology can help push the work forward, making workplaces more inclusive than ever. Texthelp is an example of assistive technology that supports individuals with dyslexia, autism, or ADHD, even in the workplace. Resources are typically available in spaces like schools, but one of the common issues, Yozzi says, is that at the workplace, employees generally don’t tend to self-identify or ask for special assistance. “It’s either uncomfortable or they’re afraid of competition and [losing out on] promotions. There’s all kinds of issues,” said Yozzi.Kristen Parisi, HR Reporter at HR Brew moderated the panel discussion It’s important to build a culture that encourages employees to come forward, be vocal about their needs, and have the infrastructure available to assist them. “One of the most enjoyable and most heartwarming experiences is to actually see somebody become comfortable with raising their hand saying they have a condition or need some assistance,” said Yozzi. Vulnerability and being able to show up as one’s whole self is vital, agrees DeShaun Wise Porter, VP, global head of diversity, equity, inclusion & engagement at Hilton. True inclusion is grounded in two things: First, our ability to be vulnerable and say, “I’m not going to always get things right. But I’m going to try.” And secondly, our willingness to learn.Wise Porter shared how a well-meaning general manager wasn’t readily aware of how a team member in a wheelchair felt being attended to by colleagues with high stools at their regular celebratory events. In this context, true inclusion would have meant going to a more wheelchair-accessible venue. Upon realizing this, the manager took steps to make amends and create a more inclusive approach, and has since become one of the most inclusive leaders at Hilton.For Lara McLeod, inclusion, equity & belonging business lead at Robinhood, it’s all about incorporating social inclusion when designing products. At Robinhood, for example, their focus is primarily on democratizing finance for all.The panelists spoke to the topic, "DEI Will Endure, But Corporate Advocates Will Need to Reframe Their Approach"“In the vein of true inclusion, I really love to see true inclusion in products’ socially inclusive design,” McLeod said. “Being a Black woman, I find it really inclusive to think about how we can bring financial awareness and financial accessibility to communities that have often lacked that,” she said. Discussions around inclusion should always be granted space for feedback and follow through. La Vida Johnson, VP of DEI at Edelman, says that developing and implementing actionable DEI strategies with measurable, time-bound goals is key. With an Edelman client, for example, Johnson shared how they were able to pinpoint a gap in the selection committee for recognizing and engaging employees and how the existing committee wasn’t truly inclusive and needed better representation. Johnson told the organization, “This is an opportunity for you to really open this up, and I could just see their eyes wide open. It was an opportunity for them to really think about ways to be inclusive.” And so with that feedback, the organization made a change. Listening and responding is imperative to push work around equity and inclusion forward.Keren's love for words saw her transition from a corporate employee into a freelance writer during the pandemic. When she is not at her desk whipping up compelling narratives and sipping on endless cups of coffee, you can find her curled up with a book, playing with her dog, or pottering about in the garden.

Keren Dinkin | May 30, 2024

New Voices: Bringing a More Inclusive Approach to Workplace Belonging

When D.L. Morriss, the diversity, equity, and inclusion partner for the Chicago-based Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm was leading a team debriefing on a case, he asked a female attorney to take notes.As he ran quickly through the agenda, he realized he had assigned a woman this stereotypical role. “And I said, ‘Hey, you know what? I didn’t realize that I just did that,’” Morriss told moderator John Pletz, senior reporter for Crain's Chicago Business, during a recent panel at From Day One's Chicago conference.Morriss reassigned who would be taking notes during the meeting. “As leaders, you have to be willing to be vulnerable,” he said. “You’ve got to be willing to be wrong, and call yourself out on it. That authenticity is what I hope my team resonates with.”DEI is a Learning ProcessOne of the joys of working in the DEI space is that “you’re able to help people, understand what their values are, what they stand for, what their biases are, perhaps what they were raised with,” said Ekpedeme “Pamay” Bassey, chief learning and diversity officer for the Kraft Heinz Company. “They need to learn and unlearn and go through that process to become a more inclusive version of themselves.”DEI is not a destination but a continuous journey, says Melissa Healy, senior VP, employee belonging and participation lead at Leo Burnett.“There is no end game to diversity, or end game to belonging, or end game to inclusion,” she said. “I hope that everyone can start from a place and say, ‘I am a lifelong learner. I am continually curious.’”John Pletz, Senior Reporter for Crain's Chicago Business, moderated the panel of industry leaders Jeanette Kilo-Smith, vice president of diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging for Zurich North America, says that giving people grace is crucial, as they will inevitably make mistakes when it comes to enhancing workplace inclusion.“You can’t expect folks to go through whatever training or experience and then walk away with all the answers, because they won’t,” she said. “You’d be surprised by the common phrases that people say, they didn’t realize could be offensive to a group, or to a person. If I said some of them, I’m sure many of you would say, ‘Oh, I didn't realize that.’”Including All Generations of EmployeesToday’s workers span five generations, from the Silent Generation to Gen Z. “Whether or not you choose to learn how to engage in a respectful manner, there are people with different lived experiences, characteristics, backgrounds, of different ages,” Bassey said. “And if you want to have a community or an organization where there’s less friction and more productivity, there’s a reason to learn how to be a more inclusive leader.”Andrea Cooper, Talkspace's chief people officer, says that different generations can learn from each other. For example, Gen Z is “leading the way with mental health and therapy,” she said.“They’re talking about something that has always been kind of hidden or not allowed to be discussed,” Cooper said. “I think this new generation in the workforce is not willing to accept the silence on it.”The Importance of IntersectionalityIndividual factors such as age or gender are only a portion of someone’s overall identity, says Healy. “I’m not just a woman, right?” she said. “There’s so much more to who I am and what I bring to the table.”Intersectionality is “less about segmenting groups and more about recognizing those intersections,” Cooper said. “If I think about myself, I identify as a woman, as a mom, as a lesbian, as a sister. There’s so many different things, and being able to talk about all those things is a lot more multidimensional than the way it was 10-15 years ago.”Cooper says these conversations may not be easier, but in the long run they are more beneficial.Pushing the Work ForwardThe 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action programs has caused some concern within organizations, says Kilo-Smith. However, “We’re not taking our foot off the gas,” she said. “What we’re continuing to focus on is creating that inclusive culture where everyone feels that they can grow and that they can thrive.”Despite the Supreme Court ruling, “The sky is not falling” when it comes to DEI, Morriss said. “I think it’s only going to continue to grow. We’ve already identified numerous studies that show the power that comes from diverse teams only increases when you add other diverse demographics. And that innovation leads to higher revenue and product profitability that many of our corporations appreciate on a regular basis.” Mary Pieper is a freelance writer based in Mason City, Iowa. 

Mary Pieper | May 29, 2024

Navigating the Maze: Ensuring Appropriate Care for Employees with Complex Health Conditions

Heidi Guetzkow, vice president within Aon's health transformation team, knows the difficulty in finding the right solution to complex, sometimes impossible, diagnoses, and sees herself as a puzzle master. “How do we put it all together and come up with some really good insights? And even more importantly, how do we figure out and identify the right resources for members and their employees during one of the most difficult times in their life, when they’ve had a difficult diagnosis.”Guetzkow provides guidance in worksite well-being strategy, targeted risk reduction programs, and improved access to care solutions including employer sponsored clinics. At From Day One’s conference in Chicago, she spoke with Todd Kor, M.D. an anesthesiologist at Mayo Clinic to discuss some of the differences between routine and complex care.Complex Care: What and Who?“People oftentimes will ask, what are complex cases? What does that really mean? If you think along the continuum of medical conditions, routine conditions that people see the regular doctor on an infrequent basis. That’s not what we’re talking about.” Complex cases are the rare cancers and diseases where you're not getting answers from your local provider, says Kor.Guetzkow says that within the realm of the workforce, when complex care is needed for a worker, you’re not looking at thousands of patients, it may just be one person. But that one person's devastating diagnosis has the potential to affect the whole team, or company, and their family. Especially financially.“If my kid breaks an arm, I want to get to the best orthopedic place as soon as possible. The same really should be true when we think about these complex care conditions. And oftentimes, as the employer, we don’t get the chance to be able to make those decisions and we get stuck in a smaller network, or have to be in a regional place of care, and not always have access to the full scope of experts," Guetzkow said.People can incur a lot of debt trying to figure out the correct diagnosis, which Kor says is one reason to consider a place like the Mayo Clinic early on. Accuracy and correct diagnosis aren’t the only benefits, Mayo Clinic also has access to clinical trials, new innovations, and new technologies.Todd Kor, M.D, Anesthesiologist, Associate Medical Director Contracting & Payer Relations at Mayo Clinic spoke with Heidi Guetzkow, Vice President, Aon Health Transformation Team during the thought leadership spotlight "What we find is that not infrequently, patients are referred to us after that cost curve is already established, the sooner that you can engage with us the better,” Kor said. For example, of the people referred to them for spine surgery, half don’t actually need surgery. Another condition referred to Mayo frequently is multiple sclerosis (MS), but "roughly two thirds of them are found to either not have MS" or have something else. For prostate cancer, they can reduce your radiation oncology visits by more than half.“Some of these things that even may appear to be sort of mid pyramid care topics, I would encourage think early because the sooner that you intervene, the sooner that you introduce them to a Mayo Clinic, the sooner that we can bend that cost curve, get the accurate diagnosis, and then on their way back to recovery as quickly as possible.”Eliminating Lost Time and CostLost time searching for the right diagnosis, or getting the wrong treatment for the wrong diagnosis, is a major problem, says Guetzkow. “How much time are people spending spinning in the system without being on the right course of treatment, for instance, over diagnosis or over imaging, it's just waste. And ultimately, what we really want is getting people to the right place of care, and really what is required of them.”Kor says the first thing they do is provide a condensed itinerary. He referred back to his 20 years of private practice where if someone had to get a new lump checked out, and it turned out to be malignant, the timeframe from first visiting a doctor to seeing a specialist could take months.“One of the things that’s unique about Mayo Clinic is that we take care of patients from over 150 countries and all 50 states. Because of that, we don't have the luxury of telling patients to come back every two weeks.” He says that you could be seeing all the specialists you're traditionally going to see for a cancer screening all in one day. “We oftentimes are able to see you at the beginning of a week, and you're having your surgery, and resection of whatever you're there for by the end of the week.”Kor points out that one of the benefits of the condensed schedule is that patients can very quickly return home, where they usually recover best. “We’ve got this really robust concierge service that helps the families. It’s not just the patients that are coming for care. It’s really the entire family unit, as well as all of the downstream other individuals, whether it's their employers, their other family members.”Kor says that part of the success of their model is that care is based on quality, not quantity. They are also salaried. “I have zero incentive to see more patients to do things that are inappropriate. To order tests that I don't need. Even the review process. You refer to Mayo Clinic, we review that chart. Some we accept, some we don’t. We’re not out begging for patients, because we actually have enough demand and capacity that we don’t need to do that.”“What [we] really focus on is, ‘Can I help the patient with a condition that they have?’ If the answer is yes, we figure out how to take care of the patient. If the answer is no, that they're better served locally, or if there's no reason that they would need the elevated level of care, then we encourage those patients to stay where they are,” Kor said.Guetzkow spoke about her own experiences with Mayo and the care they provided to her brother-in-law and father. Even though both have passed, she couldn't stress enough “the care they received, not only for themselves, but also the information that the family received and just the experience in itself.”“I have another journey coming up. My mother-in-law is going to receive a cochlear implant on May 21. And she just had her workup appointments again, all condensed into one day, and it was super efficient. She knew exactly what she was getting, and had all her appointments and now has her surgery scheduled.”Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Mayo Clinic, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Matthew Koheler is a freelance journalist and licensed real estate agent based in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in Greater Greater Washington, The Washington Post, The Southwester, and Walking Cinema, among others. 

Matthew Koehler | May 29, 2024

Building an Agile Talent Strategy: A Case Study

A single mom applying for a clerical job may not have the amount of work experience as other applicants. But as Johan Julin, senior manager of talent assessment at the Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources says, by not looking at the single mom’s life experience as a valuable asset, they’d be missing out.“This person probably had to multitask quite a bit. They had to manage multiple priorities, budget, children, and time,” Julin said. The candidate could have been an agile hire who would not only be able to fill the immediate role, but also overcome changes and uncertainty.Julin weighed in on this important topic at From Day One’s webinar about “Building an Effective Talent Strategy for the Skills of the Future.”Leveraging Skills-Based AssessmentsFilling the roles of the largest municipality in the country is no small task. Los Angeles County employs an impressive 115,000 people, in jobs as diverse as tax collectors, librarians, garbage collectors, lifeguards, and coroners.Due to the sheer volume and regulations surrounding the government positions, Julin says that right now, from the day someone applies until their first day on the job is close to 290 days. “It is my job to bring that number down,” he said.One major aid in accomplishing that is technology. Specifically, better leveraging skills-based assessments, which they’ve used in some variation for years, but are underutilized and could be the key to unlocking an agile talent force. Technology that could help organizations better review job applications, like that single mother who applied for a clerical position.In conjunction with talent management company SHL, LA County recently developed an assessment that uses a candidate's lived experience to assess their suitability for various job roles. “I can't even tell you how excited I am about this,” Julin said.Going back to the single mom example, without the traditional experience on her application, she’d likely be passed over. But with this assessment that values real-life skills, their talent pool has not only increased, but includes outside-the-box thinkers who may be more empathetic.“This assessment does that for us. It evaluates those kinds of experiences and gives them points for it, so that they’re on a level playing field with everyone else. And the best thing of all, it can be administered in five to ten minutes, which has my hiring managers jumping up and down with joy.”Nelesen of SHL spoke with Richard Chambers of General Mills and Johan Julin of LA County in the From Day One webinar (photo by From Day One)Andrew Nelesen, global solutions director at SHL, moderated the webinar, and spoke about a recent study they conducted of tens of thousands of participants who completed an assessment with the resulting data on 96 soft skills.“We did this massive correlation to figure out what combination of these 96 skills tend to be predictive of success across different job contexts,” he said. Ultimately, employees with a growth mindset are most successful, regardless of role or level, he says.It’s all great stuff. What Julin envisions, however, brings in all the assessment results into one big skills database that could help talent at Los Angeles be more agile.“Let’s say there’s a disaster in some part of LA County, and we urgently need people to, I don't know, say, speak Armenian. If we have a consolidated database of skills, we could instantly call up a list of people who fit that bill.”Start Where You AreRichard Chambers, manager of global supply chain talent management and enterprise performance management at General Mills, also spoke in the webinar. He leads the company’s global assessment practice for a talent base of 30,000.One thing he stressed was no matter how big or small the organization, building agile talent can be intimidating. How do you even start? What’s the best way to approach it? The important thing is to just start. Do those best practices and make hiring a good experience. Gather data along the way, he says.“We’re going to test and learn. And we’re probably going to change our strategies and approach a few times along the way, because the world around us is changing, and what we learn is going to continue to change.”Chambers says companies should model the agile behavior they’re hoping to see in their talent. They start with the pre-hire side, improving the applicant experience, assessing skills, developing a conversation from the start.“This ties into one of our bigger goals as an organization, which is really around careers.” In the wake of the Great Resignation in the general workforce, Chambers says they want to help new hires look at work differently. “We want people to be able to feel like they can have a robust career at General Mills and stay with us as long as they want.” That includes development opportunities, showing employees assessment data so they can see opportunities for personal growth, but also transferable skills for different positions within the company.The skills they value?  Resilience, adaptability, natural inquisitiveness. The world is only going to continue to change, and people need to change with it. Those are the kind of people that are agile. He added that assessments are great equalizers, as they look at the skills rather than the degrees, and from a diversity and inclusion perspective, it gives talent power.One of the biggest challenges in using assessments to build agile talent is trust. Recently, Chambers launched an internal assessment. Some employees wonder, how will this data be used?“We’re always transparent about how we’re going to use your data,” he added. “It’s truly intended for development purposes.” Organizations must build trust and show employees that they want not only the best for the company, but for the talent.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, SHL, for sponsoring this webinar.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter. 

Carrie Snider | May 28, 2024

Humanity and Innovation: Fostering a Purpose-Driven Work Culture

John Deere has been in business for close to 200 years, with a reliance on four core values: quality, integrity, innovation, and commitment. But just this year it added a fifth value: humanity.“When you think about who we are as an organization, and how it’s articulated, it means that we will treat our people and our planet with dignity and respect. And that means that we create environments that are inclusive. They’re diverse in that we have practices that are internally sustainable, as well as externally sustainable,” said Crystal T. Jones, head of talent acquisition, Americas at John Deere. With centuries of success behind it, the organization was still ready and willing to update its mission and practices to stay aligned with evolving cultural values.In an era of rapid change, purpose-driven environments are increasingly more important. How can leaders navigate cultural shifts within their organizations that prioritize meaningful work, and foster employee satisfaction and belonging, loyalty, and overall well-being? Jones and other industry experts answered these questions and more at From Day One’s Chicago conference.Building a Purpose-Driven Work Environment“It’s no secret that companies with a purpose driven work environment are by many measures more successful,” said moderator Kim Quillen, business editor at The Chicago Tribune. But it can be daunting to try to predict what employees want. “The big thing with purpose is to continue to talk about it,” said Trevor Bogan, regional director, Americas at Top Employers Institute. “Don’t be afraid. It can evolve and it can shift.” Bogan says that his company tracks this through employee surveys.Mikki Sud, EVP, global head of total rewards at JLL says her organization links its activities back to its purpose of “creating healthy, inspiring, innovative spaces for people and our planet” both internally and externally. “With 40% of our carbon emissions coming from the built environment, we have a critical role in helping create a sustainable world,” she said.“But also, we connect our employees to those goals through robust training efforts, like net zero carbon training, as well as AI and automation. And last year, we saw a 20% reduction in our carbon emissions through these efforts,” Sud said. Leaders as Purpose AmbassadorsOrganizational purpose must be driven by leaders who can be encouraged through training and incentives. Tracking of purpose-driven behavior is also embedded in JLL’s talent review and performance management process, says Sud. “Our hope is that as leaders fully start to embody [our values], that eventually it will start to disseminate across the organization, and then the sense of belonging to the enterprise will be enhanced as a result,” she said.Gus Viano, VP of global diversity, equity & inclusion at Brink’s, notes that while leaders may attend trainings and have good intentions, sometimes their actual actions still don’t embody the organization’s stated values.The panelists spoke to the topic "Cultural Transformation and Meaningful Work: Nurturing a Purpose-Driven Workplace" at From Day One's Chicago conference“Employees feel engaged when they hear our leaders talk about DEI, but then when they see that behavior not represented in their actions, then they have serious doubts,” Viano said. So, inclusion training may require some difficult, frank conversations. For larger corporations with a global reach, Viano says, it’s also important to be mindful of different cultural norms and expectations surrounding DEI. You may have to adjust training language and areas of focus based on those local sensitivities and needs. Bringing Your Whole Self to Work“People don’t leave their diversity in the trunk of their car when they come to work. They bring the whole self to work, invited or not invited,” Viano said. Employers need to be ready to engage with employees from many walks of life and communicate purpose to them in a way that keeps everyone excited.Different generations are looking for different types of meaning in their work, Bogan says, and Gen Z especially wants to see their identities reflected in the leadership team. “When organizations have a diverse workforce, when they have women leaders, when they have people of color, when they have people from different countries and different perspectives, the profitability goes up, the well-being goes up, [and] the purpose and feeling of belonging goes up,” Bogan said.“It’s no longer about what’s written on your website. Candidates want to see and feel what you say.”Jones also emphasized the importance of ensuring employees can see and understand the impact of their work on the wider community, to help drive that sense of purpose and meaning home.Encouraging employees to come to the office, helps drive engagement and a sense of belonging, Sud says. “A recent Bloomberg study showed that those in the office actually spent 25% more time on career development,” she said. “It's a sense of belonging, and the fun that comes from being in the office, the personal interactions, the sharing of stories of your families or your hobbies. You can’t really have that watercooler talk in a virtual setting.” That said, Sud believes it’s also important to recognize that employees need quiet time for work too. “We are really being deliberate about creating the ‘me’ spaces as well as the ‘we’ spaces,” she said.Rewarding and Measuring SuccessEmployees should be rewarded for driving purpose and be recognized in a way that is most meaningful to them. “Our rewards are linked to business purpose and performance, connecting individual team and organizational performance. So when we deliver the best solutions for our clients, JLL does well and our people do too,” said Sud. Compensation should not be the only driver. “It’s the culture, it’s the purpose, it’s the leadership aspiration,” Sud says, that brings employees satisfaction.Just trying out new strategies from time to time is not enough, Bogan says. “You need to get involved with data and analytics to see and measure what you do really well and what challenges you have. That’s really impactful, because the numbers don’t lie,” he said. Having the hard data will help leaders justify the need for new programs and tactics, though the data should be shared by all. “If we silo, then we’re not getting better. We’re not learning about how we work, hearing different ideas and different perspectives,” Bogan said.Purpose-driven analytics should be not just quantitative but also qualitative, Jones says. “We’re interested in not just what you do, but how you do it,” she said. Through engagement surveys, Jones says, John Deere saw the need to add humanity to its core values. “Just make sure you’re not just asking the questions,” she said, “but that you’re ready to deal with the responses that you get back.”Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, and CBS New York.

Katie Chambers | May 22, 2024

Firing Up the Talent Engines at One of the World’s Largest Airlines

When the pandemic hit, businesses and offices began to shut down operations for a rare moment of stagnancy. The travel industry especially took a drastic hit: flights were near-empty as people stayed home. For one airline, however, the pause was the optimal time to expand. In the first few years of the pandemic, United Airlines hired over 30,000 employees, a decision that differed from many other industries at that time. “​​In the months of the pandemic, we pre-hired in a couple of areas, pilots in particular, because of the long training timelines,” Kate Gebo, executive vice president of human resources and labor relations at United Airlines, said in a fireside chat at From Day One’s Chicago conference. “That was not something that we had historically ever done, but in the first few years of the pandemic, we hired 15,000 people each year for two years.”The choice to increase hiring during the pandemic was ultimately the right move, Gebo says. Revenge travel led to high post-pandemic flight demands and with a shortage of pilots on the horizon, airlines needed to take advantage of every moment to prepare, Gebo told session moderator Stefan Holt, an anchor at NBC5 News. Kate Gebo, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations at United Airlines, was interviewed in the fireside chat      She reflected on how United Airlines stayed ahead of the game during the pandemic and the strategies she takes to ensure United stays in front. “When we looked at the pandemic, we asked ourselves, ‘Are we going to stay the same or are we going to take this as an opportunity and grow?’” Gebo said. “We didn’t want to come out where we came in, we wanted to jump ahead.”Fueled by early retirement and an aging pilot population, analysts predict the global aviation industry will be short by 80,000 pilots by 2032. The shortage is a dire situation for airlines as they look to expand. At United, taking learning opportunities in-house became a valuable resource for talent and employees.“We don't want to just rely on whatever is out there, so we bought our own flight school, United Aviate Academy, in Goodyear, Arizona,” Gebo said. “We wanted to invest and provide world-class training, so you not only learn all the technical issues with flying but also understand the leadership and the culture at United.” Being a major airline with its own in-house flight school has its perks. The school builds a pipeline of talent for the airline and increases interest in the aviation industry, Gebo says.“Many other folks began to believe that they could get into aviation,” Gebo said. “Even though there's a little bit of a struggle because the qualifications and the training are tough, there’s a sense of accomplishment that we’re building here at Aviate Academy.”For United’s pilots and crew members, learning is still readily accessible to the community through designated training centers, Gebo says. “Our pilots have to go back to the training center every six months to up their qualifications or anytime they change aircraft types so during the pandemic, we decided to invest in a flight training center in Denver for our pilots,” Gebo said. “We can't just decide to hire a flight attendant and have them show up the next day, so we also invested in an in-flight training center in Houston for our flight attendants.”With heightened scrutiny surrounding Boeing planes, production of the planes is taking longer, affecting airline companies as they wait for delivery of aircrafts. To balance the now-abundance of pilots, United has encouraged their pilots to take time off, an announcement that caused some backlash. But unlike other industries, laying off employees isn’t a viable option, Gebo says. “Even though Boeing can't deliver an aircraft for us or push delivery of an aircraft, we have already hired those pilots six or nine months ago to make sure we were ready for the original schedule,” Gebo said. “We are oversubscribed on pilots right now and the delay in deliveries is so impactful to us because we are carrying those extra costs.”Keeping crew members on board is worth it in the long run, Gebo says, reflecting on the company’s choice to hire more during the pandemic.  “Turning the talent engine off is dangerous to your business because once you shut it down, it’s so hard getting the momentum back up,” Gebo said. “In the dark days when there were only 10,000 passengers, the easy answer would have been to shut it all down, but thank goodness we absolutely didn't.”Wanly Chen is a writer and poet based in New York City.

Wanly Chen | May 22, 2024

Developing Crucial Competencies Among Managers to Enhance Inclusion

To improve workplaces, leaders need to reevaluate how they are growing their managers and provide the proper support. In a From Day One webinar, Lydia Dishman, senior editor of growth and engagement at Fast Company, spoke with leaders about the strategies they’re taking to address skills gaps in their companies, especially those related to boosting workplace inclusion.Self-aware leaders display a higher level of confidence and empathy, resulting in stronger teams and effective leadership. Yet despite most leaders believing that they exhibit self-awareness, research shows only 10-15% of leaders are self-aware.The disparity comes from the challenge of displaying vulnerability, Khalil Smith, vice president of inclusion, diversity, and engagement at Akamai Technologies, says.“​​We need to be given at least an opportunity to have some of that autonomy to say, “I think that I can be better here or here,” Smith said. “It’s not a bad thing to say, ‘I do struggle with giving difficult feedback and that's not something that’s going to hold me back.’ This is different from being externally assessed because it builds the self-awareness that we need,” Smith said.By showing empathy for others, leaders can cultivate a safe work environment for others to grow, which can be a win-win situation for companies and employees. Singleton Beato, global executive vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at media group, McCann Worldgroup, says empathetic leaders can reap the benefits of a stronger team.Amanda Grow of ETU, Singleton Beato of McCann Worldgroup, Diana Navas-Rosette of Microsoft, and Khalil Smith of Akamai Technologies spoke in a panel moderated by Lydia Dishman of Fast Company (photo by From Day One)“Being self-aware allows one to understand how to present constructive and corrective feedback in a way that isn’t demeaning to someone,” Beato said. “Doing so safely helps employees to feel that they have the support of the manager and helps them to be aware of not only whatever the correction needs to be but also to feel empowered to make that correction.”Leaning on Newer Learning MethodsWhen compared to traditional learning methods, researchers found immersive learning like VR training to yield better results and also positively impact employees’ performance. Amanda Grow, director of customer success at learning company, ETU, says learning simulations can also provide opportunities for employees to learn skills that may be difficult to learn in traditional settings.“One of the key elements in learning simulations is teaching people how to work through situations that they don't feel comfortable in,” Grow said. “Simulations have the ability to bring some of that emotion to life and make you feel uncomfortable or make you feel anxious.”During these simulations, employees dealing with challenging emotions have an opportunity to self-reflect on their emotions in a safe space, Grow says. “We want to teach people how to reflect and understand their internal processes,” Grow said. “That's going to be valuable if we want employees to improve their self-awareness.”Research found employees who have personal development opportunities are more engaged and have higher retention rates, showing how learning can play a large role in how employees perceive their work and growth.Whether it’s through traditional learning modules or providing a safe environment for employees to learn, leaders play an instrumental role in bridging the gaps. Diana Navas-Rosette, general manager of global diversity and inclusion solutions, communities, and activation at Microsoft, says that Microsoft is leaning on newer technology to offer personalized learning opportunities.“Simulations stand out as probably one of the most innovative solutions that we have in our portfolio right now. They are immersive and allow learners to practice the skills realistically and safely,” Navas-Rosette said. “A learner navigates through a simulation and then gets a report at the end that tells them what they did well and where they have areas of opportunities for them to grow. Employees can always come back and practice if they want to, allowing it to be a continuous relationship with a solution for them to build that skill set.”Wanly Chen is a writer and poet based in New York City.

Wanly Chen | May 21, 2024

Optimizing Tech and Data to Recruit Top Candidates

With every new wave of tech, there comes the fear that it will make some workers obsolete, but when it comes to artificial intelligence eclipsing recruiters, they needn’t worry, said Steve Bartel, CEO and co-founder of AI-powered recruiting platform Gem. “AI is nowhere close to completely replacing jobs. I think for a long time, maybe forever, AI is going to be more of a co-pilot. My read is that AI is going to really speed us up.”Bartel, whom I spoke to during a From Day One webinar on how employers are using the latest in AI to make hiring more effective and efficient, says there are two reasons AI will help rather than hinder talent acquisition.First, companies are drowning in applications. “Thirty percent of our customers are seeing 1,000-plus applicants for a [single] job,” he said. Second, at the same time applications are flowing in by the thousands, talent acquisition teams are being asked to do more with less. “They’re being asked to backfill tons of critical roles. As hiring starts to pick up, a lot of recruiting teams are left under-resourced and under-budgeted.”For overloaded teams, well-deployed AI can be like a rocket booster for recruiting programs, letting humans do what they do best. Artificial intelligence will automate the most manual and painfully tedious parts of the job: for instance, writing the first draft of an outreach email and even personalizing that copy. It can conceive and deliver candidate nurture campaigns that support long-term client relationships. But it can’t fly alone, nor should it. Ultimately, only people can recruit employees into companies.“A lot of us got into recruiting because we really care about bringing great people into the organization, we really care about forging amazing relationships with candidates,” he said. “AI is not going to be able to replace the human touch. In fact, it’s going to free us up to provide a better candidate experience.”Journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza interviewed Steve Bartel of Gem during the From Day One webinar about recruiting top candidates (photo by From Day One)According to Gem’s own research, 73% of companies today are exploring investment in AI for recruitment automation. A few years ago, the share of employers with such plans was a fraction of that. Directives are coming down from the C-suite, and the imperative is to start using AI–but many still aren’t clear on the use cases or where it’s most beneficial.At the mercy of vague orders, talent acquisition teams are moving quickly to comply, and they risk making mistakes. The first mistake Bartel sees is not fully vetting a vendor or tech platform; one way to do that is to look under the hood at the information feeding it and the tech powering it.“A lot of AI demos really well, but when you actually use it in practice, that’s where you run into making pretty silly mistakes, quite honestly,” Bartel said. “Try to run a real trial based on your own data and use cases. Talk to customers to validate that it actually works once you deploy.”A good recruiting platform also works with your current tech stack. If it doesn’t, recruiters risk cold-contacting current candidates, recent event attendees, or runners-up for interviews. You may end up spamming your existing talent pool, and ultimately damaging your employer brand.Further, some platforms may be running on outdated information. “A lot of vendors are still on these legacy AI stacks that they’ve invested 10 years into building, but that are suddenly obsolete,” he said.But recruiters don’t have the time to be bogged down with stale information. “My number-one theory continues to be that recruiting teams are being asked to do more with less and that they’re overworked,” said Bartel. Tech should take a load off the shoulders of recruiting teams. The standard is now a customer-grade candidate experience, and unless talent acquisition is given the room to provide it, recruiting will suffer.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Gem, for sponsoring this webinar. Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | May 20, 2024

Elevate Employee Engagement: Smart Strategies for Thriving Teams on a Budget

Employees crave meaningful experiences. But with limited time and budgets, how can companies build more purpose into the work experience? Fifteen minutes at a time, says Ben Sampson.Sampson is chief evangelist of social impact and employee engagement at WizeHive, which offers software platforms for managing scholarships and workplace giving, as well as immersive volunteer experiences via WeHero. At a From Day One’s webinar, Sampson spoke to the idea of how turnkey volunteering can increase employee engagement on a budget. Kelly Bourdet of Apparata Media interviewed.Coming from a volunteer background, Sampson knew how engaging it can be to help others.  One thing led to another, and he eventually co-founded WeHero to help facilitate opportunities for employees to engage in volunteering experiences through their workplace. “We're constantly looking at what employees need,” he said. More and more, he’s learned that employees want to work for a company with purpose. They want to go to work and feel like it makes a good social impact. Some potential employees even ask about those opportunities during hiring. On the flip side, employees are also extremely conscious of their time. “How can we be time sensitive to get employees engaged in our companies, and give them a good experience of continuously engaging over and over again?” Sampson asked. In the past, companies would typically ask employees to go out and find their own volunteer opportunities, then spend time out of the office. While employees love giving back, putting the burden of doing all the legwork doesn’t fit within time constraints or even company budgets. The key, Sampson and his team have learned, is meeting the company and the employees where they are and giving back their most valuable resource: their time.Journalist Kelly Bourdet interviewed Ben Sampson of WizeHive during the From Day One webinar (photo by From Day One)Companies big or small, hybrid or in-office, local or global, all can better engage through impact experiences. Having WizeHive take care of the burden of logistics allows employees to enjoy the process of volunteering without a lot of extra time while maximizing their impact. “Bite size volunteer opportunities make a lot of impact,” Sampson said. “Maybe that's building a water filter for 15 minutes out of your workday, maybe that is answering a video call from someone that’s visually disabled that needs help finding the bus stop. Volunteering can be a great way for engaging employees in a low-cost mechanism.”At one company with an office and a warehouse, Sampson says the warehouse personnel generally didn’t have the time to participate in volunteer projects. So they set up a station where all employees could put together backpacks with supplies for kids during lunch or a break. Warehouse employees felt more included and engaged.“They even got to see the kids picking up the backpacks, so that was really special,” Sampson said. Even though the project took very little time and employees didn’t even need to leave the workplace to do it, the project still had a big impact on the community.One thing to focus on when rolling out opportunities is showing the clear path to impact. What will be the result of putting in their time? Virtual events are especially popular, Sampson says, as more people can participate in them and they fit most budgets. Sampson’s team can also help match people with specific skills to volunteer opportunities. Doing transcription work for the Smithsonian or Ancestry are just two examples of something people can do that have a clear path of impact—saving pieces of history and helping people connect with ancestors. Leadership buy-in is crucial for success, Sampson says. Companies where leadership is engaged and participating in impact projects correlate highly with employee participation and engagement as well. Mercedes is one company where the CEO works alongside employees during their volunteer experiences, connecting employees with leadership and allowing them to see each other outside the typical work setting.But sometimes getting that leadership buy-in can be challenging. “What is something the HR side can use to argue for the value?” Bourdet asked Sampson.To understand what’s most important to that leader, likely profitability for the company, then offering metrics or other reasons why volunteerism is the answer. If that leader is focused on employee retention, Sampson has a metric for that. “What are the costs of employee turnover? For a lot of businesses that we work with, it’s millions of dollars.” So, if employee engagement improves through these impact projects, it could save the company money. For one company they were working with, Sampson predicted a $26 million savings over 12 months, if done effectively. “There is so much positive emotion when people volunteer.” One employee who was able to volunteer for the first time told Sampson, “It’s cool that my employer has given me the opportunity to do this.” Now that’s employee engagement. Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, WizeHive, for sponsoring this webinar.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

Carrie Snider | May 17, 2024

Empowering Employees: Cultivating Career Advancement From Within

“External hires are practical if you need to hire immediately. The market right now is booming because we have so much talent. But it doesn’t solve a long-term issue, and if we don’t address the long term issue, it’s soon going to become a short-term concern.”This was the warning from Steph Ricks, senior account executive and partnership development leader at education tech platform Strategic Education, at From Day One’s live conference in Washington, D.C. Failure to retain talent, failure to provide them with advancement opportunities, whether vertical or lateral or some combination of the two, is an existential threat to a company’s potential.At the event, Ricks and her colleagues in HR and talent development assembled for a panel discussion on how employers can create opportunity within organizations by boosting internal mobility. The consensus was this: democratize, market, prioritize, and measure.Opening Mobility Opportunities to AllUnless the direction of travel is upward, it may be tough for employees to envision the ways their career might go. Examples likely exist in their current company, yet many remain unaware of the multidirectional career paths that surround them.Workers have to be able to see what’s available, says Terri Hatcher, the chief diversity and inclusion officer at global IT provider NTT Data Services. To show employees what’s available, the company uses an AI-driven talent-management system that can turn employees on to open roles that suit their skills. Hatcher also hosts storytelling events. In one recurring series, women in the company tell their stories about their career growth. “Specifically,” she said, “they talk about the programs in our company and the tools they’ve used that have helped them grow.”A workforce development strategy, to be truly effective, must be democratic. By analyzing the demographics of workers advancing up the ladder at NTT, Hatcher discovered that some segments were being excluded, and it had become evident in the composition of leadership teams. The middle management layer was the bottleneck. “We noticed that people in middle management were not advancing, and women were not advancing, so we took hold of that. There is no way we’re going to be able to see a difference in senior leadership if we don’t see anything change in middle management.”Encouragement also has to come from people managers, not least because they have the influence enough to ignite or dampen a career. Hatcher found that even though training programs were open to all, and women knew that they could nominate themselves, they weren’t quick to do so. “You might open up a program to everyone, but you’ve got to really market that program to everyone,” she said. “Your managers have to be in on it, they have to be encouraging people to get out there and get engaged. Because sometimes people don’t feel like it’s for them for whatever reason.”Maryland-based medical network, Adventist HealthCare had run its emerging leaders program for several years to warm reception, but in 2019, Brendan Johnson, the organization’s SVP of human resources, examined the demographic makeup of the program cohorts and found that the program participants did not reflect the company’s workforce. So they opened the program to everyone in the company – all 6,000 of them.The panelist spoke in a session titled "Creating Opportunity Within: How Employers Are Boosting Internal Mobility"“That completely changed the way that we made sure that everyone was aware of opportunities.” With that, leadership opportunities were no longer about who you know, but about how much you want to grow. Three years later, said Johnson, the demographics of the leadership program looked like the demographics of the workforce.Without clear expectations for high performance, leadership teams naturally sort themselves homogeneously, says Johnson. “If you don’t have a strong and very objective way to measure top performers, top performers end up being the people that look like your presidents and look like your vice presidents.”Knowing the right people and being exposed to new functions and departments can unlock tremendous opportunity. “I don’t think that any of us in this room would find our next opportunity by applying for a position,” said Ricks of Strategic Education. “I think it’s going to come down to our networks.”Carrie Theisen, the SVP of total rewards at Fannie Mae noticed that in her organization there were certain barriers to mobility, one in particular that the company had inadvertently erected: Pay grade bumps came only with promotions but as Johnson reminded us “not everybody wants to grow up and be a leader.” So Fannie Mae changed the pay structure so that individual contributors had the potential to make as much as people managers. To market opportunities, Theisen chose to link career progression with the company’s employer value proposition, live well, and build the employee experience in the service of advancement.Prioritize Internal MovesOne of the simplest tips came from Steph Ricks: give internal hires priority. She describes the standard practice as her former company, Wayfair. “When a [requisition] went live, we would interview anyone internal who applied for the role. If we weren’t satisfied, then we offered interviews to any employee referrals. If we didn’t find the talent we needed there, then it was open externally.”Theisen’s advice was to plan well into the future. “Succession planning is most effective when it starts at the top,” said Theisen. “We present our succession plans to our board quarterly. They include for every key role across the organization and the key successors. Are they ready now? Are they emerging?” She found that the board was eager to prioritize diverse representation at all levels, and this would be her contribution.Tracking movement and paying attention to changes over time, that’s how you get better at internal mobility, panelists said. At Adventist, Johnson reports quarterly to the board on internal versus external promotions. He aims for more than 40%, and in the last five years, he’s been able to report 50%–60% internal hires.And he has his own measures: “We shifted last year from measuring employee engagement to measuring employee fulfillment.” Engagement, he said, is about what the employee is doing for the company, hedging the question, “will you still be here in three years?” But by measuring fulfillment instead, Johnson hopes to shift the onus, and learn whether the company is doing enough to retain its workers.Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is a freelance journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about work, the job market, and women’s experiences in the workplace. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Quartz, Fast Company, and Digiday’s Worklife.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | May 17, 2024

The Benefits That Employees Want to See Enhanced in 2024

What does a covetable benefit look like in 2024? Take the pharmaceutical company Moderna’s lifestyle spending account, a cherished benefit that Jeffrey Stohlberg, Moderna’s director of company benefits spoke about in a panel session at From Day One’s Boston Benefits conference. Moderna gives employees $300 a month to use on lifestyle-related activities or purchases. “In addition, if you commute to work in a sustainable fashion,” referring to walking or taking public transportation, “Moderna gives you an additional $100 a month,” said Stohlberg.What constitutes ‘lifestyle’ can differ, a gym membership passes muster, craft beer, not so much. But this is one case of companies encouraging and incentivizing employees in the pursuit of their well-being. When 80% of employees say that they’d stay in a company solely for their benefits, it’s imperative to figure out the ones that matter. “We work with individual employees on how it affects them,” says Britt Barney, head of client success at financial-wellness platform Northstar.To her, it’s about getting tactical with employees making sure it fits in their individual financial brand. “Make sure it’s customizable,” because an intersectional and individualized approach to benefits nurtures diversity and inclusion.At the security company Akamai, a recent survey revealed that most employees want remote work. “95% of our workforce stays working from home,” said Ken Wechsler, Akamai’s VP of total rewards. “Keep things that are good,” he said. For example, the company completely shuts down and institutes wellness micro breaks, where employees are encouraged not to check their phone, or required to appear on video during calls.At Moderna, about 70% of the workforce is in the office. “There is a big focus on collaboration,” said Stohlberg. “People have gotten Zoomed and Teamed out.” The company offers three mental-health recharge days, which employees are highly encouraged to fully take advantage of. Upon their return to the office, the benefit team routinely asks all employees what they did during their recharge days.Cost-Effective BenefitsEvery benefit has a financial implication. “Mental health is a very expensive service,” acknowledged Britt Barney. “Our number one claim is related to anxiety, mental health, and depression, with 42% of the employees children,” said Stohlberg. “It’s a significant issue, and partnering with a mental health vendor has been impactful.”The panel session titled "The Benefits That Employees Want to See Enhanced in 2024" was moderated by Rebecca M. Knight, Contributing Columnist at the Harvard Business ReviewMental health still has some cultural barriers to overcome. “The stigma was that young people were using therapy, [older people] not as much,” Stohlberg said. “Now, over the last few years, we’ve seen employees across the spectrum use therapy.” They offer 26 complementary sessions, and after those are maxed out, you can use the same therapist through BlueCross.Wechsler found similar success in offering complimentary sessions, “I was excited to say we offer 16 [complimentary] mental-health sessions.” His company has 90 employees who act as the point of contact to direct those who need it towards the EAP. The Allure of SemaglutideCompanies have started offering coverage for GLP-1 drugs. “The science of GLP-1 is a real thing, it’s not something that is going away,” said Brian Harty, head of total rewards at Accolade. “These are blockbuster drugs, not just in suppressing appetite, but also for addiction and heart health. The science of it, that’s what I am excited about.”Accolade currently covers GLP-1 drugs for diabetes, and does not cover it when it’s intended for weight-loss medication. There are doubts regarding whether it’s a worthwhile investment, at an estimated cost of $14,000 per year, per patient. “40% of Americans qualify for Wegovy, with a BMI > 27,” Harty said.“When you introduce it like that, there’s no way you can change [the cut-off] to a higher BMI.” For his company, it would mean investing millions.Moderna, by contrast, offers it for weight management and diabetes. “In 2023 we saw a spike related to weight loss management: We looked at claims data, and after mental health, obesity and weight management were the second drivers,” said Stohlberg. Not everyone who wants to manage their weight is encouraged to take semaglutide, though.Moderna also uses a virtual weight-loss management program, where employees can work with a physician specializing in weight loss. “It’s not a path to GLP-1s but [the physicians] can provide medication for that person.” “Why do people need drugs like this?” asks Barney, advocating for a holistic approach. “Weight [can be attributed to] stress and environment. Physical health is not just physical health.”Angelica Frey is a writer and a translator based in Boston and Milan.

Angelica Frey | May 16, 2024

ADHD in the Workplace: What You Should Know–and What Can Help

Pete came to our weekly psychotherapy session frustrated with work. He had just returned to his office, post pandemic, and found the new, open plan noisy and overwhelming. Pete, which is not his real name, has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is easily distractible and sensitive to noise. He had trouble concentrating, was irritated by the constant chatter of colleagues, and, as a result, was feeling less productive.“Could you talk to your manager about getting some accommodations?” I asked.“No way!” he said. “That would be a career killer.”Pete’s wariness is not uncommon. A few of my psychotherapy patients with ADHD have confided in their managers, but most feel it’s unwise to do so. They fear they will be stigmatized and sidelined.Edward Hallowell, M.D., agrees with their concern. The founder of the Hallowell ADHD Centers and one of the leading authorities on the disorder, explained to From Day One: “We’re not there yet. Most corporate professionals think of ADHD as some kind of mental illness.”Given that ADHD is not well-understood in the workplace, how can employees speak up about their needs in a way that feels safe? And how can managers and HR leaders better understand how to respond to those needs–whether employees want to name their ADHD, or not? A well-accommodated employee is, after all, a happier and more productive one. “It’s in everyone’s best interest to remove obstacles to someone’s performance,” said Hallowell. Here’s what experts recommend:Know What It IsADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by symptoms of restlessness, impulsivity and difficulty sustaining attention to boring tasks. It tends to run in families and is often inherited from a parent. There are three types: inattentive (dreamy and distractible), hyperactive-impulsive (restless and talkative), and a combination of the two. Most adults with ADHD have the inattentive type. Though it was long considered to be a childhood disorder affecting mostly boys, research has shown that it persists into adulthood—about 30% to 70% of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms later in life.Ned Hallowell, M.D., a pre-eminent expert on ADHD (Photo courtesy of the Hallowell ADHD Centers)An undiagnosed adult may think of themselves as spacey, messy, or undisciplined—and they often suffer from low self-esteem. A recent study found that only 10% to 25% of adults with ADHD receive an accurate diagnosis and adequate treatment. “They are often inaccurately diagnosed with anxiety or depression, which are really just the fallout of untreated ADHD,” said Ari Tuckman, a psychologist in West Chester, Penn., who specializes in the treatment of ADHD. As Hallowell puts it: “It’s like driving on square wheels.” In dealing with tasks, you will make progress, but it may take longer.And That the Diagnosis Is On the RiseWhile children are still the most likely group to be identified with the disorder, the number of adult diagnoses has been rising for decades. The pandemic accelerated the trend: the overall incidence in adults (30 to 49 years old) nearly doubled from 2020 to 2022, fueled mainly by an increase in diagnoses among women, according to Epic Research, a medical-record software company. While it’s not clear exactly why women are being diagnosed more often, experts theorize that it may be due to increasing smartphone and technology use, which can amplify distractibility and stress, as well as a greater awareness that ADHD can be also be a women’s issue. As more adults are diagnosed, they—like Pete—often face workplaces that are not ADHD-literate.How It Affects Work Performance–But Not Always in a Bad WayPeople with the disorder may have difficulty with organization, time management and procrastination—all of which can make it hard to meet deadlines and work within teams. They find tedious tasks, such as scheduling and filling out expense reports, unusually challenging and have a different sense of time than others. “People with ADHD have more difficulty seeing time and feeling the future,” notes Tuckman,More than half (56%) of adults with ADHD said they believe the disorder “strongly impacts their ability to succeed at work,” according to a 2008 survey by McNeil Pediatrics. A more recent survey by Akili, a therapeutic-technology company, interviewed 500 adults with ADHD and found that employees with ADHD felt the disorder had a negative impact on their career.     And yet, people with ADHD often display qualities that work in their favor, notes Hallowell, who himself has ADHD. He sees the condition as a trait, not a disorder, that has positive benefits like creativity, humor, and spontaneity. “There’s more to it than most people realize,” he said. “ADHD is terrible term. We have an abundance of attention. Our challenge is where to put our focus.” People with ADHD can spend hours on topics that interest them and see details that others might miss, a trait sometimes called hyperfocus. Many successful people have talked openly about their ADHD, including Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, James Carville, astronaut Scott Kelly and JetBlue founder David Neeleman.How to Get DiagnosedIf you persistently miss deadlines, are chronically late, and feel like staying organized is a big effort, first ask a trusted friend or colleague if they find you more scattered than others. Then, make an appointment to see a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in treating the condition. There is no one standardized test—instead a professional will take a thorough history and may ask family members and friends to complete questionnaires about your behavior. You may be asked questions like, How often do you misplace items, feel bored and restless, or lose track of what needs to be done? If you meet the criteria, your doctor may talk to you about medication, therapy or coaching and, if needed, provide a diagnosis so you can receive accommodations at school or at work.Understand What HelpsMost people diagnosed with ADHD rely on medication to control their symptoms. Typical medications include stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall, which increase the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. There are also non-stimulant drugs such as Strattera. Stimulant medications that treat ADHD are the “most effective of medications in psychiatry,” said Tuckman, and help tame distractibility and impulsivity. About two thirds of people with ADHD diagnoses are prescribed stimulant medications, and that percentage has remained fairly consistent since 2013, according to Epic Research. Some people can help manage their symptoms by exercising regularly, getting proper sleep, and implementing strict organization and reminder systems. Or they hire very competent assistants.Once you are diagnosed and have figured out the best treatment, it’s like “getting fitted for the right eyeglasses,” said Dr. Hallowell. “Things come into sharper focus.”How to Make the Workplace More ADHD-FriendlySmall modifications can go a long way to helping people with ADHD perform better on the job. Tuckman suggests considering adjustments in the three domains described below. As an employee, you can make tweaks on your own or ask your manager for help. As for managers, if you have a worker who is struggling with organization and meeting deadlines, you could take the lead at putting these practices into place.Make distractions softer. Quiet spaces, headphones, and working on off-hours (say, early or late), can help mitigate the clatter of a bustling office. Often working from home is a good solution.Make important information stand out from the chatter. Putting assignments in writing, recording meetings, and highlighting deadlines can help workers whose focus is not great to stay on task.Bring the future closer to the present. Those who struggle with adhering to deadlines will benefit when big projects are broken into smaller chunks, and check-ins are on the calendar with frequent reminders of when tasks are due.So, Should You Tell Your Boss?If you have ADHD, you may be covered under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). However, you might not want to play that card unless you absolutely must, says Belynda Gauthier, a retired HR director and past president of Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD). “The first time I did a presentation on ADHD in the workplace, I launched into detail about how the employee should approach his supervisor or manager and suggested that he might want to go directly to HR first. An audience participant interrupted to tell me that her HR office actually is the problem for her. Oops! I took this to heart, did some serious thinking, and revamped my presentation. I no longer recommend revealing one’s diagnosis until and unless it’s necessary.” Indeed, 92% of surveyed adults with ADHD believe that their colleagues hold misconceptions, the most common of which is “people with ADHD just need to try harder.” A better strategy might be to simply approach your manager with a positive attitude and a few solutions. “Be sure to tell them what you are good at,” advised Hallowell.Gauthier suggests something like: “I am really enjoying processing these widgets, and I think I’m doing a good job. I believe I could do an even better job if I could move to that cubicle that’s farther from the copy machine. So many co-workers use it all day and everyone stops to say hello.” Avoid the use of the word “but” to qualify your suggestions and don’t be whiney, she says.      Accommodations can help, but sometimes the best solution is finding the right job in the right environment with the right supports. “When I finally figured out I had it, it was a relief,” David Neeleman said in a recent interview with Forbes. “I was just really careful to surround myself with people that could complement my ADHD. I have people around me that help implement a lot of the ideas I have.” When you can turn your intense focus on something that truly fascinates you, ADHD can be a bonus rather a deficit.Lesley Alderman, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and journalist based in Brooklyn, NY. In her therapy practice, she works with individuals and couples. She writes about mental health topics for the Washington Post and has been an editor at Money and Real Simple magazines and a health columnist for the New York Times.(Featured photo by Valentin Russanov/iStock by Getty Images) 

Lesley Alderman, LCSW | May 15, 2024

Boosting Productivity in a Changing Workplace–and Workforce

A number of stressors are hindering the productivity of today’s workforce. Some employees still need help with the adjustment to working remotely or in a hybrid environment, says Millette Granville, VP of diversity, equity and inclusion at 2U.“People get a little antsy if they’re remote but three people on their team are in person,” she told moderator Krissah Thompson, managing editor of the Washington Post in a panel discussion at From Day One’s conference in Washington, D.C.“They’re thinking, ‘Do I have career growth? Can I move through the organization If I’m remote?’” More than ever, employees long for a sense of belonging, says Granville. “Research shows that employees that feel like they belong are going to stay longer, they're going to be more innovative,” she said.A recent survey at the cloud-based human capital technology and services provider Alight revealed that one in five of its employees had a behavioral health problem, while 75% were experiencing some degree of stress and anxiety. “We’re probably underestimating it, to be honest,” said Dr. Bipan Mistry, chief medical officer at Alight.Improving Mental Wellness in the WorkplaceTammy Kness, SVP of human capital management and communications at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), shared that the company kicked off a mental health awareness initiative called “How Are You Really?” several years ago.GDIT has a website with resources on how to have conversations with employees and colleagues about stress and anxiety. “It’s been really encouraging to see how just offering to talk about that in the workplace is increasing productivity and connectedness and community,” Kness said. “We’re just trying to destigmatize talking about mental health and sharing with our employees. It’s OK not to be OK, but it’s not OK to not ask for help.”The panelists spoke on the topic "Boosting Productivity in a Changing Workplace–and Workforce" at From Day One's D.C. conference A lack of access to healthcare providers, particularly in the mental health field, is an issue that prevents many people from seeing the help they need, says Mistry. “That’s where having some navigation services for behavioral health is really key,” he said. “And it’s not just the employee. We also have to think about the family unit.”Alight data shows that 20% of behavioral health guidance is for pediatric adolescent conditions. “So, let’s not forget about the element of the parental unit and how that affects productivity at work,” he said. Employees also need some flexibility in the workday so they can go to appointments when they find a provider.Remote and Hybrid WorkFlexibility is also the key to remote and hybrid work, says Kness. “One size doesn't fit all,” she said. Nearly half of all GDIT employees are on-site in a secured facility because of the nature of their work. That didn’t change, even during the pandemic. However, some employees were working remotely for years before Covid.She said the key is to have an approach that balances all these ways of working while keeping everyone connected. For example, GDIT’s employee resource groups now meet remotely to discuss topics such as mental health and inclusivity.“It has to be a very multifaceted strategy around investing in your managers, engaging your employees, being really intentional about your strategy, and building those communities,” Kness said.According to Granville, employers should also be aware of proximity bias which could lead to unequal treatment between in-person team members and remote ones.“If you’re the leader, you need to make sure you’re doing all the things you need to do to engage everyone in a way that’s impactful and meaningful to them,” she said.How to Keep Employees EngagedLiz Janssen, VP of talent experience and transformation at ICF says the company has been on a performance management journey over the past three years. “We heard our employees through surveys and focus groups say they want to connect what they do to the company mission, and that they want more frequent feedback,” she said. “They also wanted to focus on their career growth. That was the number one reason why people were leaving.”ICF responded by doing quarterly check-ins with employees rather than an annual review. If an employee or manager wants to have conversations even more frequently than that, they can make that request. In addition, managers have started talking to employees about how their work contributed to the firm’s overall success.“We test the effectiveness and our employees are saying it’s really helped a lot,” Janssen said. “We didn’t make it mandatory, but we’ve seen a growth and adoption rate of 50% year over year.”Michal Alter, founder and CEO of Visit.org, which helps corporations engage their employees, said one client came to them several years ago because morale was extremely low at the company following a merger.“We worked on putting together a larger global day of service,” she said. “That’s what we do, we work with nonprofits all over the world. And we create content for volunteering and different types of team-building learning opportunities.”That initial day of service had an outstanding 25% participation rate, says Alter. “That became the moment in time where everyone felt that they were coming together,” she said. “And from that point on, they saw the new beginning of the merged company.”The global day of service has not only become an annual tradition for the client. “Employees are now asking me to do it throughout the year,” Alter said. “That focus on the mission really brought everyone together to create a productive work environment.”Mary Pieper is a freelance writer based in Mason City, Iowa.

Mary Pieper | May 14, 2024

How to Provide Fertility Benefits Without Breaking the Bank

Infertility impacts one in every six couples who are trying to conceive, according to the World Health Organization. “That number is staggering,” said Jenny Carillo, president of Ovia Health, who spoke in a recent From Day One webinar.“We’re seeing the average age of people who are trying to initiate their family building efforts increasing,” she told moderator Lydia Dishman. “People are now trying to conceive in their 30s and 40s, when they’re becoming less fertile.”However, a new report from Ovia Health suggests only 15% of employees have access to fertility benefits. “This benefit is very difficult to justify in terms of return on investment, and the reason why is that it’s crazy expensive,” said Arturo Arteaga, the senior director of total rewards at VCA Animal Hospitals.However, employees now see providing fertility benefits as their employer’s responsibility, says Kim Duck, VP of global benefits at News Corp. “I think it’s ramped up very, very quickly, where it used to be nice to have and now it is expected,” she said.That discussion began in the United States, but Duck said she was surprised how quickly it spread to global employees. “It’s just exploding everywhere,” she said. The Case for Fertility BenefitsOffering fertility benefits can be a difficult decision for employers because it serves only a small group of employees, says Arteaga. “You have to balance providing that benefit for a few or think of something else that can impact more people,” he said.However, 80% of the employees at VCA Animal Hospitals are women, so “it is something we need to do,” Arteaga said.Lydia Dishman of Fast Company moderated the panel on providing fertility benefits without breaking the bank (photo by From Day One)Even if a company offers fertility benefits, employees who use them still need to spend a lot of their own money to access care, says Arteaga. “But just imagine if you didn’t have the company helping you,” he said. “It’s just impossible for the majority of people.”For companies with difficulty recruiting new employees, fertility benefits can be a big advantage, says John Von Arb, VP of total rewards for Essentia Health.“We rely on our benefits as an employer of choice, and things like that encourage and incentivize individuals to come to us or to stay with us as we move forward,” he said.Fertility Benefits and the Continuum of CareHistorically, women’s reproductive health has been viewed as fragmented stages, such as conception, pregnancy, post-partum, and menopause, says Carillo.However, “the reality is this is a continuum of one’s life, and these periods of one’s life are connected to one’s whole health,” she said. “So, if we think about it from a whole health perspective, we’d like to anchor to the thought of prevention. And when you think about prevention, you’re able to really think about what preconception care looks like.”Carillo said helping employees be in a healthier place so they can conceive naturally is cost-effective compared to assisting them with fertility treatment costs.Providing benefits for young families doesn’t end after conception, says Duck. Some News Corps business units offer 20 weeks of parental leave that is gender agnostic.Essentia Health offers childcare support for mothers returning to work. Von Arb said this support is not just for day-shift employees, but also for those on the evening and overnight shifts. “All of those go with the broader context of family benefits,” he said.Talking to Employees About Fertility BenefitsInclusive language and inclusive perspectives are critical when talking to employees about fertility benefits, says Carillo. It’s important to be inclusive to men and the LBGTQ+ population seeking these treatments.Sometimes the male half of a heterosexual couple is only tested for infertility after healthcare providers have exhausted all the options for the woman in the relationship, says Arteaga. “I think that’s a cultural shift we have to change,” he said.Fortunately, younger generations are more open than older ones when it comes to discussing infertility, according to Von Arb. “Nothing is off the table,” he said. “I do think that it becomes a little easier for us to address some of these issues as we move forward, and frankly to communicate them a little more effectively, as there’s not a taboo around them.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Ovia Health, for sponsoring this webinar.Mary Pieper is a freelance writer based in Mason City, Iowa. 

Mary Pieper | May 10, 2024