Re: are you serious? 🤨

Hello hello! 🌟

Mariam Mushtaq here from HR Brain Pickings. We made it through Monday - only 4 more days until the weekend! (but who’s counting 😏)

In This Edition:

It is May 21st, also celebrated as World Cultural Diversity Day. Let’s explore the evolving topic of diversity at work - are companies REALLY committed? how can we make space for neurodiverse individuals?

Are you really serious about diversity? 🕵️ 

In a thought-provoking article the authors argue that just hiring more women and people of color isn’t enough to boost a company's performance.

While many leaders talk about the economic benefits, the research doesn’t back it up.

Yes - we need to do more. 🙂 

The idea that merely increasing diversity will lead to better financial outcomes is a common misconception. In reality, the benefits of diversity go much deeper and require a more comprehensive approach.

It’s not enough to just add diversity to the mix and expect instant improvements.

To truly reap the benefits of diversity, organizations need to embrace a learning mindset and be ready to shake up their corporate culture and power structures. 🌟

• Building Trust: Creating a safe environment where all employees feel free to express themselves without fear of repercussions. 🤝

• Combating Bias: Actively working to dismantle systems of oppression and discrimination that hinder the full participation of underrepresented groups. 🛑

• Embracing Diverse Styles: Encouraging a variety of communication and working styles, ensuring that everyone’s voice can be heard and respected. 🗣️

• Learning from Differences: Using the unique experiences and perspectives of diverse employees to innovate and improve the organization’s processes and products. 💡

This approach, known as the learning-and-effectiveness paradigm, emphasizes that diversity should be a resource for learning and improvement rather than just a checkbox for compliance. Companies that adopt this mindset will not only see better performance but will also foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone can thrive. 💪 

Making space for neurodiversity 🧠

It's high time we address the often-overlooked neurodiverse community. Neurodiverse individuals, who make up 15-20% of the global population, are severely underrepresented in the workforce.

➡️ Start from hiring → Traditional hiring processes, with their standardized interviews, often disadvantage neurodiverse candidates due to implicit social cues and unspoken conventions. Questions like "Describe your past work experience" or "Do you have any questions for me?" can be confusing for someone who processes information differently. 🤔 

➡️ Innovative interview techniques can make a world of difference. Using specific keywords can help candidates articulate their experiences better, and visual aids can bridge communication gaps by allowing candidates to draw or write their ideas. 💡_{(read more about it here)}

*Additional resource on this topic for you → Creating the Ideal Interview Setting for Neurodivergent Candidates

Creating a genuinely inclusive hiring environment means ensuring neurodiverse candidates feel comfortable and valued. It's not enough to just say we're inclusive; we need to show it through our actions.

Today’s HR Reads for You 📚️ 

1. DEI programs comes with risks: Red Hat’s DEI program was discriminatory, lawsuit says 🌈 

2. Pros of the non-compete ban: making recruitment easier 🧑‍💼 

3. Tough question to answer: Does Your Company Help or Hurt Employees’ Mental Health? 🙎 

2-Minute Watch: AI Insights Daily 🔍️ 

“Computers were my first love, AI was the next!”

Join Kartik Mandaville, CEO of Springworks, as he discusses how to start working with AI, common misconceptions, and how AI can help you. So many questions, answered!

Fun and Games for a Better Team Bond! ❤️

Discover a fun and interactive way to engage your team with Trivia’s diverse suite of games and features, all available inside Slack & Microsoft Teams. 💻️ 

Boost team morale, encourage friendly competition, and get to know your colleagues better with our unique games. 🏆️ 

Ready to play? Click below to see all the games we offer! 👇️ 

That’s a wrap for today!

Got any additional feedback for me? Let me know! 👇️