1. Remote work Diversity and Inclusion in Remote Work What are Diversity and Inclusion? Kaleem is the Co-founder and COO of Blend Me Inc, which helps startups and small businesses improve the remote employee experience. For many years, the traditional office setting was considered the most productive environment for work. Diversity and inclusion are all about respecting the differences, skills, and talents of every individual. This means rethinking their approach to workplace design, employee engagement, and knowledge sharing for organisations. For more information, please read our Cookie Policy, Carine Visagie Remote work is a workforce strategy. VMware said it will pursue a hybrid work approach for its 33,000 employees as a way to advance its environmental and diversity goals. Now diversity comes in its many forms - gender, race, geography, disability, age, and more. Wider access to skilled employees People working in teams today are unlikely to be homogenous. In her personal life, she excels at being very awkward, being an excellent cat, snake and dog-mom and watching too many Youtube videos. Impact of remote work on workplace diversity and inclusion Like with every change, there are opportunities and risks. It's no secret that Diversity and Inclusion programs work. As a Black woman leading a company that has operated fully remote for more than 12 years, Ive seen many of the benefits remote work has on diversity and recognize the opportunity remote work provides to improve workplace practices. Remote work allows businesses to hire a more diverse workforce. The last two years have also shown me that inclusivity should be a key initiative of all work, but specifically remote work which offers collaboration tools and online skills training initiatives that can help leaders encourage some of the voices that leaders may not have heard in traditional office settings to contribute their innovations and ideas. Additionally, 59 percent of employers rated remote workers' performance as "above average." Remote work encourages the hiring of a diverse workforce. According to Meta chief diversity officer Maxine Williams, the candidates who accepted job offers for remote positions were "substantially more likely" to come from diverse communities: Black,. Hybrid work offers more flexibility than traditional models. When your business strategy is no longer tethered to a physical demographic or localised area. But it typically includes having time for the things that are important to us outside of work. There are many tools that can help to foster engagement and close-knit environments with a distributed workforce. Copyright Goodman Lantern Ltd. 2022 | Registered Company Number: 07241341, By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. .chakra .wef-facbof{display:inline;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-facbof{display:block;}}You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. Upgrade Your On the Job Portable Restrooms This Summer! She loves learning and as such is constantly looking to write on diverse topics that can aid her in her quest for knowledge. Instead of seeking people who fit right in with everyone else, look at what perspective gaps are missing and who adds this much-needed value to the team. Christian takes a customer-first approach to operations, ensuring that internal policies and processes have our customers interests at heart. Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning, E-Commerce Content Writing How to Make it Great, Goodman Lantern Lauded as a Top Market Research Firm on Clutch Global Leaders List, Brand Focus: Starbucks Premium Pricing Strategy, The Importance of Branding and Content Marketing for SAAS, Reasons Why Every Business Should Use a Content Marketing Agency, A Comprehensive Guide to B2B Content Marketing Tactics. Whether employees are having discussions about racism or simply the challenges of living through the pandemic, personal conversations happen - and will continue to happen with increasing frequency. is affecting economies, industries and global issues, with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale. We are delighted with our collaboration with Goodman Lantern, always delivering the content on time, and also been extremely responsive to all our requestsJeremy Rocher, Overall, I think its fair to say that, while collaborative technology to connect a remote or hybrid workforce has the potential to enable a more inclusive environment, it also poses equality challenges that fall on leaders to address. According to Chun, tracking your time is one of the best tips for having a productive day. Goodman Lantern is an award-winning content marketing agency specialising in content writing, strategy, design, motion-graphic videos, and SEO services for industries such as technology, telecommunications, and financial services. In addition, this model of work can also improve organisational performance by increasing employee engagement and retention. Sumner has extensive strategy and analytics experience, including proposition design, advanced analytics and pure strategy, across numerous industries, particularly retail and financial service. In 2021, there is no denying that diversity in the workplace and in life is an asset. For these reasons, employers need to create an environment that promotes team cohesion. Even so, few companies fully understand . To unlock the opportunities organizations need to do more than enable remote work for their current workers. Discussing diversity in a remote team. I believe all of us are, to one degree or another, captives of our own experiences experiences that inform our preferences, our conduct and our decisions. Its no secret that workers are struggling. 5. By focusing on diversity and inclusion, leaders can lay the foundation for a high-performing team thats engaged, satisfied, and committed to success. We should challenge ourselves to make sure these tools are not only accessible but also that we are using them to promote inclusion, education and a sense of open community that will foster the equality we want to see across our companies. Corean Canty is the COO of digital agencyGoodway Group. One other advantage of a remote workforce though is that it opens the door for diversity. Our executive team also reviews talent and compensation cross-functionally to account of unintentional bias. Diversity and inclusion are all about respecting the differences, skills, and talents of every individual. Productivity is highly valued in most organizations. One of the main problems that marginalized or underrepresented employee groups face is the lack of visibility, no proper acknowledgment of their efforts, and having their opinions disregarded. When companies are restricted to a location, trying to get people to relocate or find the best culture adds can be difficult. See Also: Remote work and diversity Show details Indeed, a physical workplace that replicates the power . Workplace diversity is the term used for the workplace composed of employees with varying characteristics, such as different sex, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Encouraging employees to know one another and how they like to be supported can create a sense of trust and belonging within teams. From the 1,345 who participated in the survey, two out of three respondents said they would find other work if their current company asked them to return to a full-time office position. A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda. By offering the option to work remotely a business is not only supporting more diversity but they're. To succeed, a business must adjust its mindset, tools, and processes to fully support people working off-site. Follow to join The Startups +8 million monthly readers & +760K followers. NEW Diversity Equity and Inclusion Manager. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In addition, hybrid virtual work environments can help to reduce costs by eliminating the need for dedicated office space. [Source images: dan4/iStock; Dilen_ua/iStock], Fast Company & Inc 2022 Mansueto Ventures, LLC. Inclusion at work refers to an organization's intended effort and actions to integrate everyone equally in the workplace, no matter their differences. They help generate more revenue, improve productivity, foster innovation, and generally speaking, make everyone feel happier at work. Genashtim's employees largely include persons with disabilities (PWDs), veterans, refugees . September 22, 2021. For employees from marginalised backgrounds, this can be a valuable way to reduce the pressure to conform to workplace norms that may not be inclusive of their identities. On the other hand, remote work has broken down geographical barriers to hiring, opening up organizations to a more diverse pool of candidates. Remote work also means people can work from anywhere; they no longer have to live in the community where their company is located. Its important to provide tools and resources that foster communication, understanding, and connection. Raj co-founded three startups, in technology, and successfully exited one. However, even as we return to a more normal way of life, its clear that virtual work is here to stay. This is the moment to include people . Diversity of thought leads to better decision-making. Finally, they must create a culture that values and supports hybrid virtual work. Flexible workplace models can help reduce stress levels by eliminating or reducing commute times. Facebook's workforce grew more diverse when it embraced remote work Like many companies, Facebook dramatically restructured to remote work during the pandemic. As more and more organisations embrace hybrid virtual work, this model will likely become the new norm. This is How Hybrid Remote Work Improves Diversity and Inclusion Written by Colin Newton on September 6, 2021. When there is no pressure to fill expensive office space from Monday to Friday, where the applicant physically lives is no longer relevant. Additionally, creating buddy systems can help new team members feel welcomed and supported as they onboard. A hybrid work model can improve performance by leveraging the best of both worlds the face-to-face interaction of traditional office culture with the flexibility and convenience of remote work. Many of these effects are related to diversity. Writing about new topics and industries is a passion of hers. Candidates bring diverse perspectives from being in different locations, as well as coming from diverse backgrounds. Remote work helps workforce diversity, while a forced return to the office may hurt it. Leaders can create an environment where teams can thrive by taking these steps about diversity and inclusion. Delve Into Diversity through Street Art. This begs the question: What side of the employee-focused conversation do you prefer to be on right now? Do I qualify? Lili holds a bachelors degree in Pharmacy and a masters degree in Biochemistry. The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum. Lisa Agona is a Member of the Executive Board / Chief Marketing Officer ofTeamViewer. As adults, many of us choose where we live based on the job we get. However, any time she gets to write about and discuss wine or animals, she is happy. Now, think of an organization with a workforce that is diverse and comprised of people with different ideas, different priorities and different tactics that become a part of the companys internal communications. She has worked in media and advertising for over 20 years with experience in radio, digital, and e-commerce working with top brands such as Walmart, Target, and Home Depot. Times have changed, now we need to keep learning forever. An avenue that benefits from having a remote work policy is the initiatives regarding diversity. In these models, employees have greater flexibility to split their time between working remotely and in the office. Begin with a focus on creating more inclusive job descriptions and postings. Also, they can more easily create a comfortable space for them. Improved Productivity. At our company, we have weekly life hack and family fun calls where we get to learn about each other, get our families involved, and connect on the things we like to do outside work. Christian is passionate about ensuring our team delivers quality content that drives results for our customers. Written by Olivia McClure September 8, 2021 Updated: January 13, 2022 For many, remote work has become synonymous with challenging working environments. No matter where in the workplace they reside, each staff member needs to prioritise inclusivity. For some people, that might mean having enough time to care for young children or ageing parents. Impact of remote work on Meta's workforce diversity In this month's report, Meta stated that, since 2019, the company has doubled the number of Black and Hispanic workers in the United States and the number of women globally. Forty percent of our employees are women, and our employees come from more than 60 different countries. Now that it's easier than ever to go remote and more people are accepting it than ever, take the chance to make your company more culturally diverse hire worldwide, and you'll see that that . As an editor, she is skilled in understanding what the client is looking for and making sure that the content provided meets their expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased remote work and virtual collaboration tools as companies scramble to keep their businesses afloat. Content that helps grow your business faster, Originally published October 30, 2022 , updated on October 30, 2022. On the one hand, remote work can limit the sense of belonging among employees. Posted in Blog A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that close to 40 percent of managers said that they don't have the right skills to manage a team operating remotely. Flexible workplace models also tend to be more collaborative, which can benefit those feeling isolated at work. Get smarter at building your thing. A company with workplace diversity is the company who has employees with a wide range of characteristics and experiences. Some leaders still hold onto the idea that in-person work is a return to normality. It can also build digital bridges to create more opportunities for diversity and inclusion. It is about the understanding that a diverse workforce is Women and people of color are more likely than white men to say they'd rather work from home. In mid-April 2020, as the first wave of COVID-19 was beginning . As Lead Content Strategist, her focus is on building exceptional relationships with our clients and delivering top-quality content thats in line with our partners strategic business goals. "Remote work was not new to Avanade at the start of COVID-19our workforce was already completely enabled to work remotely," says Hallam Sargeant, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Avanade. Listen to and Address Employee Needs Whether you're in an office setting or working from home, employees want to feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. Hybrid virtual work is here to stay, and organisations must adapt their policies and practices accordingly. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Diversity plus remote work is good for business. It can promote organisational cohesion by fostering a sense of community and shared purpose and improve employee wellness by reducing stress levels and increasing work/life balance. A dynamic professional with an eye for detail, Carine loves nothing more than leading creative teams in creating compelling, omnichannel content, whether the goal is to educate, entertain, drive conversions, or increase brand awareness. By embracing remote work, employers can cast a much wider netreaching into cities and even emerging global markets that would . Offices are full of distractions. Many employees enjoy working from home because it provides them with a high degree of flexibility. For workplaces already challenged to diversify and retain employees, adopting ill-conceived hybrid work models could instead speed departures, decrease inclusion, and harm performance. Location bias is often dismissed, yet it's an important element in hiring diverse candidates. They need to confront employees about flexible workplace models and their growing leverage. When creating a positive employee experience, culture trumps everything else. Below you will find the company profiles on employers such as Robert . Moreover, companies can open their doors to a diverse workforce, which can include expecting parents, individuals with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and racial minorities. Likewise, the benefits of remote work are also well-known especially with regards to widening the talent pool. The good news is that plenty of resources are available to help make the transition to virtual work smoother. First, hybrid work allows employees to design their own workspaces, boosting productivity and creativity. Unfortunately, that's typically where the diversity and inclusion (D&I) benefit of remote work ends. You are no longer limited by your local demographic and can widen your talent pool by tapping into workforces beyond a limited geographic range. Remote Work Supports Diversity and Employee Engagement Employers also stand to benefit greatly from a remote workplace. Howeverthanks to remote workMeta's 2022 Diversity Report shows that it attained and even outperformed its 2019 five-year goals for diversity two years ahead of its original plans. As organisations begin to rethink their workplace strategies in the wake of post-pandemic life, its becoming clear that employees who have tasted the benefits of hybrid work are not eager to give them up. Moreover, the shift to hybrid work must be carefully planned and executed to avoid exacerbating existing inequality and exclusionary practices. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The pandemic experience has given us proof of the remote work concepts practical value, but I believe leaders should be focusing on ensuring that employees are treated fairly and have access to the same tools and benefits across the board. knowledge . As a knowledgeable writer and editor, she has the ability to turn the faintest hint of an idea into an engaging, thought-provoking piece. Therefore, businesses that offer remote work options are not only promoting inclusivity but also making smart business decisions. 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX. In addition, flexible work set-ups can be tailored to individual employees needs, making it possible to create an experience that is aligned with their personal preferences. Whether you operate within the office or work from home, inclusive language is one of the most effective strategies to foster a happier work environment. The next phase of remote work will be even more disruptive But it also creates the ideal adjustment to grow and enhance opportunities for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She sees any opportunity to write as a gift. Work-life support is any company policy or benefit that helps employees achieve a better balance between their work and personal lives. Do you have a question or are you interested in working with us? Beyond the sometimes flowery and formulaic wordings of organisational. But despite being a successful transformation within the business sphere, hybrid work has shown numerous benefits for cultivating and enhancing diversity and inclusion efforts. Having worked with companies the world over, Simon Streck has the innate ability to tackle writing projects of any size or scope. With a little effort, we can all learn to thrive in the new hybrid workplace where inclusivity reigns. Theres a good chance they will think alike in some ways that there will be fewer dissenting opinions and even that they might entertain a narrower range of business options. Remote work is both causing and facilitating many changes in the workforce, some positive, and some negative. These cookies do not store any personal information. Here are a few key areas to consider to improve diversity as companies build out a more remote workforce. By doing so, they can create an environment that is highly attractive to top talent and set their organisation up for long-term success. Higher Innovation Conformity . What's the World Economic Forum doing about the gender gap? XPO Logistics, Inc. United States, Charlotte 16 days ago. Add in ongoing issues of racial inequality and police brutality and the expectation is clear. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Companies with a higher gender diversity were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability; Companies with a higher racial/ethnic diversity were more likely to perform 36% better. A certified member of the Interaction Design Foundation (IDF) with more than 6 years of hands-on experience, Divya has a multidisciplinary approach that revolves around human-centred design. Recognise the benefits of: Lower business expenses the opportunity to build strong diversity That could pay off in terms of hours and locations promote feelings isolation. Bias and ensure equal and fair pay recognise the benefits processes, and successfully exited.! A powerful tool for organisations of teams and interviewers and focus on a culture that values supports. 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