D&I Friday Read No. 369

Today we are talking about the latest AnitaB.org report, why ADHD is often overlooked in young women, virtual meeting fatigue, and a great TED talk about bias.

Inclusion
Almost two years into working remotely, people still experience virtual meeting fatigue. According to a (small) study, there is a direct correlation between fatigue and having the camera on – and this is especially a challenge for women and new employees.

Women in STEM
Non-profit AnitaB.org recently released the “Top Companies for Women Technologists 2021” report, the industry benchmark for the representation of women in technology. The study looks at hiring, development and retention of women, as well as other important topics like caregiving and flexible work.

ADHD
October was ADHD Awareness Month. ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can impact both children and adults, and is usually associated with boys. This is a challenge for women and girls, who often go undiagnosed – interesting article about ADHD and the impact of gender bias.

Bias
Another The Way We Work TED talk worth watching – this time from Kim Scott and Trier Bryant on “How to reduce bias in your workplace”.

D&I Friday Read No. 368

Today we are talking about Microsoft’s latest diversity report, Facebook settling a discrimination lawsuit, how online meeting can support equality, and a great TED talk about the benefits of paternity leave.

Diversity Report
Microsoft just released its third annual diversity and inclusion report. Since 2017, the tech company has continuously managed to increase the number of women as well as racial and ethnic minorities – and is driving further improvements.

Discrimination
Facebook has agreed to pay $14 million to settle allegations of favouring immigrant applications over U.S. workers for thousands of high-paying jobs. In 2020, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that it used recruiting methods that deterred or excluded American workers. Read more here.

Equality
Interesting article! While online meetings can be very tiring, research has also shown that they can help to drive equality. Thanks to tools like the chat or hand raising, people who might not get a chance to speak in face-to-face meetings, can be heard.

Gender Equality
Although more and more countries and companies are offering paternity leave, globally only a small minority of new dads are making use of it. Great The Way We Work TED talk from Shu Matsuo Post, sharing why paternity leave brings so many benefits for everyone.

D&I Friday Read No. 367

Today we are talking about companies tackling burnout, how countries around the world view diversity, the fastest blind car racer in the world, and Lego removing gender labels from its toys.

Diversity
Interesting research from Pew Research Center on how countries around the world view diversity. In a lot of countries, people said there are strong divisions about politics, race etc. – but across most of the countries surveyed, the majority of people said that diversity makes their country a better place to live.

Wellbeing
Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the “Great Resignation” – the number of people leaving their jobs is higher than ever. A lot of them are citing burnout, feeling overworked and exhausted. In answer to that, some companies are now reducing work hours, others are closing entire offices for a week, or implement special programs. Read more here.

Gender Bias
Lego announced this week that it will remove any gender labels from its toys and marketing. This comes in response to a survey the toymaker had commissioned – finding that both girls and boys are impacted by gender bias when it comes to creative play.

Inclusion
The 14th of October was World Sight Day, an annual event to focus attention on visual impairment and blindness. Watch this video about Mike Newman, the fastest blind car racer in the world, showing other visually impaired people how they can reach their racing dreams.

D&I Friday Read No. 366

Today we are talking about strategies that can help to stop yourself from overworking, Tesla ordered to pay $137 million to racially harassed former worker, how to make the workplace inclusive for parents and non-parents, and a great TED talk from Amber Hikes.

Mental Health
While we know that overworking comes with big health risks and doesn’t actually improve our results – people often battle with allowing themselves to dial it back. Interesting HBR article looking at four strategies that can help.

Racism
Electric vehicle company Tesla was ordered to pay $137 million to a Black former worker after a jury ruled that it failed to stop racial harassment in the workplace. The former contractor endured continuous racial abuse while working as an elevator operator. Read more here.

Inclusion
Being a working parent can be hard, especially during the pandemic. But how is it for people without children working in family-oriented workplaces? This article looks at the different challenges and how employers can be more inclusive for all.

Empowerment
Amber Hikes is an American civil rights activist. In this The Way We Work TED talk she speaks about how important it is to ”lift others up as you climb”. Please watch!

D&I Friday Read No. 365

Today we are talking about the Women in the Workplace 2021 report, how long and inflexible working hours impact the gender pay gap, inclusive fashion adverts, and Switzerland voting “yes” to same-sex marriage.

Gender
LeanIn.Org and McKinsey just released the latest Women in the Workplace report, surveying 65,000 employees from over 400 organizations. While there have been some positive developments regarding women’s representation – the pandemic is taking its toll, and more women are now considering scaling back their careers and are experiencing burnouts.

Gender Equality
Interesting HBR article about one of the reasons for the gender pay gap in the US: high-salary jobs often come with long and inflexible hours, which makes career progression more difficult for anyone with caregiving responsibilities outside their job.

Inclusion
Representation matters – and while around 15% of the world’s population live with disabilities, the fashion industry (and media) have not been very inclusive in the past. This is slowly changing (also thanks to customers’ expectations), and more and more brands are now including models with disabilities in their campaigns. Read more here.

LGBTQ+
As one of the last countries in Western Europe, Switzerland will now allow same-sex marriage. Under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, almost 65% of the people voted “yes” to legalize civil marriage for same-sex couples.