D&I Friday Read No. 382

Today we are talking about building global teams, working parents feeling guilty, a sexist job advert, and a new campaign against hair discrimination.

Diversity
Hiring people from across the globe (either locally or through relocation) helps to drive diversity and opens talent pools. Interesting article with the latest insights and trends on hiring globally.

Inclusion
“Having it all” is the idea of parents (often women) being able to successfully balance children and working full time. But doing both is hard – and a lot of parents are feeling guilty for not being able to balance things. Good article about the challenges and how normalising can make the workplace more inclusive.

Sexism
A company in Italy is now being investigated by the Italian labour ministry after a job advert for a receptionist was very specific on age requirements – and asked the applicants to attach a full body photo in a swimsuit… Read more here.

Race
Dove (Unilever) just launched #AsEarlyAsFive, a campaign to fight race-based hair discrimination. As part of the campaign, they are also trying to get more states in the US to pass the CROWN Act legislation, prohibiting hair discrimination at the workplace and in schools. Watch the video.

D&I Friday Read No. 381

Today we are talking about a 4-day work week experiment in the UK, archaeology and gender bias, ageism in recruitment, and a great TED talk from Candace Parker.

Well-being
From June to December 2022, 30 UK based businesses will take part in a study (led by a think tank and researchers from leading universities) to move to a 4-day work week (at the same pay). The researchers will measure the impact on productivity and the well-being of employees, as well as the impact on the environment and gender equality. Read more here.

Ageism
Ageism (discrimination based on age) in recruitment can happen to “too young” as well as “too old” applicants. Studies have shown that candidates over 50 are much less likely to get an interview than younger applicants, and are usually unemployed for longer when they lose their job. So how can companies prevent ageism, and what can candidates do?

Gender Bias
Very interesting article about archaeology and gender bias! In recent years, there have been new techniques available to establish the sex of skeletons – and it has changed the way how we see history.

Empowerment
Great TED Talk from Candace Parker. Candace is one of the most successful women basketball players of all time – here she speaks about her journey and how she has been breaking down barriers.

D&I Friday Read No. 380

Today we are talking about first-generation-professionals, how Swedish parents are paid to look after sick children, why the gender of a surgeon might matter, and the #STEMTheGap campaign from Olay.

Class Diversity
According to research, first-generation-professionals (FPGs) are facing issues throughout their career, including class bias – which can have an impact on lifetime earnings. Interesting study about FPGs and what companies can do to support them better.

Inclusion
Interesting article about Sweden’s VAB (Vård av Barn), the benefit paid to working parents caring for sick children. VAB is seen as one of the reasons why Sweden has the highest employment rate for women in the EU – but it also comes with some challenges, especially during the pandemic.

Gender
According to a new study looking at data from more than 1.3 million patients, women are 32% more likely to die after an operation if they had a male surgeon. The findings might be driven by gender bias and different communication styles of women doctors. Read more here.

Women in STEM
Skin care brand Olay (P&G) just launched #STEMTheGap, a new multi-year initiative in India. The campaign does not only call out gender stereotypes and raise awareness, the company is also funding STEM scholarships for girls. Watch the video!

D&I Friday Read No. 379

Today we are talking about fair chance hiring, Airbnb hiding guests’ names to tackle racial bias, developments in gender equality, and an inspiring woman breaking stereotypes.

Inclusion
Hiring people with criminal records is something many employers shy away from. Interesting article about the “fair chance hiring” initiative and why companies like JPMorgan Chase, Starbucks and Slack decided to make hiring more inclusive.

Racial Bias
Airbnb just announced the launch of a pilot in Oregon, where it will hide the names of guests until the booking is confirmed. Airbnb was sued for racial discrimination last year – and a separate study a few years ago showed that in the US, requests from guests with African American names were less likely to be accepted than people with white-sounding names. Read more here.

Gender Equality
Thanks to UNWomen here is a list of some of the small and big developments in gender equality and women’s rights that happened in 2021. Great read!

Women Empowerment
I love this story! Oorbee Joy is a 47-year-old mother of two who used to work on Wall Street – and decided to learn skating when she was in her 40ies. She is now a successful TikToker and skateboard teacher, breaking stereotypes.