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Tag: diversity

  • Boost Revenue Per Employee With This Effective Strategy | Entrepreneur

    Boost Revenue Per Employee With This Effective Strategy | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the contemporary business landscape, we can say in the last 20 years, the revenue per employee (RPE) has emerged as a salient financial metric, commanding the attention of Big Tech companies as a critical determinant of organizational success. RPE, which quantifies the average revenue generated by each employee, serves as a barometer for workforce efficiency and productivity. The impetus for Big Tech’s emphasis on RPE is multifaceted, encompassing operational efficiency, competitive advantage, cost optimization, talent attraction, retention, scalability, innovation and agility.

    In this article, I’m sharing the significance of RPE in Big Tech and delineating the potential of nearshore IT staff augmentation as a strategic lever for bolstering RPE and catalyzing growth.

    Related: What is Staff Augmentation? 3 Reasons It is Vital For Your Business

    RPE in Big Tech

    Operational efficiency: The quest for operational optimization is a perennial concern for Big Tech companies, and RPE provides a valuable lens through which to evaluate workforce utilization. By scrutinizing RPE, organizations can pinpoint opportunities for productivity enhancement and judiciously allocate resources to maximize returns.

    Competitive advantage: The Big Tech arena is characterized by intense rivalry, necessitating relentless innovation and differentiation. RPE is a comparative benchmark, enabling companies to gauge their performance vis-à-vis competitors and industry norms. A superior RPE ratio indicates an efficient and productive workforce, conferring a competitive edge.

    Cost optimization: Labor expenditures constitute a substantial outlay for Big Tech companies. Organizations can mitigate labor costs by amplifying RPE by generating higher revenue with the extant workforce, optimizing cost structure and bolstering profitability.

    Talent attraction and retention: A commitment to RPE can enhance Big Tech companies’ ability to attract and retain high-caliber talent. By manifesting a dedication to productivity and efficiency, organizations convey that they prize high-performing employees and cultivate a work environment conducive to innovation and growth — especially crucial when it comes to navigating the post-pandemic global market.

    Scalability: The rapid growth trajectories of Big Tech firms necessitates a workforce that can scale commensurately with burgeoning demands. By prioritizing RPE, organizations can monitor the ramifications of growth strategies on workforce productivity and implement adjustments to preserve or augment efficiency.

    Innovation and agility: The technology industry’s rapid pace of change demands innovation and agility. A robust RPE ratio signals a company’s capacity to innovate and swiftly adapt to evolving market conditions. By concentrating on RPE, Big Tech firms can ensure their workforce remains nimble and poised to capitalize on emergent opportunities and surmount challenges.

    In the past 20 years, I have seen organizations go through on-and-off cycles of RPE. It is a critical metric for Big Tech companies, underscoring the centrality of workforce efficiency, productivity and innovation in propelling growth and securing a competitive advantage.

    Related: Learn The Simple Equation That Tells You If Your Business Will Grow and Scale

    How nearshore IT staff augmentation can boost RPE

    Organizations can optimize operations, entice top-tier talent and achieve scalability and agility in a dynamic and competitive market by assiduous monitoring and enhancing RPE. Nearshore IT staff augmentation, as a strategic initiative, offers a viable pathway for augmenting RPE, facilitating sustained growth and fortifying Big Tech companies’ market position, especially in the post-pandemic era.

    In Latin America (LATAM), several countries have emerged as attractive destinations for nearshore IT staff augmentation, particularly for businesses based in North America. These countries offer unique advantages that can contribute to improved revenue per employee (RPE) and overall operational efficiency. Below are some of the LATAM countries that are well-suited for nearshore IT staff augmentation, along with the factors that make them unique:

    1. Mexico: Mexico’s proximity to the United States and its participation in trade agreements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) make it a prime location for nearshore IT staff augmentation. The country boasts a large pool of skilled IT professionals, competitive labor costs and a growing technology ecosystem. Mexico’s time zones are also closely aligned with the United States, facilitating real-time collaboration.

    2. Brazil: Brazil is the largest economy across LATAM and has a vibrant technology sector. The country produces almost as many STEM graduates yearly as the United States, providing a rich talent pool for IT staff augmentation. Brazil’s technology hubs, such as São Paulo and Florianópolis, are known for their innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

    3. Colombia: Colombia has made significant strides in developing its technology and innovation sectors. The country’s capital, Bogotá, and cities like Medellín are emerging as technology hubs with many startups and tech companies. Colombia’s government has also implemented initiatives to promote digital transformation and attract foreign investment in the technology sector.

    4. Argentina: Argentina is known for its highly educated workforce and a strong emphasis on research and development. The country has a well-established software development industry and a reputation for producing high-quality IT professionals. Argentina’s technology sector benefits from a culture of innovation and a focus on advanced technical skills.

    5. Chile is recognized for its stable economy and business-friendly environment. The country has invested in technology infrastructure and education, resulting in a skilled IT workforce. Santiago, the capital, is a regional technology hub with a dynamic startup ecosystem. The government has also implemented policies to support entrepreneurship and technology development.

    6. Costa Rica: Costa Rica has a growing reputation as a nearshore IT destination, partly thanks to its political stability and high literacy rate. The country strongly emphasizes education, particularly in STEM fields, and offers a multilingual workforce. Additional advantages include Costa Rica’s strategic location and time zone compatibility with North America.

    Related: Why Entrepreneurs Are Looking Towards Latin America for Nearshoring Opportunities

    It is important to note that the suitability of a particular country for nearshore IT staff augmentation depends on various factors, including the specific needs and objectives of the company seeking to augment its workforce. Companies should conduct thorough due diligence and consider factors such as language proficiency, time zone alignment, intellectual property protection and cultural compatibility when selecting a nearshore IT staff augmentation partner. Please make sure they are transparent!

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    Lonnie McRorey

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  • Some Black families say they are ‘whitewashing’ their homes to get higher appraisals | CNN

    Some Black families say they are ‘whitewashing’ their homes to get higher appraisals | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Erica and Aaron Parker first had their Loveland, Ohio, home appraised in 2020. It was a competitive selling market, they had made several renovations to the home, and houses in the neighborhood were generally selling above the asking price.

    The couple expected the house to be valued at the list price of $525,000, but when the initial appraisal came back $60,000 short, the Parkers knew something wasn’t right.

    So they tried a different approach and also hired a different appraiser. The Parkers removed all items from the home that might signal they were Black, including artwork and family photos, and replaced them with photos and memorabilia borrowed from a White neighbor.

    The White neighbor sat in for the couple when the new appraiser came, and the result was a home appraisal of nearly $92,000 more than the first.

    “It was a weird feeling but we felt vindicated,” Erica Parker told CNN. “We were like, ‘Oh my God, we really were discriminated against.’”

    Parker’s account backs recent data showing that homes owned by Black people are significantly undervalued compared to White-owned homes. According to the Brookings Institute, homes in Black neighborhoods are valued at 23% less than those in non-Black neighborhoods despite having similar quality and amenities.

    Advocates for Black homeowners say this bias contributes to the racial wealth gap because it limits the financial returns of real estate for Black families.

    Some say it’s a systemic issue that industry leaders blame on a lack of diversity and a methodology that gives appraisers too much discretion in deciding the value of a home.

    According to the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 92% of property appraisers and assessors in 2022 were White and 4% were Black.

    Lydia Pope, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, says her organization is working to recruit more Black people into the appraisal industry. The association hosts annual summits at HBCUs to encourage students to join the field, and Pope offers workshops and training for people already working in the real estate industry who want to learn how to do appraisals.

    “Our concern is that there aren’t enough Black appraisers in the business,” Pope says. “We just want to make a stand that we have to change the culture of appraising.”

    Pope calls it “disturbing” and “discouraging” that Black homeowners are having to “whitewash” their homes or conceal their race to get a higher appraisal.

    She says appraisers typically assess factors such as the condition of the property, upgrades and the value of recently sold comparable properties nearby.

    Jillian White, a Black appraiser who heads a consultancy that advises homeowners on disputing low appraisals, says, however, that appraisers are able to use their own discretion and opinion to make adjustments to the value of a home, and that leaves room for bias.

    “I think it’s systemic, implicit, explicit and structural,” White says of appraisal bias. “You have all these inflection points where making different decisions can lead to a very different result. The methodology is not so hard and fast that every appraiser is going to come up with the same value.”

    White says the industry needs to implement more guidance and protections so that appraisers have less autonomy in the process.

    Joshua Walitt, president of the National Association of Appraisers – which condemned discrimination among professional appraisers last year – says the methodology is not the problem. Instead, Walitt blames “bad apples” working in the profession for instances of bias.

    And even if there is bias, Walitt says it should have no influence on appraisal results given that these are based on market data.

    “If we follow methods and techniques which is what we focus on in education, then what it does is it pushes aside any bias that a person could have,” Walitt says. “If there is bad behavior then we need to let the investigations go through and take care of that.”

    Still, Walitt acknowledges that there is a need for more diversity in the industry. He says he is committed to expanding recruitment and supports programs such as Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) that make it easier for people to gain experience and join the industry.

    The issue of bias in home appraisals has gained the attention of President Joe Biden’s administration, which launched the Action Plan to Advance Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) last year to promote equity in the home appraisal process. In late March, the administration announced progress in this effort including publishing guidance so Federal Housing Administration (FHA) borrowers know how to request a “Reconsideration of Value” if they suspect bias in their appraisal.

    White says she wants Black homeowners to know their options when appraisals come in low. She advises her clients to appeal the first appraisal and if that doesn’t work request a second appraisal. If nothing changes, White says homeowners can file complaints with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the state appraiser board, or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

    Claims of bias have also to led to successful legal challenges from some homeowners. In March, San Francisco area Black couple Paul Austin and Tenisha Tate-Austin settled a discrimination lawsuit against a real estate appraisal company after their home was undervalued by nearly $500,000. As part of the settlement, the couple is set to receive an undisclosed amount of money and the firm is required to attend housing discrimination prevention training.

    “Having to erase our identity to get a better appraisal was a wrenching experience,” Tate-Austin said in a statement released by her lawyers to the San Francisco Chronicle. “We hope by bringing attention to our case and this lawsuit settlement, we can help change the way the appraisal industry operates.”

    Erica Parker says they ultimately sold the house in Loveland for $507,500 and bought a new home in Westchester, Ohio. However, she filed a discrimination complaint with both HUD and the Ohio Department of Commerce. Neither has yet been settled, she said.

    She says her experience only affirms that racism still exists in real estate.

    “We want the bank and appraisal company to be held responsible for what they did and to prevent this from happening to other people of color,” Parker said.

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  • Disneyland Will Permanently Close Splash Mountain May 31 | Entrepreneur

    Disneyland Will Permanently Close Splash Mountain May 31 | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Disney Parks has revealed that it will close Splash Mountain at Disneyland in California on May 31. The attraction was shut down at Disney World in Orlando in January.

    The log flume ride will be replaced next year by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure centered around the main character in “The Princess and the Frog.”

    Original Story Below:

    A little over two years after activists called for Disney to remove Splash Mountain from Walt Disney World due to the ride’s roots in a 1946 film with racist stereotypes, the company announced Friday it would replace the ride with one focused on the company’s first black princess, Tiana.

    Disney said it will remove the ride from Disneyland California at a date to be announced later.

    Splash Mountain, which opened at the park in 1989, will close in 2023 and be replaced with a new ride called “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.” The ride will feature new and old characters from The Princess and the Frog, a 2009 movie that follows Tiana’s magical adventures around New Orleans.

    The new ride will open sometime in 2024 in both parks, the company added.

    Tiana’s ride is “emblematic of what we’re always striving for with our attractions – bringing people of different backgrounds together through timeless Disney stories,” Carmen Smith, senior vice president of creative development wrote in a blog post.

    In the wake of George Floyd’s death in May 2020, activists started a Change.org petition asking Disney to redo Splash Mountain and focus a new attraction on Tiana.

    Splash Mountain is the source of the classic Disney “ride” photo. It has been a popular ride for decades, for its sometimes-soaking-wet ride and high drops.

    The ride features characters from a 1946 Disney film Song of the South, which has been criticized for racist stereotypes and framing, including when a black man, in a romanticized, post-Civil War south at one point, reminisces that things were better “a long time ago,” per The Guardian.

    Following the petition, the company announced in June 2020 that year it would replace Splash Mountain with a ride focused on Tiana, from The Princess and the Frog, which debuted in 2009.

    “The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year,” the company wrote in a blog post at the time.

    The announcement comes as the company faces a barrage of criticism about increased ticket and park prices, changes at CEO, and a stock loss of some 40% this year.

    Related: Disney Fans Slam CEO Bob Chapek After More Park Price Hikes

    In Tiana’s movie, she is a hardworking waitress in New Orleans who wants to open her own restaurant, ends up catering a ball — and then kisses a prince in frog form, which then turns her into a frog.

    The company said the ride picks up at the end of the film and lets riders join Tiana on a journey to “prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans.”

    Like the movie, the ride will be centered around New Orleans, Louisiana culture, and Mardi Gras, a yearly carnival-like celebration right before Lent that features colorful masks, parades, and balls.

    The ride also will involve Zydeco music, which was created by people from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds and mixed with French Louisiana culture.

    “We wanted that spirit reflected in this scene (and throughout the attraction) so that all our guests feel welcome to join in the celebration. It’s emblematic of what we’re always striving for with our attractions – bringing people of different backgrounds together through timeless Disney stories,” the company wrote.

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    Gabrielle Bienasz

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  • Republicans Across The U.S. Are On A Crusade To Eliminate College Diversity Programs

    Republicans Across The U.S. Are On A Crusade To Eliminate College Diversity Programs

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    Republicans have already made critical race theory, a college-level academic theory that examines the role of institutional racism in American society, the boogeyman du jour for conservative parents across the country. Now, they are aiming higher.

    In more than a dozen states, Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at gutting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the country’s universities and colleges. One of the early significant efforts came from Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is in the midst of an effort to turn Florida’s colleges into a haven for conservative ideology.

    But other GOP-controlled states like Iowa and Texas are introducing bills that will ban DEI efforts, programs and initiatives in their respective states, smearing them as part of the left’s so-called woke agenda.

    The bills’ proposals range from discontinuing the consideration of DEI statements that express a commitment to diversity to eliminating any diversity training at all. Much of the legislation is written in such a broad way that it’s difficult to understand which programs and campus activities would be affected.

    And while Republicans bemoan DEI efforts as examples of liberal ideology being forced upon them, advocates say their crusade against DEI constitutes a full-throated attack on the actual colleges.

    “This is about discrimination against people who have just begun to get access to these spaces,” Antonio Ingram, an assistant counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, told HuffPost. “They’re being told the doormat is being rolled up, we’ve had enough.”

    Ingram said DEI initiatives aren’t just focused on Black students: Hispanic students, students with disabilities, women and students with veteran status, to name a few groups, all benefit.

    But just as panic about critical race theory spread from state to state, anti-DEI efforts and bills are now gaining traction wherever Republicans are in charge.

    In Iowa, where an anti-DEI bill has advanced through a state House committee, Republicans are regurgitating the same talking points that have become popular in conservative circles.

    “The DEI bureaucracies at our institutions of higher education have been used to push a woke agenda on the faculty, staff and students,” Iowa Republican state Rep. Taylor Collins told Fox News in March.

    Iowa’s public universities oppose the bill, saying that prohibiting the schools from spending money on DEI efforts could impact their federal grants and accreditation, and even scholarships meant for a specific demographic.

    In Missouri, Republicans authored bills that would ban DEI training at the state’s colleges and medical schools and prohibit schools from requiring DEI statements during the hiring process.

    But Texas appears to be the state attacking DEI initiatives with the most fervor. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott instructed state agencies and public universities to stop using diversity criteria in hiring, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said banning DEI is one of his top priorities for the legislative year.

    “We all feel like we need to self-censor. But how do you teach political science or civil rights without talking about race?”

    – Pat Heintzelman, president of the Texas Faculty Associates

    The Texas state legislature is currently considering three separate bills that could impact not just DEI programs but also what professors can say in their classes and their careers.

    “These bills would fundamentally change the way higher education works in Texas,” Ingram said.

    Texas’ S.B. 16 prohibits professors from teaching students in a way that “compels them to believe that one race or sex is superior.” S.B. 17 prohibits diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and penalizes those that violate the law by banning them from working at a public university for one year for the first violation and five years for the second violation.

    S.B. 18 ends tenure going forward for higher education professors. “This isn’t happening in a vacuum,” Ingram said. “It’s not a coincidence they want to end tenure just as we have brilliant Black, brown, and queer academics entering the space.”

    Professors in Texas are already feeling the effects of the proposals.

    “If you discuss something that has to do with race, you can get in trouble and you can get blacklisted,” Pat Heintzelman, the president of the Texas Faculty Associates, told HuffPost.

    “We all feel like we need to self-censor,” Heintzelman said. “But how do you teach political science or civil rights without talking about race?” She’s worried that this is just the beginning of what the Texas legislature has in store for colleges. “Maybe next it’ll be teaching evolution,” she said. “This is just the foot in the door.”

    Proponents of the anti-DEI measures can also attack these programs through the budget. Last week, an amendment in the Texas budget that prohibits universities from using state funds for DEI purposes passed the House.

    In recent years, attacking public institutions through bills that restrict, ban and defund them has become a cornerstone of GOP ideological beliefs. And though Republicans have zeroed in on K-12 education as well as public libraries, perhaps no place offers more of an introduction to progressive and diverse ideas than college.

    “The attacks on higher education,” Ingram said, “are really an attack on multiracial democracy.”

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  • Meet the Entrepreneur Helping Companies Keep Their DEI Commitments | Entrepreneur

    Meet the Entrepreneur Helping Companies Keep Their DEI Commitments | Entrepreneur

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    In the wake of George Floyd, Daniel Oppong was motivated to create something that was impactful. “There are two primary catalysts for starting The Courage Collective,” he says. “One, my company at the time had a pretty lackluster response, which left a lot to be desired, and number two, when I looked at the DEIB landscape more broadly, I wasn’t really seeing the kinds of conversations I wanted to have.”

    So he started creating the kinds of conversations that have courage and empathy at the core and that have more of a strategic and holistic view of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging work. “When I think about DEIB, it’s largely about creating a better world through better workplaces and empowering people to show up as their authentic selves,” he explains.

    Oppong sat down with Jessica Abo to take a closer look at the misconceptions that people have when it comes to DEIB, the biggest missteps that companies make, and he shared his top recommendations for people who want to do a better job when it comes to this space.

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    Jessica Abo

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  • Does DEI Training Work? It Depends How Proactive It Is. | Entrepreneur

    Does DEI Training Work? It Depends How Proactive It Is. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The key question leaders are asking is: Does diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training work?

    The answer is not a simple “yes” or “no.” It depends on how the work is being positioned inside the organization.

    • Is it intentional?
    • Is it consistent?
    • Is it fully supported by senior leadership?

    DEI is ineffective when it is forced, the progress isn’t measured and it is not supported by senior leadership. However, when the commitment is intentional and consistent by leadership and measured over time, organizations experience results. They see higher rates of innovation, improved decision making and higher profitability than their industry peers.

    When DEI work fluctuates with the news cycle or DEI training is done as a check-the-box one-time approach, it can do more harm than good. DEI is not a short-term endeavor. Organizations that are proactive with DEI, weaving it into their strategy, addressing systemic issues and measuring outcomes see better results over time.

    Let’s compare the different approaches of two organizations that launched DEI initiatives.

    Related: Is Diversity Work Actually Helping or Hurting Businesses? The Answer Is Complex.

    Organization A: Reactive

    Reacting to events in the news cycle, they immediately sprang into action. Although timely, they overshadowed their efforts by making bold statements and donations to charitable causes aligned with newsworthy topics. The quick response and unclear messaging confused employees about why, suddenly, they were being forced to participate in DEI training and for what purpose.

    Organization A’s initiative backfired because the employees sensed that the organization was performing an empty, “check-the-box” initiative to tout that they were promoting DEI; without the intention to actually create an equitable workplace culture. They didn’t have the organizational baseline data necessary to build a strategic plan and measure the impact over time. Naturally, events in the news cycle faded — and so did the organization’s efforts. This led to a decrease in employee engagement and, unfortunately, resistance from employees to participate in future DEI endeavors.

    Organization B: Proactive

    In this case, members of the leadership team were intentional with their efforts. They surveyed the entire organization to uncover current perceptions of DEI (established a baseline), utilized a dashboard to measure impact over time, conducted listening sessions to garner support, and used all collected data to inform their initiatives. Organization B then built a strategic DEI communication program that featured consistent, “bite-sized” communications and monthly touchpoints for managers. Their outcome was successful and led to an increase, year over year, in DEI metrics, higher retention and promotion rates of employees in marginalized groups.

    From both case studies, reactive and proactive, we can surmise that reactive responses to news cycles or haphazardly assembled, performative initiatives designed to create an outward appearance of an organization being DEI compliant, fail to land and create further division, confusion and frustration with employees. Proactive planning and organizational leadership that presents a consistent and united front with their messaging are necessary for a successful DEI initiative.

    Related: How to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Your Workplace

    How to be proactive

    1. Be intentional

    DEI training needs to be tied to the overall strategy and embedded in the organizational culture. A strong DEI strategy answers what it means at our organization and why it matters here, now and ongoing. Get a baseline assessment of where you are at on the DEI journey and utilize the feedback to draft a mission statement that will drive the common purpose within the entire organization.

    2. Be consistent

    Once a clear mission statement has been crafted it should be prominent in every communication about DEI. By including it in all DEI-related communications over time, employees that may be skeptical or may not see the value in DEI will start to see how it shapes the employee experience. Often, the smaller bite-sized communications can meet people where they are at and build momentum for addressing systemic issues like pay equity and bias in hiring and performance processes.

    3. Gain full leadership support

    When leading DEI work, encourage everyone to fully participate on a consistent basis, especially senior leadership. Make participation highly encouraged or expected so that people feel psychologically safe joining and not forced. Involve folks in the process to gain buy-in early and often.

    Leadership should be clear, consistent, and united in their communications regarding DEI. Employees should have a crystal-clear understanding of the importance of the DEI initiative to the organization, what is expected of them, and why their participation is essential. The clarity in this message will also be a deterrent to anyone adamantly opposed to participating in DEI, as there is no room for dissension when the purpose is clear.

    Related: Is This Diversity and Inclusion Concept the Missing Link for Real Change?

    DEI training does work when it is intentional, consistent and fully supported by senior leadership. Yet, when it is reactive, and only done opportunistically as a part of the news cycle, it can be detrimental. Leadership that is proactive with DEI work wins over time.

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    Julie Kratz

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  • Unpacking the Black Demographic Shift and Why Marketers Must Re-Examine Their Strategies | Entrepreneur

    Unpacking the Black Demographic Shift and Why Marketers Must Re-Examine Their Strategies | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Successfully navigating the ever-evolving world of marketing necessitates a strong understanding of consumer demographics. The ability to tailor your strategies to your audience is essential in driving engagement and fostering brand loyalty. Lately, emerging data on the Black population demographics have signaled significant shifts, bringing forth new opportunities and challenges for businesses.

    In such a dynamic landscape, marketers must remain adaptable and vigilant, adjusting their targeting tactics and ensuring that advertising messages resonate with the values and aspirations of these communities. By staying attuned to these demographic changes, businesses can tap into the potential of one of the fastest-growing consumer segments while fostering an environment of trust and respect.

    Over the past two decades, the Black population in the United States has grown by 30%, totaling 36.2 million individuals as of 2021. This significant change in demographics is characterized by the fact that roughly one-in-five Black Americans are immigrants or the children of immigrants, showcasing Black Americans’ diverse and multifaceted nature. This reality highlights the importance for marketing teams to delve deep into the nuances and complexities of this dynamic population to engage and cater to their specific needs and preferences effectively.

    Additionally, with income levels and purchasing power continuing to evolve within the Black community, businesses must adopt innovative and culturally sensitive approaches in their advertising efforts that acknowledge and celebrate the rich diversity of this expanding demographic, ultimately fostering more authentic connections and driving successful campaigns tailored to the unique experiences and backgrounds of Black consumers.

    Related: Spanning the Globe: This Digital Marketer’s Approach Caters To Different Cultures Around the World

    Understanding the diverse experiences of Black Americans

    Understanding the diverse experiences of Black Americans is an essential part of developing effective marketing campaigns. It is important to recognize Black Americans’ nuanced history and diverse culture so that campaigns can be crafted specifically with each subgroup in mind. For instance, Black Americans’ cultural values and preferences with West African roots may diverge significantly from those hailing from Caribbean nations.

    By understanding the vast array of cultural layers and embracing individualized language, subtle cultural distinctions and specific requirements, advertisers can forge a stronger connection with the diverse Black community, ensuring a more meaningful and enduring impact within contemporary multicultural audiences.

    Taking note of differences in language and cultural practices

    When formulating marketing campaigns targeted toward Black Americans, it is essential not to treat everyone as if they were a monolith. People from subcultures within the Black American population may have strong ties to their language and cultural practices, which must be accounted for when crafting an effective campaign.

    These distinctions — such as differences in language or specific customs — can provide insight into what marketing tactics will most effectively engage with the target group. Failure to recognize these subcultural variances could easily result in missed opportunities or dampened results during a campaign.

    Related: The Time for Diversity in Advertising Is Now

    Acknowledging how socioeconomic factors impact consumer habits

    The untapped potential of the Black community in America represents a significant opportunity for businesses seeking to expand their market reach and generate substantial profits. A recent McKinsey analysis has revealed a staggering $300 billion in unmet demand within this demographic, indicating a transformative possibility for companies willing to adapt their strategies and cater to these specific needs.

    In addition, with the Black American population’s buying power projected to exceed $1.8 trillion in the coming year — surpassing the annual GDPs of nations like Mexico and the Netherlands — it is evident that engaging with this lucrative market is a forward-thinking investment. Businesses that recognize the potential of tapping into this expanding revenue base will foster a connection with a powerful consumer segment and position themselves for enduring success in the future.

    Understanding the intricate mosaic of the Black American community is fundamental when developing marketing campaigns. It is critical to recognize the common threads that unite this diverse group and the distinct characteristics that set them apart. Successful companies take the time to delve into subtle cultural nuances that could significantly impact a campaign’s efficaciousness.

    For example, merely relying on images or ideas catering to U.S.-born Black Americans may inadvertently ostracize Black immigrants from other countries. A key component to bridging these potential gaps is enlisting spokespeople possessing a solid grasp of cultural competencies, ensuring that messages resonate with the full spectrum of the targeted communities. Though the process may demand a higher investment of resources and effort, the advantages of tapping into this market and solidifying customer relationships will undeniably yield a tremendous return on investment.

    Related: How Marketing Agencies Can Integrate Inclusivity Into Their Organization and Work

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    Christine Alexis

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  • Guard who was fired over anti-Muslim meme is reinstated

    Guard who was fired over anti-Muslim meme is reinstated

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    HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut prison guard who was fired in 2021, several years after posting what was determined by the state to be an anti-Muslim meme on Facebook, has been reinstated to his job.

    An arbitrator ruled in February that Anthony Marlak’s termination was an excessive response by the state Department of Correction and reduced the punishment to a 25-day suspension.

    Marlak, who served as a correctional officer for 14 years, returned to his job at the Garner Correctional Institution in March, he told The Associated Press on Thursday.

    The Connecticut Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations had called for the firing of Marlak two years ago citing a meme he posted on Facebook in 2017, which it said depicted five apparently Muslim men hanging from nooses with the caption, “Islamic Wind Chimes.”

    Marlak, an Air Force veteran, has acknowledged that he posted the meme, but said the caption on his post read “ISIS Wind Chimes” and was meant to target the extremist group and not Muslims in general.

    The picture used in the meme actually showed five men being executed in Iran in 2010 for being homosexual, Marlak’s attorneys have said.

    In his termination letter, the state told Marlak that, “The type of speech posted threatens the safety of staff and inmates who are Muslim.”

    “I honestly love the Muslim religion,” Marlak said Thursday. “I think it’s a very beautiful religion. I was welcomed back by our prison’s imam, who is a great man and asked me how I was doing.”

    The Council on American Islamic Relations did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

    In seeking reinstatement, the union argued, in part that the post had been made on a private Facebook page and the termination violated Marlak’s right to free speech.

    Arbitrator Michael Ricci ruled the state had not proven the post, on a since deleted account, referred to the Islamic religion, but disagreed that Marlak could not be disciplined for speech posted on Facebook.

    “This right is not an absolute and must be balanced with the employer’s ability to run an efficient and effective entity,” he wrote. “The record does not substantiate that a termination will best serve the rights of the employee and the needs of the employer; however, a suspension of substance will hopefully rectify the issue and satisfy the aim of discipline in labor law to fix and not punish.”

    He also ruled that Marlak must be compensated for lost pay and benefits.

    “On a personal level the arbitrator finds the ISIS image severe, caustic and inflammatory but fairness dictates that the ruling be devoid of personal biases and the ruling must be based on reasonableness, fairness and fact,” he wrote.

    The Department of Correction declined to comment on the case, citing its policy “not to comment on issues pertaining to individuals who have pending litigation against the agency.”

    Marlak has a federal employment discrimination lawsuit pending against the state, but declined to comment on the status of that case or how much money he is seeking, noting he was able to keep his seniority.

    “I’m just going to say it was an unfortunate experience,” he said. “Things are starting to come back to normal and I’m really happy now.”

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  • How Adela’s Country Eatery Makes Big Waves and Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat | Entrepreneur

    How Adela’s Country Eatery Makes Big Waves and Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In a strip mall in Oahu, Hawaii, one might not expect to find an award-winning restaurant. Yet Adela’s Country Eatery has grown a name for itself beyond its small takeout counter, winning the #5 spot on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat. Praised by customers for the delightful customer service and perfectly cooked noodles, Adela’s traces much of its appeal and success back to its central mission of sustainability.

    Owners Adela Visitacion and Millie Chan create colorful noodle dishes using locally grown Hawaiian produce that would otherwise be thrown away, such as purple-hued Okinawan sweet potatoes from nearby farms. Director of Business Development Elizabeth Chan helped create the restaurant with her mother Millie, with the goal of bringing this special produce to a larger audience.

    “[Okinawan sweet potatoes] were being fed to pigs because the farmer couldn’t get it to the market in Honolulu, so we were like, ‘Wait a second! We could use this for something else,’” Elizabeth said. “It’s a staple that everybody likes and nobody [was] doing this yet.”

    Reviewer Gina L. resonated with Adela’s mission to use locally sourced ingredients: “Since it’s on an island, I feel like that’s really important for the economy within the island versus having them import items that are more costly [which] bumps up the price. They’re able to not only support farmers but also their neighbors and their friends through their products.”

    With locally sourced produce at the forefront of its Hawaiian-fusion dishes, Adela’s is a true testament to the local culture. Because it only has a takeout counter, customers are encouraged to eat their food outside and enjoy the beautiful scenery Hawaii has to offer. But while they’re waiting, they can watch the noodle-making process. By giving customers a first-hand peek into the cooking process, Elizabeth hopes the customer experience is memorable, even without table service.

    “We thought that for the person making the noodles, it would be fun to have a chance to actually meet the people they’re making the noodles for and chat with the customers,” Elizabeth said. “For our customers, we thought we’d bring the experience a little bit closer to them because we do actually find the noodle process to be almost magical when it comes out.”

    In addition to the values of sustainability, one of Adela’s strongest values is family. Millie and Elizabeth foster a close-knit kitchen team and try to make all customers feel like they’re a part of the family as well.

    Adela’s welcoming customer service has garnered the restaurant a fair share of regular customers—and over 2,000 Yelp reviews. To strengthen relationships with new customers, Millie always greets them and guides them through the ordering process, answering any questions about the dishes and the ingredients behind them.

    “I’m just happy to see [customers] walk into our restaurant,” Millie said. “It’s like seeing an old pal you haven’t met for a long time, and it’s just the excitement that inspires me.”

    Gina said she felt Millie’s warmth from the second she stepped into the restaurant. This pleasurable customer experience inspired her to leave a 5-star Yelp review.

    “When we walked in, it felt very local. [Millie] welcomed us in, and then my sister and I didn’t know how to order, so she ended up leading us through the process,” Gina said. “She was very patient with us. She had the sweetest voice, and she seemed like a very good person overall.”

    In addition to its delicious food, Adela’s achievement on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat was made possible by:

    • Putting business values at the forefront. As a small business, let your customers know what your values are, whether they are displayed on social media or branding around your storefront.
    • Showing customers how much they care. Invite customers in and give them a behind-the-scenes look at your process to make their experience memorable.
    • Building a united staff. Treat your team members like family to make them excited to come into work every day. Customers will feel the passion they have for your business.

    Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Millie, Elizabeth, and Gina, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.

    Available on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Soundcloud

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    Emily Washcovick

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  • What Is the Economic Impact of Hiring Autistic, Neurodivergent and Disabled Talent? Here’s What You Should Know. | Entrepreneur

    What Is the Economic Impact of Hiring Autistic, Neurodivergent and Disabled Talent? Here’s What You Should Know. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Much as the world sings paeans of praise about how disability inclusion has become an integral part of workplace culture, concerns around return on investment remain a major deterrence for many organizations not to hire autistic, neurodivergent and disabled people at scale. These concerns stem from ignorance at best and ableism at worst. In this article, I am going to present nine compelling reasons why disability inclusion benefits not just workplaces but also the overall economy of a community or country in several ways.

    1. Increased productivity and decreased support costs

    Ever wondered why a workplace that is homogenous in terms of a lack of diversity seems to hit a productivity plateau every so often? Do people lack the motivation to push forward, or does the apparent sameness of thoughts and approaches breed an invisible culture of doing just enough to not get fired?

    Autistic, neurodivergent and disabled people can be the missing piece in the productivity puzzle. They often bring unique talents, strengths and perspectives to the workplace, leading to increased productivity, better problem-solving and innovation.

    In addition, employing autistic, neurodivergent and disabled people helps them become financially independent, which, in turn, decreases their dependence on government allowances while also lowering the cost of various community support services such as adult care, according to a PubMed Central® report.

    Related: Why Microsoft, Chase and Others Are Hiring More People With Autism

    2. GDP growth

    A study by Accenture, Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities revealed that closing the employment gap between people with disabilities and people without disabilities could help boost the GDP of the U.S. economy by up to $25 billion (about $77 per person in the US).

    Therefore, it is a no-brainer that promoting disability-inclusive hiring practices and reducing employment gaps can have a positive impact on the overall economy of a country.

    3. Increased consumer spending

    As I mentioned earlier, autistic, neurodivergent and disabled people bring innovation and creativity to the workplace. With innovation comes better and more intuitive products and services that cater to a wider range of consumers, leading to increased consumer spending within a given marketplace. It is also possible to create new revenue streams if those products and services are specifically designed for consumers from niche markets such as hearing and visual aids, weight loss supplements, telehealth services for rural populations, gaming, etc.

    Additionally, when neurodivergent or disabled people are employed, they often have more disposable income to spend on goods and services. This increased spending capacity can help revitalize the economy.

    4. Lower turnover

    Disabled employees tend to have lower turnover rates, which can bring down the costs associated with talent attraction, hiring and training.

    According to a Job Accommodation Network (JAN) survey, 44% of accommodations for disabled employees cost less than $500, and the rest of the accommodations cost nothing at all. These findings, when contrasted with the cost of replacing an employee, which can range from 50% to 200% depending on their annual salary, further this benefit as reported by Enrich citing a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

    5. Increased customer satisfaction

    By hiring employees who better represent the diverse population of customers, businesses provide better customer service and improve overall customer satisfaction.

    A ResearchGate publication found that 92% of customers were more inclined to buy products and services from businesses that hire people with disabilities, and 87% said they would prefer to support businesses that actively hire people with disabilities.

    This brings me to my next point.

    Related: 4 Ways Diversity Is Directly Linked to Profitability

    6. Improving brand reputation

    Companies that demonstrate a commitment to disability inclusion are often viewed more favorably by consumers. This leads to increased brand loyalty and investment. In addition, the disability community, along with their family and friends, is a significant market worth trillions of dollars. By sharing the success stories of disabled employees and their families, companies can create a satisfied and loyal customer base, happy employees and a positive brand image through word-of-mouth marketing.

    7. Tax benefits

    Employing disabled individuals can offer businesses numerous tax benefits, including the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Disabled Access Credit and the Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction — among other incentives. The extent of these benefits depends on the accommodation provided by the business for the employee, potentially resulting in substantial credits or returns.

    8. Local economic and environmental impact

    Sourcing disabled candidates locally stimulates the local economy through the creation of job opportunities in the immediate area — ones that may be impractical for people coming from distant locations due to transportation and relocation issues. When local people are employed, they are more likely to spend their money locally, which contributes to the growth of other local businesses. Working locally also means employees can avoid long commutes, which lowers their carbon footprints and helps build a more sustainable future.

    9. Social impact

    Hiring autistic, neurodivergent and disabled people helps break down stereotypes, reduce social stigma and discrimination, promote inclusion and create a positive social impact in the community. When individuals who are autistic, neurodivergent and disabled see others like them succeeding and achieving recognition in their community, it benefits not only them but everyone who supports them.

    Hiring autistic, neurodivergent and disabled people goes beyond altruism. It strengthens the bottom line of an organization and provides numerous broader economic, social and environmental benefits that positively impact the well-being of any community or nation.

    Related: How Leaders Can Support and Embrace The Untapped Potential of Neurodiverse Talent

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    Nish Parikh

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  • Opinion: Ron DeSantis brought his culture wars to my college campus | CNN

    Opinion: Ron DeSantis brought his culture wars to my college campus | CNN

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    Editor’s Note: Sophia Brown is a senior at New College of Florida and editor of the school newspaper, The Catalyst. The views expressed here are her own. Read more opinion at CNN.



    CNN
     — 

    The freedoms of students in Florida have long been under fire during Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, with his book banning, attacks on critical race theory and the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

    But I still wasn’t entirely prepared for his attacks on academic freedom at New College of Florida, the liberal arts college in Sarasota, where I’ve been a student for the past four years.

    As bad as things got in Florida, I and many of my classmates thought that surely his culture war policies wouldn’t reach our school, which has been something of a bubble of sanity and safety for queer students like me, as well as my transgender and BIPOC classmates. With any luck, DeSantis’ ginned-up culture wars will scuttle his presidential aspirations.

    The governor is continuing to plow ahead with his takeover of New College. He has installed a new board of trustees and a new interim president. Last month, the board voted to abolish New College’s Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence. Our Dean of Diversity was fired a few days later. And just last week, it was announced that our provost has been replaced, as DeSantis continues to force his conservative values on a place where they’re not wanted.

    Many students who have come to think of New College as a sanctuary, now feel as though they are no longer welcome here. Students feel as if they’re walking on eggshells – in part because the new conservative leadership has been incredibly vague about the next changes they will try to ram through.

    Each time he has given a speech on campus, our interim president has spoken about the great things he wants to do for New College. But he also recently wrote in a letter to donors and alumni in which he said that the school is “dominated by a self-aggrandizing few who want to co-opt the education system to force their personal beliefs on other people’s children.”

    This doesn’t augur well for its future as an academic and cultural oasis. Students are feeling burned out and afraid. Many of us are just trying to make it through what feels like it could be the last “normal” semester at the school we love so much.

    When people ask me why I chose New College, my usual answer is that I always wanted to go to a small school (we have an enrollment of just 700 students) with a rigorous academic program. But there’s much more to it than that.

    I went to a high school where students would wear shirts bearing the image of the Confederate flag. During my freshman year there, my classmates would draw swastikas on the corners of the papers on my desk when I wasn’t looking. I don’t think it was meant maliciously against me, but it showed the degree to which they had internalized and normalized hateful behavior. It was a high school that was tolerant enough to have a Gay Students’ Association, but intolerant enough that some kids would sign each other up as a prank.

    New College was a departure from all of that. It has been a sanctuary that not only made me passionate about education in a way that high school never did, but that taught me that I don’t have to compromise who I am. As an LGBTQ student, I don’t need to leave my identity at the door in order to have the education I deserve. My full identity can sit in the classroom with me because it informs my education and interests in a way that I cannot sever from myself.

    One of the trustees appointed by Gov. DeSantis, Christopher Rufo, gave a speech in January in which he described diversity, equity and inclusion efforts of the type that make New College such a tolerant community as “Orwellian” and said that they “manipulate” and “divide the world into oppressor and oppressed.”

    In fact, the diversity efforts proudly practiced at New College were inherent to a quality education. A student’s academics are enriched when they are able to encounter a variety of people and viewpoints. Broadening our horizons is the point of pursuing higher education.

    Anyone who reframes these concepts as deceitful or who wields them as a weapon in a culture war that the New College community did not ask to participate in, will never serve the best interests of students. In opposing diversity, equity and inclusion, DeSantis and the people he has put in place to run my school are agitating against the very thing that has made New College such a wonderful place to spend four years.

    I’m now a senior and in my final weeks as a student at New College. It’s been a great time. I’m editor-in-chief of our student-run newspaper, the Catalyst, and have had a complete, well-rounded and rigorous academic experience. But who knows how much longer it will be allowed to continue?

    The New College we knew, one of my friends recently said to me, is dead. I hope she’s wrong. I hope it can return one day to what it was: a college where students have access to an education free from interference by powerful individuals and entities that will never know our names and never really, truly cared – other than to score political points – about what we want to learn.

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  • Brazil has a new biggest favela, and not in Rio de Janeiro

    Brazil has a new biggest favela, and not in Rio de Janeiro

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    SOL NASCENTE, Brazil — The buzzing main avenue of this poor Brazilian neighborhood is filled with people popping off buses after work or grabbing a bite. Teens attend an open-air rap battle and gymnastics class. Hymns and prayers from tiny church services spill into the night.

    It’s an ordinary Wednesday in Brazil’s biggest favela, or low-income neighborhood. And for the first time since poverty, lack of opportunity and economic inequality caused favelas to mushroom across many of the nation’s cities, that superlative doesn’t belong to a favela in Rio de Janeiro.

    Sol Nascente (Rising Sun, in English) is just 21 miles (34 kilometers) from capital Brasilia in the Federal District, whose GDP per capita is by far higher than any Brazilian state, underscoring the inequality between affluent public servants’ neighborhoods and the district’s outskirts.

    The number of households in Sol Nascente has swelled 31% since 2010 to more than 32,000, surpassing Rio’s hillside Rocinha favela that had been Brazil’s most populous, according to preliminary data from the ongoing census. Rocinha has almost 31,000 households, the data show.

    Along Sol Nascente’s unpaved dirt roads of self-built homes and inside the main strip’s busy stores and restaurants, no one The Associated Press spoke welcomed the new ranking,

    “We still need lots of things, like basic sanitation and infrastructure, but people nowadays have better conditions. Some even have a car,” said street vendor Francisca Célia, 43.

    Célia added that, despite its challenges, Sol Nascente isn’t nearly as disorganized nor dangerous as the favelas she saw when visiting Rio three years ago. Plus, available plots of land are much bigger.

    “It’s a paradise here,” she said.

    The growth of Sol Nascente’s population reflects new arrivals searching for cheap or unoccupied land to build homes, whereas elsewhere in the Federal District poor people often pay relatively high rents. It also mirrors the surge of people living in working-class neighborhoods nationwide, driven by a generalized housing crisis caused by deep recession and higher rent prices, the effects of which were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Marcelo Neri, an economist and social researcher at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank.

    The number of people living in areas the national statistics institute classifies as “subnormal agglomerates” jumped 40% to 16 million people since the 2010 census, according to the institute’s preliminary data, reviewed by the AP. Brazil’s population as a whole grew less than 9% in that period.

    Subnormal agglomerates include not just favelas, but also other terms used in Brazil to describe urban areas with irregular occupation and deficient public services. Residents of Sol Nascente acknowledge that it once was a favela, but told the AP that many areas of the community have outgrown that term.

    The statistics institute ceases to consider communities subnormal agglomerates once most residents gain legal title to their properties or all essential services are available, according to the institute’s geography coordinator, Cayo Franco.

    Favelas grow as settlers move onto unoccupied public and private land, whether on steep hillsides or flatland, like Sol Nascente.

    Sol Nascente still has poor public transport and unpaved, impassable roads, which flood frequently during the months of summer rains. Only some residents have obtained legal title, and services aren’t universally accessible.

    “I pay electricity, water, taxes, but there’s no sewage nor asphalt here in front,” said Débora Alencar, 39, who moved to Sol Nascente 15 years ago after finding the opportunity to buy land and build a house.

    “This is where I gained dignity,” she added.

    Alencar runs a collective that receives food, clothing and school materials for the needy. It also provides vocational training for manicurists and make-up artists, as well as dance and theater classes.

    She has also been a community representative since 2019, negotiating with the Federal District’s government for investments. She said she has secured some improvements, but not enough.

    A common characteristic among favelas is that the stigma lingers even after residents obtain titles and services, according to Theresa Williamson, executive director of non-profit Catalytic Communities, a Rio-based non-profit that studies favelas.

    That sentiment is familiar to Nayara Miguel, a housewife with two kids in a tidy area of Sol Nascente that now has electricity and water, and where the local government recently paved streets and installed public lighting. The federal government’s cities ministry has earmarked funds for a housing project there.

    “For me, this isn’t a favela; it’s a city,” said Miguel, 30. “Of course, it’s lacking a lot: I couldn’t get a spot in daycare for my daughter, so I can’t work; we can get to the hospital, but there’s no doctor there to attend to us.”

    Neighboring areas still feature shacks. Bruno Ferreira and his wife have been carving out a life in a destitute area of Sol Nascente for the last seven years. They found a place where, with their own hands, they could build a one-bedroom home to call their own and escape the rent trap.

    Ferreira, 39, works odd jobs and his wife has a formal, full-time job at a lunch counter. They are raising five children, with a sixth on the way, and saving to put in tile atop their home’s earthen floor.

    Neither desires to leave.

    “It’s very good here,” he said. “It’s just lacking infrastructure to be beautiful and legal.”

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  • The company behind Johnnie Walker and Guinness appoints first female CEO | CNN Business

    The company behind Johnnie Walker and Guinness appoints first female CEO | CNN Business

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    London
    CNN
     — 

    One of the world’s largest alcoholic drinks companies has appointed its first female CEO.

    Diageo, which makes Guinness beer and Johnnie Walker whisky, said Tuesday that chief operating officer Debra Crew would succeed Ivan Menezes, who will retire from the company after 10 years at the helm.

    Crew is to take over on July 1, the company said in a statement. Her appointment means women will make up more than 50% of Diageo’s executive committee, it added.

    Diageo is the seventh-largest member of the FTSE 100

    (UKX)     index and will now become the largest UK-listed company led by a woman. There are just nine other FTSE 100

    (UKX)     companies led by women, including pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline

    (GLAXF)     and bank NatWest.

    Diageo is the world’s fourth biggest alcoholic drinks company by market value, after AB InBev

    (BUD)     and China’s Wuliangye Yibin and Kweichow Moutai. It is fifth biggest if French luxury goods group LVMH

    (LVMHF)    , which sells Moët champagne and Hennessy cognac, is included.

    Menezes is stepping down following a very successful tenure at Diageo, during which the company’s share price has almost doubled. It sells more Scotch whisky, tequila, vodka and gin by net sales value than any other business in the world.

    “Ivan has transformed Diageo’s global footprint, brand portfolio and strategic focus, positioning our business as a clear leader in premium drinks,” chairman Javier Ferrán said in the statement.

    “The Board has diligently planned for Ivan’s successor, and we are delighted to have appointed a leader of Debra’s calibre to the role,” he added. “I have no doubt that Diageo is in the right hands for the next phase of its growth.”

    Crew joined Diageo in 2020 from Pepsi

    (PEP)    Co. She is the former CEO of tobacco company Reynolds American and has worked at Kraft Foods, Nestle

    (NSRGF)     and Mars.

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  • How Young Women Can Smash the Glass Ceiling in Business | Entrepreneur

    How Young Women Can Smash the Glass Ceiling in Business | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As a millennial woman founder, I know firsthand the obstacles that women encounter in the corporate world. Although there has been some progress over the past eight years, the representation of women, particularly women of color, is still lacking. According to McKinsey & Co, only 1 in 4 C-suite leaders are women, which is a staggering statistic. However, the situation is even more alarming for women of color, as only 1 in 20 hold a senior leadership position.

    I started my first business at age 16, and now, at age 26, I am running a seven-figure fintech consultancy. But my success hasn’t come without its fair share of challenges. Like many young women in the corporate world, I have faced bias, skepticism and a lack of representation. That’s why it’s more important than ever for young women to have strategies to overcome these obstacles and succeed in the corporate world.

    Here are some key strategies to break through the barriers and achieve our goals.

    Related: Women Are Leaving Corporate America for Entrepreneurship. Here’s How to Support Them.

    1. Build your network

    Building a strong network is absolutely essential for success in the corporate world. As a young woman in this industry, connecting with other women and allies who can provide support and guidance is especially important. Here are some ways to build your network:

    • Attend industry events and conferences: This is a great way to meet new people and learn about the latest trends in your field. You might even be surprised by how many like-minded individuals you come across at these events.
    • Join professional organizations or networking groups: My advice would be to look for groups that are specifically focused on supporting women in your industry. These groups can be an incredible resource for making connections and building relationships with other successful women who have gone through the same challenges you’re facing.
    • Seek out mentors: As a young woman in the corporate world, having a more experienced woman in your corner can be invaluable. Look for senior-level women in your company or industry who you admire and reach out to them. Don’t be afraid to ask if they would be willing to meet with you for coffee or lunch.
    • Connect with your colleagues: Building relationships with your coworkers can help you build a strong support system and open up new opportunities. Take the time to get to know your colleagues, ask for their advice and insights, and find ways to collaborate on projects.

    Related: Women Entrepreneurs Face Unique Challenges. Here’s How to Thrive in the Face of Adversity.

    2. Develop your skills

    In the corporate world, it’s important to constantly develop and refine your skills. This is particularly true for young women who may be starting out in their careers and seeking to prove themselves. By investing in your own growth and development, you’ll be better positioned to take on new challenges and succeed in your career. Here are some ways to develop your skills:

    • Seek out learning opportunities: This can include online courses, webinars and training programs that can help you build new skills and knowledge. You can also seek mentorship or coaching from more experienced professionals in your field. Don’t be afraid to ask for help — everyone starts somewhere!
    • Volunteer for new projects or initiatives at work: This can give you the chance to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities, all while demonstrating your value to your team and organization. Don’t shy away from opportunities pushing you outside your comfort zone.
    • Hone your existing skills: Take the time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and look for ways to improve in areas where you may be struggling. Seek out feedback from your colleagues and supervisors and use it to inform your growth and development. Remember: No one is perfect and there’s always room for improvement.
    • Stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in your field: Read industry publications, follow thought leaders on social media and attend conferences and events to stay informed and ahead of the curve. Don’t let yourself fall behind — staying current is crucial in today’s fast-paced corporate world.

    It’s easy to feel like you have to work twice as hard to prove yourself in the corporate world. But investing in your own growth and development is one way to give yourself an edge and position yourself for success. Remember, you’re capable of achieving great things — it’s just a matter of putting in the time and effort to develop your skills and knowledge.

    Related: Reframing the Concept of Networking for Women Entrepreneurs: Relationships, Not Networks

    3. Speak up and advocate for yourself

    In the corporate world, it’s important to be your own advocate. This can be particularly challenging for young women who may be hesitant to speak up or self-promote. However, speaking up for yourself and advocating for your ideas and contributions is essential for getting ahead in your career.

    Early in my career, this was one of the biggest challenges I faced. I remember sitting in meetings where I had great ideas, but I was too afraid to share them for fear of being dismissed or ignored. It took me some time to realize that if I wanted to make an impact and be successful, I needed to have confidence in my ideas and the value I brought to the table.

    One way to start advocating for yourself is to be proactive in sharing your accomplishments and contributions. Don’t be afraid to speak up in meetings or presentations and share your ideas and insights. Look for opportunities to take on new responsibilities and demonstrate your value to your team and organization.

    Another important aspect of advocating for yourself is setting boundaries and speaking up when you feel uncomfortable or unsupported. I remember a time when I was working on a project with a colleague who was constantly interrupting me and talking over me in meetings. It was frustrating and demoralizing, but I didn’t know how to address the situation. It wasn’t until I spoke up, set boundaries and was able to establish a more respectful working relationship.

    Remember, advocating for yourself doesn’t mean being aggressive or confrontational. It’s about having confidence in your ideas and contributions, setting boundaries and speaking up when you need to.

    Related: 11 Women Leaders on How to Make Your Voice Heard

    Final thoughts

    As young women in the corporate world, we face a unique set of challenges. But with the right mindset, strategies and support, we can overcome these obstacles and achieve success in our careers.

    Remember, you have the power to shape your own career path. By developing your skills, speaking up for yourself and seeking out mentorship and support, you can navigate the corporate world with confidence and purpose.

    In the end, what matters most is staying true to yourself and your values. Be authentic, be resilient and never stop pursuing your goals and dreams. With hard work, dedication, and a supportive network, there’s nothing you can’t achieve. So go out there, break down those barriers and show the world what you’re capable of!

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    Lissele Pratt

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  • Montana senator wants to block mandatory diversity training

    Montana senator wants to block mandatory diversity training

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    HELENA, Mont. — A Republican lawmaker in Montana wants to prohibit mandatory diversity training for state employees with a bill whose language matches a Florida law that is temporarily blocked by the courts.

    The proposed “Montana Individual Freedom Act,” would prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion training as a condition of state employment if the training is aimed at having the employee believe that a group of people are responsible for “and must feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress,” for historical injustices.

    A House committee heard testimony Monday after the Senate passed the bill on party lines.

    “I find it interesting and confusing that we’re trying to legislate emotional responses,” the executive director of the Montana Human Rights Network, Angelina Gonzalez-Aller, said Monday when she testified in opposition to the bill before a House committee.

    “I have no doubts that this is little more than a censorship attempt rooted in a coordinated national effort to roll back progress on racial and social justice,” Gonzalez-Aller had said last month when the bill was heard by a Senate committee.

    The sponsor, state Sen. Jeremy Trebas, said that nationally, diversity training is getting too political. He did not suggest that what he considered politically slanted training was taking place in Montana, but that his bill seeks to preempt it.

    “I think we need to work on definitions, then talk about what’s appropriate to train and to whom we should be training on these topics,” Trebas said.

    The House committee has not yet voted on it.

    “This bill is a gross mischaracterization of what is conventionally called DEI, or diversity equity and inclusion workshops,” said Chris Young-Greer with the Montana Racial Equity Project.

    “We focus on lifting up what all of us bring to the table with regard to our very different and important backgrounds,” she said Monday. “Diversity is no more than acknowledging differences. Equity means that we all get what we need to be successful. And inclusion means that each of us, no matter our differences, are included, welcomed and accepted.”

    Opponents argued the bill’s language is word-for-word in some places like Florida’s challenged Stop WOKE Act passed in 2022.

    Trebas’ original bill was amended to make it clear the discussion of critical race theory as part of academic instruction was allowed — eliminating one of the reasons Florida’s law was blocked. Critical race theory is a way of looking at American history through the lens of race.

    Montana’s administrative rules require the Department of Administration to ensure all new employees receive diversity and inclusion, equal opportunity and harassment prevention training within 90 days of being hired. Employees must participate in refresher training every three years.

    Attorney Don Harris said the department supports the bill.

    The attempt to regulate diversity training appears to have its roots in executive orders issued by then-President Donald Trump in September 2020, after a summer of protests over racial injustice in policing.

    The first order banned taxpayer dollars from being spent on diversity training for federal employees if the training implies that anyone is racist or sexist based on their race, sex and/or national origin. He later expanded the prohibition to training for the military, government contractors and other federal grantees.

    Opponents argued the order prevented workplaces from addressing the concepts of white privilege, systemic racism and unconscious bias.

    Trump’s order cited examples of such training, including a presentation by the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History & Culture that said, in part: “If you identify as white, acknowledging your white racial identity and its privileges is a crucial step to help end racism. Facing your whiteness is hard and can result in feelings of guilt, sadness, confusion, defensiveness, or fear.”

    President Joe Biden revoked Trump’s second executive order on his first full day in office. The U.S. Department of Labor had already suspended the order as it related to federal employees after a federal court in California granted a preliminary injunction against the order.

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  • Many Companies Are Backtracking On Their Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Programs. Here’s Why That’s A Mistake | Entrepreneur

    Many Companies Are Backtracking On Their Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Programs. Here’s Why That’s A Mistake | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, hundreds of employers, including a large number of tech companies, voiced renewed vigor toward their diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DIB) policies and programs. Now, less than three years later, many of these same companies are reneging on their vows via extreme budget cuts and layoffs that have gutted entire departments, and left programs — including diversity hiring, diversity training, and employee resource groups (ERGs) — dangling, disproportionately adversely affecting minorities.

    At this moment in our nation’s history, when DIB has become politicized, it’s more vital than ever for companies to keep their public promises to rededicate themselves to their DIB commitments. Troublingly, the current “post-pandemic” trend is quite the opposite.

    While the current economic downturn and threat of a recession have undoubtedly contributed to tech companies’ decisions to downsize, there are myriad reasons why this approach to belt-tightening is short-sighted. And, there are even more reasons to rethink the dissolution of DIB departments and programs. First, there is the impact to morale, as corporations signal that prioritizing diversity was only performative. In an ongoing tight labor market, what does that say to potential talent from under-resourced communities? How can these workers ever regain trust for an organization with a reputation for turning its back on them when times get tough?

    Regardless of the potential for public blowback by divesting from DIB efforts, inclusive companies have consistently proven to reap the benefits of better business outcomes. Improving the bottom line is, in part, a function of having a wider pool of qualified candidates (especially for fully-remote organizations); 76% of job seekers believe “a diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers.” When a company’s workforce reflects the communities it serves, and an inclusive environment is cultivated in which different voices can thrive, it follows that input on product offerings, advertising, and customer engagement will appeal to a much broader audience as well.

    During times of turbulence like these, organizations can continue to cultivate inclusive workplaces without breaking the bank. The most powerful ways to weave DIB into the fabric of a company cost little to nothing beyond time and commitment:

    1. Take stock of where your employee diversity program currently stands. Are there racial, LGBTQ+, and/or gender gaps, especially within your leadership team? Like Yelp, the answer is most likely yes.

    2. Educate and empower leaders to listen to and act on employees’ needs. Managers that educate themselves and their teams to value diversity, and those that lead by example by demonstrating inclusive behaviors, bring DIB strategies to life.

    3. Establish an internal pipeline for DIB-related training. Unlike costly external consultants, building internal capabilities and leaning on train-the-trainer models creates internal champions who consistently promote ongoing DIB-related learning. This works best because external training is often generic and lacks organizational context. Building resources internally mitigates the risk of organ rejection when employees consume training content.

    4. Deploy an executive-led sponsorship program. Through this, executives commit to not only mentoring URMs, but they also become their internal advocates — lending underrepresented employees their social caché and helping them rise through the ranks and achieve their goals.

    5. Create transparency for current and potential employees. You can do this by reporting on your DIB program’s successes, as well as opportunities for continuing to do better moving forward. A holistic DIB report is the key to growing and sustaining your diverse workforce, and — in turn — continuing to build a strong program.

    I acknowledge that public sentiment about diversity in the workplace isn’t at the same fever pitch it was three years ago, but don’t conflate tiredness with completion. If you have the luxury of contemplating your exhaustion pursuing diversity outcomes over the past few years, imagine the experience of the folks who’ve experienced oppression their whole lives. Our journey toward a truly just and inclusive workplace—one where everyone belongs—is not over; it’s only just begun.

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    Miriam Warren

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  • Republicans’ views of the US have become more pessimistic, polling shows | CNN Politics

    Republicans’ views of the US have become more pessimistic, polling shows | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    Heading into the next presidential election, an analysis of CNN polls shows that Republicans have reverted to the deeply negative national outlook they held prior to Donald Trump’s presidential victory in 2016. They again are convinced the nation is in decline, and more often defensive against demographic and cultural changes in US society.

    In a poll conducted late in the summer of 2016, following Trump’s nomination, roughly half of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (49%) said America’s best days lay behind us. And while most said they considered the country’s increasing diversity enriching, 37% said they felt the increasing number of people of many different races, ethnic groups and nationalities in the US was, instead, threatening American culture.

    Three years later, during Trump’s presidency, only 18% of the party said the nation was past its peak days, with a similar 20% viewing diversity as a cultural threat.

    Since then, the GOP has reversed course, becoming less pluralistic and even more pessimistic. In CNN’s latest polling, released this week, the share of Republican-aligned adults who said the country’s best days are over had skyrocketed to 70%, while the percentage saying that America’s culture was threatened by increasing racial and ethnic diversity rebounded to 38%. In a question not asked in 2019, a broad 78% majority of Republican-aligned Americans also say that society’s values on sexual orientation and gender identity are changing for the worse.

    The party’s shift in perspective over the past four years took place across demographic lines. Between 2019 and 2023, the belief that the country’s best days are behind it rose by more than 40 percentage points across age, educational and gender lines. Additionally, the share considering diversity a threat rose by double digits in each group. That may suggest that the results sometimes represent not deep-seated beliefs so much as a reaction to the current political environment, including which party holds the presidency.

    But the survey also finds Republicans and Republican-leaners are far from wholly unified in their views, with a constellation of interrelated political, demographic and socioeconomic factors dividing views.

    One of the most persistent gaps appears along educational lines, with Republican-aligned college graduates less likely than those without degrees to favor a more active government, say the country’s best days have passed or to consider the country’s increased diversity threatening – though both groups share similarly negative views about changing values around gender and sexuality.

    Age also plays a role, as do gender and race: Those younger than 45 are less likely than older adults to call racial diversity a threat or to say values on gender identity and sexual orientation are changing for the worse, with a similar divide between GOP women and men, and between White people and people of color aligned with the party.

    Differences within the GOP are often magnified when demographics intersect. Roughly half (51%) of Republican-aligned adults ages 45 or older who don’t have a college degree say they consider the country’s increased diversity threatening, an opinion shared by a third or fewer within any other combination of age and education. And, within the GOP, 54% majority of male, White evangelical Christians find such diversity threatening, a view not shared by most of their female counterparts, or by majorities of those of other combinations of racial and religious backgrounds.

    Republicans’ unease with the way that the US is changing ties into opinions of Trump’s legacy. In the latest poll, a 57% majority of Republican-aligned adults who call racial diversity threatening also say it’s essential that the next GOP nominee would restore the policies of the Trump administration. So do nearly half of those who say values on gender and sexuality are changing for the worse (49%) or who feel the nation’s best days have come and gone (46%) – in each case, a significantly higher figure than among those who don’t share those views. Belief that Trump has had a good effect on the Republican Party, meanwhile, is 14 percentage points higher among those who say the US has peaked than among those who say its best days lie ahead.

    What’s less clear is whether those outlooks will drive support for Trump and his campaign, particularly with presumptive rivals like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also building messages around similar themes. At this early stage in the campaign, Republicans and Republican leaning-independents who say the US’s best days have passed are about equally likely to say they’d be enthusiastic about the possibility of a DeSantis nomination as they are to say the same of Trump. Relatively few currently express similar excitement about former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

    It’s also too early to tell what next year’s GOP primary electorate will look like. That’s a key factor, given the likely demographic divides both in whom Republicans support and in how likely they are to vote at all. Older and more highly educated voters are more likely to turn out. Exit polling suggests that in past cycles, older and more highly educated voters tended to turn out disproportionately. This far from the start of voting, it’s hard to tell who’s likely to show up, but both demographics and political preference could play a role in determining initial levels of enthusiasm heading into the election season. In the latest CNN poll, Republicans and Republican-leaners over age 45 who supported Trump were far more likely to report extreme enthusiasm about participating in next year’s primaries than those over 45 with a different candidate preference, or younger Republicans and Republican-leaners regardless of the candidate they back.

    The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS from March 8-12 among a random national sample of 1,045 self-identified Republicans and Republican-leaning independents drawn from a probability-based panel. Surveys were either conducted online or by telephone with a live interviewer. Results among the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.8 points, it is larger for subgroups.

    This story has been updated with additional information.

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  • Tweak Your Company’s Mission Statement to Inspire Sustainability With Just One Word | Entrepreneur

    Tweak Your Company’s Mission Statement to Inspire Sustainability With Just One Word | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Companies have vision statements that summarize their values for a reason — employees that get on board with your mission and vision tend to work harder for you, and according to the Dale Carnegie institute, companies with engaged workers outperform competitors by 202%. Still, as the current focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) demonstrates, times change. You’ll have to update your vision to keep pace with this new ESG focus, but as little as one word can be all you need to improve your relevancy and influence.

    Related: Vision Statements: Why You Need One and How to Create One

    Brief and built into everything

    Good vision statements are memorable. To achieve that memorability, your best bet is to keep your new, ESG-oriented vision statement as brief as possible.

    Take Cisco. If they had written something like “to build voice-over-IP systems that utilize the most advanced internet connection technologies, are the best in the industry, and return a great value to our shareholders,” people probably wouldn’t have given the words more than a quick skim before moving on to something more interesting. Their actual vision, “changing the way we work, live, play and learn,” is more to the point and free of jargon. It gets across that Cisco wants to be a change agent and that it understands the significance of connection and communication in our world.

    At Merchants Fleet, we adhered to this rule of simplicity first by consolidating the multiple vision statements we had for different areas of the business into just one: “Enabling the movement of people, goods and services freely.” To update this for ESG later on, we added a single word: “responsibly.”

    Once you have a concise vision statement that incorporates some ESG values, you’re not done. You then have to go back and look at all the training and messaging your company has. Are the ESG values there, too?

    Ensuring that the values are consistently visible in everything you do supports buy-in to the vision statement because it shows your team that you’re serious about the ESG shift and are going to follow it up with a real plan of action. At the same time, the concise vision statement helps workers understand why you’re approaching the training and messaging the way you are.

    Related: Why Companies Need to Think More Strategically About Their Environmental Impact

    Perspective and keeping promises matter

    When we added the word “responsibly” to our vision to ensure it had an ESG focus, we recognized a critical point — “responsibly” means different things to different people.

    If our business suddenly got rid of every gas vehicle we’ve got, it would seem responsible to clients who are fully behind electric cars, vans and trucks. But it would seem irresponsible to clients who don’t have a lot of charging stations around or who have to travel distances that are still beyond the range of an electric vehicle (EV). For one of our clients, it didn’t make financial sense to try to install the infrastructure EVs would have required.

    In the same way, our company’s diversity profiles in New Hampshire and Chicago are very different. In New Hampshire, our profile is at 5% diversity, yet that’s higher than the New Hampshire average. In Chicago, we’re 45% diverse, simply because that area is more diverse overall. To require 45% diversity would seem responsible in Chicago but near impossible in New Hampshire.

    So as you adapt for ESG, be careful to give the word or words you add careful thought and avoid absolutes, even as you push for something that’s still specific. The words should be acceptable and understandable on a broad level, but they should also be flexible enough that you can still meet the needs and expectations of your entire base. They shouldn’t alienate anyone, including your employees.

    Similarly, make sure that your mission statement is realistic and attainable. If you choose a word that makes it impossible to follow through on your promise, customers will see that you’re not doing what you said and lose faith in you. Suppose you’re an airline company. If you added the phrase “on time” to your mission statement, you’d be opening the door to a massive number of complaints, as there are just too many variables around airlines to promise you’ll hit every time point perfectly. If you add “safely,” though, that’s much easier to achieve consistently.

    The best practice is to aim for something that’s timeless and a little better than what you had. Leave buzzwords and trends on the shelf because the more you change your vision statement, the less memorable or sticky it will be.

    Related: Three Letters That Will Make Your Company More Successful and Sustainable

    The journey, action, and accountability are all ongoing

    Keeping in mind that there’s a connection between your ESG vision statement and the practices of your company, consider your vision statement an ongoing journey. Revisit it on a regular basis to make sure it still works for you in an authentic way.

    Any time you tweak your statement and add more words, make sure you have an execution plan and accountability. When we added “responsibly” to Merchants Fleet’s vision statement, we were clear that we were adding an ESG team. But your moves could also include reorganizing, doing more training or developing checks and balances. Expect to sum up what you’re doing and the results you’re getting in reports along the way. The rule is to understand that you’re signing up to develop new goals and take additional action with whatever you add.

    Related: Why ESG Companies Are Better Equipped to Weather an Economic Storm

    ESG can deliver both stability and positive change

    Even though ESG is getting more press than it used to, it’s something great companies have always practiced, and the need to connect your ethics to your action will always be relevant. ESG values can ground your business through multiple generations in a powerful way. At the same time, they can help you continuously explore how you can still grow to be a larger help to everyone around you. If you integrate those values into your vision statement, which is the foundation for everything you do, you’ll get the buy-in necessary for the positive change you want.

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    Brendan P. Keegan

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  • Free Webinar | April 12: Return to the Office: 4 Ways to Make Both Managers and Employees Happy | Entrepreneur

    Free Webinar | April 12: Return to the Office: 4 Ways to Make Both Managers and Employees Happy | Entrepreneur

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    The return to the office has been far from seamless. While we all dreamed of a day when we could get off endless Zoom calls and back to “normal,” the truth is that many leaders are facing employee resistance, resignations, quiet quitting, and a loss in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as they attempt to bring workers back to the office.

    But it doesn’t have to be this way. In this engaging, interactive, and entertaining presentation, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky will walk leaders through four proven strategies and tactics that companies can use to meet the needs and concerns of their employees, while simultaneously better serving their businesses.

    Don’t miss it! Register now and join us on April 12th at 3:00 PM ET.

    About the Speaker:

    Dr. Gleb Tsipursky helps leaders use hybrid work to improve retention and productivity while cutting costs. He serves as the CEO of the boutique future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts. He is the best-selling author of 7 books, including the global best-sellers Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters and The Blindspots Between Us: How to Overcome Unconscious Cognitive Bias and Build Better Relationships. His newest book is Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams: A Manual on Benchmarking to Best Practices for Competitive Advantage. His cutting-edge thought leadership was featured in over 650 articles and 550 interviews in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, Time, Business Insider, Fortune, and elsewhere. His writing was translated into Chinese, Korean, German, Russian, Polish, Spanish, French, and other languages. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting, coaching, and speaking and training for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox, and over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill and Ohio State. A proud Ukrainian American, Dr. Gleb lives in Columbus, Ohio.

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    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • Why Paying Women An Equal Wage Helps — Not Hurts — Your Business | Entrepreneur

    Why Paying Women An Equal Wage Helps — Not Hurts — Your Business | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Just 82 cents. That’s what the average woman makes for every $1 earned by a man in the United States in 2022. It’s a shocking but not surprising statistic as women have been given increasingly more responsibilities and influence in the business world but have never received the same compensation.

    In my diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultancy, which is made up of more than 90% women, it’s unthinkable to pay them any less for their genius just because they didn’t ask or because of their gender. Yet, traditional male-dominated businesses may not see it that way.

    The pay gap has become an insidious and invisible barrier between upward mobility, equity and inclusion for women. As Equal Pay Day and International Women’s Day are both recognized during the month of March, there seems to be no better time to analyze the facts about how women’s contributions are undervalued in business and why paying them the same as men would help — not hurt — businesses in the short and long term.

    Pay women for the unique skill set that they bring

    Every gender brings something unique to the table. But one important distinction is that women offer qualities that build trust in businesses. For example, one survey found that people believe women are more ethical than men when it comes to their business dealings. In a nutshell, people perceive women as making more ethical choices that do less harm and create more good. That’s a skill set that helps, not hurts, businesses.

    The same survey also touts that women are perceived as more likely to be mentors than men. Women who lend a hand to other employees to help them gain the skills, mindset, and abilities to level up at work are an asset, not a burden. Shouldn’t offering mentorship and being present for new workers be qualities worth paying extra for?

    In the same survey, women were also thought to offer better pay and benefits. In my consultancy, I’m proud to offer generous paid time off, complete remote-working capabilities, and competitive pay. It’s not because I’m a woman that I offer these benefits and perks. It’s because I have an understanding of how work-life balance (or work-life blend as I call it) promotes greater well-being, longer retention and higher quality of work. To me, it’s a no-brainer to pay women exceptionally well for their unique contributions.

    Related: 4 Ways Women Entrepreneurs Can Lead With Compassion

    Beyond perception, what is the actual outcome of paying women more in male-dominated organizations? What would happen if women who didn’t ask for raises were given them in line with those received by their male colleagues in similar positions? The results may seem idealistic, but I believe equal pay for women would absolutely and definitively change the internal and external dynamics of your business.

    Paying women more helps them stay longer in your organization

    As part of the great Great Resignation of 2021, thousands of women were leaving their jobs at higher rates than in years prior. That was partly because of a lack of upward mobility where for every 100 men promoted, only 87 women were promoted. But it was also related to pay. It’s no secret that people are more likely to get a pay raise if they leave a job than if they stay. In recent years, job switchers made up to 8.5% more money when they left a job for something new. If your business employs high-performing women but you don’t pay them the same wages as you give their male counterparts, it’s likely that they’re going to seek greener pastures elsewhere. Choosing to turn a blind eye to the pay gap between men and women is causing businesses to lose essential talent that could have been retained with fair and competitive wages.

    Related: The Gender Wage Gap Inspires More Women to Create Their Own Paycheck

    Paying women more promotes higher confidence at work

    Confident women lead, show up and perform better. And the link between higher pay and confidence is apparent. A study published in the National Academy of Sciences showed there was a correlation between higher pay and confidence amongst women in STEM fields. The higher the women were paid, the more “self-efficacy” or confidence they possessed. Women who know they are paid equally to their male counterparts seem to be more self-actualized at work than women who aren’t paid equally and know it. The result can often be better work performance, a stronger presence in important meetings, and more self-confidence that they’ll get the results that their organization is looking for.

    Paying women more promotes mutual respect between the genders

    While some men are offended by women who make the same amount of money they do, other men may have more respect and see women as equals when they know they’re receiving similar compensation. It’s no secret that wealthier and more powerful individuals may not always treat less well-paid individuals with courtesy and high regard. There’s a destructive power dynamic that a pay gap can create, especially when it’s a large pay gap. But equal pay in the workplace can minimize the power dynamic of the haves vs. the have-nots and promote more respect between the genders. Mutual respect in the workplace has been shown to reduce stress, improve productivity and create a fairer workplace environment for all.

    Paying women more promotes pay transparency and workplace morale

    Employees want to be in workplaces where they can trust the leadership and management. Pay transparency has been shown to have positive effects not just on women but on all employees. A Harvard Business Review article found that pay transparency not only benefits employees who realize they aren’t getting enough, but it also boosts the perception of trust, fairness, and task performance for everyone at the company. Opening the door for women to ask for more, especially if they’re in positions equal to men in the organization, can build a more positive workplace culture that pays dividends in terms of retention, productivity and morale.

    Related: Understanding the Science and Psychology of Open Salaries

    Final thoughts

    Most businesses operate on a don’t ask, don’t tell system with regard to pay. The unspoken mentality is “what I pay you is our little secret.” However, when women don’t ask for raises and advancement, the pay gap widens. Paying women what they deserve for their unique skill set and contributions to companies is an investment, not an expense. Women who are in similar positions to men and who are carrying similar responsibilities should not earn less money simply because they’re less likely to ask for it. Peeling back the curtain on pay transparency and exposing the financial, cultural, and business development reasons behind paying women more can put your company in a unique and competitive position–one where paying women equal wages boosts the business not hinders it. This Women’s History Month, consider the benefits of paying women employees an equal wage and make an offer to match their salary to those of men in similar positions. From there, assess how equalizing pay positively influences the businesses’ bottom line and workplace culture.

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    Nika White

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