Are We Selling The Sizzle Of Volunteering Enough?

Volunteering today is considered an important employee engagement and retention strategy although there continues to be skepticism in organizations about productivity and performance. Apart from the positive sentiments that employees have of a socially conscious employer volunteering is known to build leadership skills and enhance confidence adding value to individuals and society overall. However, are we truly tapping the power of volunteering?

My sense is that we often pitch volunteering low in the scheme of corporate social responsibility actions and changing the perception is a key challenge. Volunteering is defined as “activities performed willingly and without pay to produce goods or provide services for others outside the volunteer’s household or family.” It can be via an organization or directly – in a personal capacity. There are views that volunteering isn’t meant for everyone and that sustaining interest over time is exhausting for leaders and managers. Organizations sometimes aren’t aware of which interventions will influence volunteering the most – time-offs, training, leadership support, manager motivation, rewards and recognition, the range of opportunities or grants among others. Add to that, there is a perception that employees need more and more options to volunteer because they get ‘bored’ doing the same actions. Time is a deciding factor and micro-volunteering is in vogue for those who can do a little bit of volunteering.

Is volunteering needed for volunteering sake? Can companies combine forces and resources to make a higher order impact on society through volunteering? How can organizations increase employee volunteering and involvement? What can convince managers that socially engaged employees are helpful for the business?

–         Make volunteering simple and fulfilling: Non-profits do see a big need for volunteering and in a study, for example, about 83% respondents ‘agreed’ that skilled volunteers could provide their organization with access to professional skills which they otherwise wouldn‘t have access to. Likewise, a majority of organizations suggested that they need skilled volunteer support and the top 3 areas were fundraising, program and technology development. What is however needed is to match what the industry can offer with non-profits need. Employees are more inclined to volunteer in groups and prefer when the opportunities are offered by their workplace, allow their friends and families to be involved and provide avenues to a network.

–         Understand your employees better: Not knowing your employees’ orientation to volunteering can limit their utilization. Are employees purpose driven, career driven or socially driven can help organizations devise volunteering programs that cater to these specific needs. Employees volunteer for various reasons – it meets a higher order goal, they feel empowered in bringing change, find meaning in their lives, see it as opportunities to gain skills or build networks among others. Therefore positioning and messaging play a big part of how effective volunteering can be. If the messaging is right, you have more chances of roping in committed employees. Companies have also begun reporting employee volunteering because it improved engagement and job satisfaction. In a report on Corporate Sustainability Initiatives Reporting among India’s most valuable companies volunteering emerged as among the major indicator of CSR activities.

–         Build a culture of giving: While some countries like the United Kingdom are planning to mandate volunteering by employees as a business requirement organizations may look at this as an opportunity to improve the culture of giving and enhance the perception of volunteering among its people. A giving study discovered that countries such as Myanmar with a culture steeped in generosity ranked the highest on volunteering and contributing to society. What comes out strongly in the report is that even in those countries where there are internal strife and not much to go on the act of giving increased – such as helping strangers, indicative that there is hope in the world. Building a culture of giving will expect organizations to change their ways of engagement with employees with leaders’ role modeling how volunteering is done.

–         Help employees gain through learning and development: Volunteers need support to be their best while engaging with non-profits – either through mentoring and training or investing in immersive exercises that expose them to a wide range of experiences. Linking it with learning and development rather than performance will help employees appreciate why they need. Linking it to performance has downsides since employees who view volunteering as related to their careers will show more inclination. Help employees understand and appreciate what they need to unlearn and relearn when it comes to engaging non-profits. Give volunteering a label employees can relate to. For example, in a study on how young people perceive ‘volunteering’ as a topic, it emerged that they didn’t feel it encapsulated their world or the work they did.

–         Create a forum for volunteers to exchange ideas: Start early with engaging school children on volunteering. Involve parents and families so that they are more supportive of giving back. Highlighting great stories of employees who have gone the extra mile. Demonstrate commitment to doing good to society. For example, one organization chose an employee with the best track record of volunteering to celebrate an important company milestone delivering a strong message of commitment. Another makes it a point to recognize is founding anniversary with a celebratory give-back event where all employees participate.

–         Measure the output of volunteering: When volunteering is measured and output communicated frequently there are more chances that leaders will be more flexible and open to encourage acts of social good.  Measurement can be the opportunity cost or the replacement cost – the former related to the time and effort that the individual can do to make profits for the business and the latter is about the impact it has on the recipient or beneficiary. Volunteering rates, engagement levels, and impact estimation are some of the ways to gauge the value of volunteering.

Making the most of the volunteering effort isn’t easy for organizations, even with employees who are inclined to give back their time to causes that matter.  Organizations who can help employees raise their own potential through creativity, innovation, and working in an unstructured environment will be able to add value to the world in new and creative ways.

Note: I had the opportunity to participate in Impact 2030: A Roundtable on Volunteering at Bengaluru on March 28, 2017 to consult organizations on the Global Sustainable Goals.

5 Approaches for Organizations To Be Socially Responsive

It is quite understandable that companies compete with each other for business. Therefore expecting them to ‘collaborate’ sounds misaligned with their objectives and messages they are hearing internally. However, when organizations, governmental agencies, NGOs and implementation partners focus on gaining brownie points for CSR and to build a ‘reputation’ it leads to ‘up-manship’, defeating the very purpose of doing what’s right for the communities we serve. While there are positive signs and influences that nudge organizations to partner with each other on corporate social responsibility, it is limited in its intent and action. For example, in India, while the CSR Act has spurred organizations to act through giving the preference is to go about funding on their own rather than look at the broader need of society and engage together. Getting organizations to collaborate takes more than just rhetoric. Here are some pointers which can get the most out of inter-organizational collaborative initiatives.

·        Partnering beyond transactions: Having an eye on the larger picture and not getting caught in transactional engagement can enable like-minded entities to come together for the common good. We mustn’t worry that some entity in this engagement may take undue advantage of the partnership leading to mistrust and dissonance. Sooner or later it will catch up – so don’t let it weigh down your effort. Sharing of best practices, technology, data, resources, implementation experience, tools, and training can lead to better focus and lesser duplication of effort. Build sustainable plans and involve entities who have their heart in the right place.

·        Matching ideas and implementation: There are ideas and then there is status quo. To be socially responsive organizations need to not just have great ideas but find ways to make them work. Most ideas fizzle out due to lack of foresight and implementation expertise. Marrying these two gives organizations that ‘sweet spot’ propelling initiatives forward. Bringing givers and doers makes a world of difference to initiatives where focusing beyond near-term goals and personal interest matters. Which means when organizations hire for such roles they need to consider how oriented individuals who champion causes are towards collaboration and giving.

·        Thinking of the other: An interesting study called the Good Country Index qualifies countries based on their contribution to the world. It isn’t about funding but how they have added value to the world beyond just their own people. By changing from the inside out, Simon Anholt, a policy advisor for many countries, believes that we can be better organized as species. When you think ‘good’ for others, you also become competitive. This applied to corporations as well. Going beyond meeting quarter results or reporting to stay compliant with government regulations can steer meaningful motives to a whole new level. I encourage you to watch his TED talk on what makes a country good vs selfish.

Leading with knowledge and insights: The good news is that collaboration among companies, NGOs, governmental bodies and implementation agencies is on the rise with the common intent of CSR outcomes. Many companies are open to collaboration, though there is uncertainty on how to go about it. Themes like environment, education, and healthcare continue to get focus from organizations and innovative solutions for complex challenges are the need of the hour. Trends indicate that cleaner environment, renewable energy, focus on water and being net positive will gain interest and attention.

·        Learning to be led: There is a feeling that if you aren’t leading then you must be doing something wrong. There is, according to me, very little truth in that. You don’t need to head an initiative to demonstrate your leadership. It can happen at all levels and in the most inconspicuous situations. Be it preparing a plan, charting an agenda or preparing a roadmap for partners to direct their joint effort. Often egos come in the way of great work. When it is about score keeping and getting the visibility you ignore why we are even doing social responsibility initiatives. Humility plays a big part in getting ahead with meaningful community work. Companies must learn to appoint representatives who are givers rather than takers, build a culture of giving within and recognize those who contribute to causes beyond their teams. Following a good leader or a concept doesn’t make us any inferior.

Collaboration is a force amplifier and when partners rise above differences and tap the collective power of ideas we can achieve shared success. How do you think collaboration can improve the value corporate social responsibility adds? I invite your ideas here.

5 Tips To Reenergize Your Organization’s Onboarding Experience

As organizations evolve, the process of managing onboarding of new employees can become inconsistent and unwieldy. The number of touch points often increase, the level and pace of interactions matures and catering to various expectations can limit how employees perceive the brand positively. Much is needed to help new joiners feel that they have made the right decision by joining the company and also be brand ambassadors. Here are 5 tips to get reenergize your firm’s employee onboarding experience.

·        Revisit your key messages: With most onboarding exercises taking place face-to- face and on the company premises it will help to have a recurring review of all messages shared by various teams. For most organizations the goals of running an orientation program are to establish the ways of working, explain what employees need to do to be successful and make the firm better and the opportunities to grow and soar to newer heights. However, what isn’t often articulated is how employees can be their own selves and yet contribute as brand ambassadors for the organization. The key objectives of any onboarding program are to reinforce why these new hires have made the right decision to join the firm and why they are valued for who they are, not just for the skills they bring to the table.

·        Value their time: Reorder the schedule to help new joiners be their best. If you know that some sessions are important yet deal with paperwork attempt moving them online or reduce the number of steps new hires need to do. Any orientation beyond two days can be tough to sustain and also put a strain on internal resources. Optimally leverage your leaders and internal teams such that you are able to establish a good balance of what is expected and what is possible within the organization’s framework.

·        Seek real-time feedback: New hires want to do their best for the organization and are hoping they can contribute from day one. Ask for informal and formal feedback to ascertain how the sessions are received, what can be modified and how the experience can be enhanced. Rather than wait for a quarter to collectively review the feedback you gain from surveys do more proactive pulse checks and iteratively improvise. Have your leaders directly meet and ask feedback. When employees view leaders as accessible and transparent they will feel more open to sharing their experiences.

·        Supportive environment: Navigating the workplace is the most important need for new hires. If it is a large firm they can feel lost among the processes and people around. Helping them find their way and integrate well, socialize to their best abilities are simple yet meaningful gestures that matter. Offer a buddy for each new hire, simplify the processes, provide a ready reference to online resources and give them time to settle in.

·        The next stage: It is the handover from onboarding to the ‘real’ deal that causes the biggest heartburn for new hires. There is often a business induction and if the changeover isn’t smooth they can feel like they joined another firm within a firm! Establish the plan much before the individual joins, provide context and what one can expect when the person hits the ground running. Share examples and experiences of people who have integrated well and how they can reach out if they want real-time tips.

To reenergize your onboarding experience requires empathy, clarity, and support which can go a long way in helping new employees feel proud and welcomed at the workplace.

Do you have other suggestions to make the onboarding experience better for organizations? Please share them here

5 Ways To Harness Intrapreneurship In Organizations

How do organizations harness the entrepreneurial spirit and creative attitude of its employees to boost business outcomes? When Gifford Pinchot, the person credited with coining the term ‘intrapreneur’ came visiting at Tesco Bengaluru it gave us confidence that good ideas do stand the test of time.

In 1978, Gifford Pinchot and his wife Elizabeth S. Pinchot coined the term ‘intrapreneur’ to represent the autonomy and initiative that employees can be given to enhance creativity and make organizations more successful. In their seminal paper ‘Intra-Corporate Entrepreneurship’ they wrote ‘The greatest opportunity in the world today is the opportunity to help form the social inventions which will allow people to lead lives which more fully express their potential. People have enormous potential for goodness, for insight, for creativity, for intimacy, and for work. Much of this potential is trapped within the constraints of today’s huge hierarchical organizations. The development of the entrepreneur is a step towards freeing individuals, our organizations, and our society to use our potential for building fuller, more meaningful, richer and more productive lives for all of us. The signs of imminent change surround us. Intrapreneurship is an idea whose time has come”.

In a freewheeling discussion with leaders at Tesco Bengaluru, Gifford discussed the range of disruption sweeping the world of work. Also how tapping the power of individuals’innovation, curiosity and commitment to build entrepreneurs within can support creative business problem-solving.

So what does it need to create an environment where employees can be ‘intrapreneurs’? How can organization’s immune systems stay in check when employees continue to be ‘intrapreneurs’? These themes and more were discussed.

The ‘intrapreneur’ is defined as ‘a person within a large corporation who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation’. This means someone who is curious to solve business problems over and above the regular duties he or she does. The individual must be able to bring innovation to use at work and for the benefit of the organization. Gifford calls the individual as ‘the general manager of a new idea’. Someone who is able to take an idea and implement it completely.

Here are my learning and perspectives from the conversation and 5 approaches organizations can take to nurture intrapreneurship.

• Curate the journey of intrapreneurs: Intrapreneurship like entrepreneurship isn’t a linear process. Failing fast and cheaply are drivers for fostering ‘intrapreneurship’. When one innovates, ‘it doesn’t always come out the same way’. The journey isn’t easy although the choices are clear – the intrapreneur will choose to ‘do something’ rather than wallow in denial and depression.
• Pivoting matters in intrapreneurship: The intrapreneur is more important than the idea itself. Intrapreneurs are self-motivated and driven. Pivoting is what differentiates the intrapreneur from the regular employee. Intrapreneurship can serve cost management, efficiency, innovation, progress among other positive motives in organizations.
• Organizations have a role to play: Organizations can make the culture conducive to innovation. Helping intrapreneurs to be internal entrepreneurs by pushing freedom down the line. Organizations can tap potential among employees by supporting these intrapreneurs succeed through mentoring, providing freedom and resources. Acceptability, trust, and motivation combined with a supportive reward system which isn’t punitive of innovation make intrapreneurs thrive.
• Leaders can nurture intrapreneurs: Intrapreneurs need ‘air-cover’ from leaders- be allowed to take risks and placed in environments where they are inspired to try out new approaches without hindrance. For example, the labs in organizations or the R&D department are suitably placed to start. For leaders who want to nurture intrapreneurs, they must be willing see intrapreneurship as a team sport, tolerate small beginnings, involve people, help others add value and learn not to take credit for other peoples’ successes.
• Best of both worlds: It isn’t about ideas or presentations but about getting stuff done. Intrapreneurs are both ‘dreamers and doers’. Since they are closer to the ground they can spot opportunities and make things work. What we need to realize is that tacit information rests with these intrapreneurs and helping them put it to good use will make organizations go further. It isn’t about disruptive ideas but using stealth to make bold yet effective decisions that make intrapreneurs progress. Humility is essential for intrapreneurship. Intrapreneurs need to try and fail, be persistent, be willing to own the outcomes.

Intrapreneurship has implications for organizational communication. By understanding the levers that drive employees’ enterprise and spirit communicators can collaborate to strengthen bonds. Can intrapreneurship be sustainable? It depends if organizations are open to allowing employees exist as entrepreneurs within the system, allow for freedom beyond performance and control and cherish dreamers and doers who follow their passion and creatively solve business problems.

Be Grateful, Positive And Strong Urges Deepa Malik at 2017 IWD Event

What qualifies as an ability? How do you know if you are challenging your limits? Where do you find inspiration?

When Deepa Malik introduced herself in a video challenging Tesco Bengaluru colleagues at our 2017 International Women’s Day event asking “what’s stopping you?” it triggered many to self-introspect. As the keynote speaker, Deepa used stories from her personal life to illustrate what it meant to be a paraplegic and yet not give up on dreams one has.

All through her dialogue, the message rang through loud and clear – our choices and decisions shape who we are. We can either be swayed by what people talk about us or we can carve our own path.

To help everyone gathered understand her condition she asked our CEO, Glen Attewell to spot the 3rd button from the top of his shirt to indicate from where her body was paralyzed chest downwards. To not move a single muscle below her chest and yet keep setting records, scaling new heights and garnering accolades around the world speaks volumes about Deepa’s willpower and commitment. Instead of wallowing in her sorrows or what ‘society felt’ she decided to make the most of what she had – and make a difference.

Deepa Malik became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics, is a Padma Shri recipient, an Arjuna Award winner, the President Role Model awardee, the 1st Indian paraplegic biker, car rally winner, swimmer and motivational speaker. Quite an achievement indeed. She continues to change policies to benefit the disabled, influence stakeholders, make the world respect her abilities rather than her disabilities. Not just that, she has inspired her children to also be achievers – her daughter Devika and she holds a world record as well!

Here are messages I took away from the address.

–      There are naysayers and then there are achievers: Learn to ignore negativity – “opinions are free” and if you allow that to hinder your life you will get nowhere.

–      Cherish what you have: Be grateful for what you have as abilities and hone them each day. We are educated but most don’t put that education to good use. We only use it for a job. We can also use it to make a difference everywhere.

–      View life as a “half full” cup: It is always good to move forward than feel constrained by what you don’t have. Add more positivity to the world around you. You are your own inspiration.

–      Change your perspective: How you view life is what you get. Change to Deepa meant movement, progress, commitment, consistency and hard work. Finding meaning in your life is about challenging your limits

–      Nothing comes easy: Preparation is key, so also adaptability. Face adversity head-on, plan your response and you can make a difference.

–      Appreciate others: When we are grateful for what people do for us, let go of ego, acknowledge and seek help and see positive intent in what people do, you will be blessed.

Inspirational words aren’t always often enough. When you demonstrate through actions is when people believe you mean business.  One image struck me the most at the session – of our CEO wheeling Deepa off-stage to the applause of all colleagues present. It did indicate that our behaviors shape the culture within organizations and with that act, it was evident that our heart was in the right place.

What makes you be #BeBoldForChange? Share it here.

5 Ways To Get Your Employee Newsletter The Attention It Deserves

Recently a WhatsApp discussion on a communicator’s forum intrigued me. I noticed a post asking for inputs on making a newsletter attractive. Some believed that newsletter was passé and with numerous other tools and media vehicles it wasn’t helpful to have one, leave alone sustain it. Most talked about the formats, colors, platforms and frequency. Some suggested videos, animations, and comics to entertain employees. A few suggested compelling content. One blamed employees for taking a company channel lightly. I asked the person who initiated the discussion if she found what she was looking for with the inputs that came on Whatsapp. She hadn’t got what she wanted!  ‘

Why bother even having a newsletter? I blogged on this topic – ‘Why Isn’t Anyone Reading Our Newsletter?’ and received interesting responses. Here are my perspectives.

Focus on what your employees need to be effective at work and be strong advocates for the brand. It is less to do with packaging content as a ‘newsletter’. Once your communication gets boxed into a format which is dependent on one team to churn out content you are already facing an uphill task of sustaining interest. Flip the perspective and put your employees at the heart of your content strategy.

There are no silver bullets with internal communication content. The newsletter is just one way to get your message to your audiences. When you revisit and build your strategy around what employees need to know or take action on to help the business succeed, then you will probably not view channels as standalone routes to reach them. Knowing how your employees consume information, what their communication habits are and what will nudge the organization towards being a ‘communicative’ entity is helpful to draw up your approach.

1.    Employee centric: If your leaders and managers aren’t referencing your newsletter content in their communication, it probably isn’t carrying the right messages. You need to scan what other sources of information appeal to employees and if there is a need to consolidate them on one platform. Weave the newsletter around the employee’s life cycle – what do they need to be productive, efficient and experts at what they do and how can they become better individually and professionally.

2.    Business aligned: An organization exists when people communicate with each other, those are ‘willing to contribute action’ and work towards a common goal.  Getting your newsletter to be the pivot for conversations can help raise its profile among employees. If your communication doesn’t align with the purpose then will be seen ‘on the periphery’ of everything the company does.

3.    Inclusive approach: Employees will read most of what their peers create and having a group to steer the direction of your newsletter is useful. Gauging their personal preferences for media – audio, video, animation, and infographics among others will help you serve content in ways that appeal. Trusting employees to curate and define the scope of what content is created and disseminated means letting go of control. The benefits far outweigh the risks, according to me.

4.    Content strategy: There is always a lot going on in every organization, small or large. There are employees joining, developing, growing, contributing and leaving. In each and every aspect of their lives, there are stories and opportunities to tap. Having your pulse on the employees’ viewpoints and what the business is hoping to achieve are fundamental to the success of your newsletter. Build a content strategy and plan that includes all aspects of your business DNA.

5.    Recognize contributors: Nothing can be more rewarding that having your name mentioned as a byline for contributions one makes. Tapping knowledge and increasing sharing are key to the success of any organization. Encourage employees to go beyond their roles and make an impact. Let their managers know how valuable they are to the business and its communication.

If your employees don’t see value in the content then no matter what format and frequency you plan to push it out you won’t have many takers. The best way to gauge if your content is worthwhile is when your employees truly miss it, or even better – ask for it! Do you agree or disagree? Leave your views here.

5 Communication Lessons From India’s Demonetization Exercise

At the 11th Global Communication Conclave organized by the Public Relations Council of India, I had the opportunity to join a panel discussion on disruption related to the recent demonetization drive in India.

A topic that caught the imagination of the country and resulted in numerous points and counterpoints about the move in itself, the debate however covered the communication dimension and what worked and if there were better ways to deliver change.  While my esteemed panelists spoke of the impact on society and the role of leaders and institutions I focused on the lessons from this communication exercise.

A disclaimer: I do not have any political affiliations or leanings and am a supporter of anyone who has positive intent to serve society. The views in this article are personal and restricted to communication, a function I learn, teach and practice.

Here are lessons that I am hoping one can apply to any change communication program.

Defining: Attempting a change as large and influential as this had to be daring in its approach. Launching it with a mass media communication from the country’s Prime Minister addressing all citizens helped to get the message across. The Prime Minister’s savviness with using social media (he is among the most widely followed global leaders) also helped immensely to reach the message far and wide.  A top-down leadership led engagement works best for change that is far-reaching and widespread.

Dexterity: Keeping a large countrywide change communication under wraps except among key stakeholders helped to maximize the surprise element for those this move was aimed at. Clarifying the intent of the change (impacting black money hoarders and entities who are perpetuating terror) the consistent messages helped citizens understand the meaning of this change. With multiple parties involved in ensuring the change is done systematically and across the nation, the plan and strategy were chalked out months ago. The printing presses, the government bodies or the banks – everyone had a role to play. However, the dexterity with how the communication was done is a lesson for change communicators.

Decision-making: A few countries have attempted demonetization and haven’t been able to land change or completely engage their citizens. Knowing that to take the country to the next level, influence its mindset, get people to adopt digital needed a commitment far greater than an incremental push towards digitalization. Having a few leaders articulate the rationale behind these decisions and building advocates of the decision to share perspectives regularly helped move citizens forward.

Dialogue: Connecting the dots of this change to promises made to transform the nation ensured the communication provided context. It also worked when the communication clearly highlighted that the change would take time and sought support from citizens to partner in the journey. Using radio, social media, print, and television the coverage was widespread. This, unfortunately, wasn’t a decision that could have been discussed and debated before implementing. Staying flexible and listening to feedback from citizens enabled decision makers to tweak their communication and plans as they progressed.

Dominating: Since the change was transforming the ways of working of people also means the communication needed to keep this topic on peoples’ minds. Keeping a constant drumbeat of updates from the government (withdrawal limits, dates for submitting old currencies, policy impact, exchanging notes etc) kept the momentum on with this change. Calling out that this change was just the beginning also meant that citizens were given notice that more such disruptions were on the anvil.

Were there opportunities to do this change communication better?

Having more leaders embracing the message, getting those early adopters of digitalization to speak on behalf of the campaign and continually sharing how the funds absorbed or deposited were transparently getting utilized for the benefit of the nation would have been received well.

Dispelling myths about the move could have helped immensely in a world where fake news is getting more attention than ‘real’ news. Finally, recognizing and thanking citizens for partnering in this journey may have reduced the pain many faced while this change landed.

All in all, there are several important lessons for corporate communicators about driving change from this exercise. What did you think?

3Cs To Make Diversity And Inclusion Count

Diversity and inclusion are often confused with meeting hiring numbers, providing infrastructure support, creating policies and making the right noises. Such tokenism can’t go far in today’s world with increased awareness and activism shaping how organizations rethink their strategies and approaches.

After listening through the proceeding at the recently concluded 2017 NASSCOM Diversity & Inclusion Summit it became evident that apart from mindsets needing to change we must revisit how we engage each other as human beings. Be it machine learning, analytics, workplace environment or artificial intelligence we still are about interacting with humans. Everyone has a mission in life and all want to do well. When we enable human potential the world becomes an inclusive place.

Here are a few perspectives that can help us make diversity and inclusion count individually and as organizations.

Courage

–      Recognizing people who break stereotypes and having the courage to put them in positions of power and influence means you really care about diversity and inclusion. At the forum, there were people from the junior ranks of the organization who were entrusted with responsibilities far greater and different than they probably expected. That never let them feel overwhelmed or believe they couldn’t deliver outstanding outcomes.

–      When others become an ‘ally’ and get involved it is easier for specific individuals who consider themselves marginalized to feel welcomed. See this wonderful ad which shows how when a community learned sign language to make their new resident feel welcomed it created positive energy.

Commitment

–      What we communicate and demonstrate through our actions reflects or intent and focus. When the founder of a business processing center with only people with disabilities shared how her team learned sign language to engage the team it meant you make a difference if you truly care. She didn’t have the infrastructure to support before she began but figured it along the way. The commitment to just go ahead knowing what she did was right helped her through the journey.

–      In our age of one-upmanship, it is heartening to see that organizations are looking beyond just their gains and providing for the common good. When an organization that created a mobile app for integrating women employees back into the workplace decided to share their expertise and assets it indicated a change that can go a long way.

Consistency

–      Diversity and inclusion aren’t a seasonal practice or an attempt to gain brownie points with headquarters. Nor is it the ‘flavor of the month’. Learning from best practices and using insights to change how your organization views the world is truly needed. Continuing to do what is right for your employees and the communities over the years is what makes your effort bear fruit. One organization was reported to have a personalized evacuation plan for every disabled person.

–      Indicating your support regularly and visibly is what helps others know you believe strongly in what you claim. Investing in sensitizing other ‘able bodied’ employees even though it is a big amount of ‘productive’ time and effort is what counts.

When organizations make attempts to appreciate differences and know that there is a cost of ‘not doing anything’ or get into the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ mode they are facing an uphill task on their diversity and inclusion agenda. It is when taking a stand, staying committed and genuinely acting even when the world isn’t supportive can organizations break out of their own shackles.

5 Trends That Can Reimagine Diversity & Inclusion

Celebrating its decade-long journey as a pioneer in the diversity and inclusion space NASSCOM held its annual event at Bengaluru hosting industry leaders, practitioners, academicians, social activists and government authorities alike.

Unraveling a subject as complex and intense as these topics isn’t easy. Kudos to NASSCOM for assembling a galaxy of excellent speakers and leaders who helped the audience appreciate the evolving world of work and what it means for the future of diversity and inclusion in organizations. Through a mix of presentations, panel discussions and interactions the first day of the Summit had a lot to offer from rights for people with disabilities to the need for more women in the boardroom and managing different generations to empowering women at work.

The keynote address by Suresh Narayanan, Chairman, and Managing Director – Nestle India had the audience pondering over its actions and reasons for not challenging our judgments. He explained with videos the implications of our bias and the impact it had on the workplace. Among his tips were the need to focus on purpose and values, make a lasting commitment to change, appreciate the economic imperative for diversity and inclusion and address the societal issues around us while we go about our business.

Connectivity and how workforces can be more productive made for engrossing conversations with the panelists debating if robots are changing the world of work or if we are losing the plot by ignoring the human touch. It became evident that every organization is still coping with these changes and experimentation is underway to integrate and teach employees on the new ways of working.

From the discussions here are some trends I spotted with the world of diversity and inclusion.

·        Everyone has a role to play: Success in diversity and inclusion can only be measured when the organization takes everyone along, a state changes its mindset or a country progresses collectively. Leaders can set the agenda and back it – however, it is the individual’s responsibility to understand, appreciate and make changes within and around that finally making a difference.

·        Systems and policies are critical: To move the agenda forward also means the infrastructure must be in place to support the organization and employees scale up. When such investments are overlooked diversity and inclusion practices stall. Having robust policies and standards are as important as having a clear agenda on diversity and inclusion. Sustaining and ensuring your practices are ingrained means integrating actions with strong systems and processes.

·        Reskilling employees is a reality: Employee engagement will need a revisit with freelance work, machine learning, and workforces on call, the order in the future. Those whose jobs evolve will need to be reskilled and the onus is also on the employee to be curious and flexible. We are now in a knowledge economy where information is available to everyone.

·        Social responsibility meets diversity and inclusion: With how the workplace is changing it is no surprise that doing social good is closely linked with having a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. This is the first time I am observing a strong convergence of both these aspects. It is also due to the changes in legislation, especially in India, for example, the Rights of Persons With Disabilities Bill and the CSR 2% Act that are making organizations realize the potential of revitalizing their workforces accordingly.

·        Fix the mindset: It is evident that what’s stopping us isn’t the will or the skill to reimagine diversity and inclusion, but the mindset. From how people with disabilities are treated to the infrastructure at public and private locations which exclude certain communities, holds us back. There are many organizations opening their doors to diverse people with skills and talent but they fail to sensitize those who are already with their firms on how to work alongside these new individuals. Giving people a voice and challenging the current mindset are ways to overcome these concerns.

With the demographic advantage and ample resources the country has, it shouldn’t be difficult to raise the bar with diversity and inclusion. Already we have made amazing strides due to the hard work and commitment of many stalwarts in this domain. While there is still some way to go if we can address what holds us back we can make reap the benefits of an inclusive workplace and diverse workforce.

Disengage From Credibility Degraders. Flip Your Perspective

Your attitude matters – at the workplace and outside. The sooner you identify what pulls you back it can help you stay focused on your life and beyond. Here are a few perspectives to avoid getting stuck in the rut and find more meaning in your engagement with people and within yourself.

• Not adapting to situations: Life isn’t easy and most often not fair. When we are guided by the misconception that situations will always turn out to be rosy we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. Look around your workplace and you will notice that it isn’t what it used to be – probably the people you worked with are gone, the environment is different, the ways of working has changed, the leadership team is new, the policies have evolved and much more. When you accept that adapting to situations is what differentiates the best from the rest you will be at peace.
• It is always about you: We can always find fault with the environment, the team, the stakeholders, the weather, relationships and what have you. But in the end, what finally matters is that you need to change and not expect others to.  Yes, you can nudge people along your line of thinking although there is no guarantee it will happen all the time. Think about how you react to change, ask for feedback and consider what you can do to face into changes better the next time around.

• Gaming the system: You are watched at the workplace in every action you take or don’t take. For example, you may have been provided feedback to change. You are watched in terms of what you did with the feedback and the commitment you are making to get better. So if you try to game the system you can get catch out, sooner than later. Impression management can work to some extent but not all the time. Be genuine about your intentions and it will help you feel good and do well.
• Taking sides: You never know when and which way the winds of change blow at the workplace. People are people, their likes and dislikes change often. Staying neutral and away from office gossip can help you avoid getting caught in the crossfire when stuff goes wrong. Keep your relationships professional and direct. Focus on what you need to deliver at work and consistently and hopefully you can stay clear of unnecessary relationship muddles that can unhinge your career.
• Managing yourself: Before you can manage others take stock of your life. How you manage your life beyond the workplace impacts dynamics at the office as well. Sort out issues that are becoming a barrier and that allows you to be ‘in the flow’ at work. Take help if needed. There will always be work but how you look at it will matter for you to be seen as a reliable employee.

Other posts in the ‘Credibility Degraders’ Series are on Linkedin:

Don’t Ignore Credibility Degraders. You Cannot ‘Not’ Communicate

Be Watchful Of Credibility ‘Degraders’. ‘Small’ Stuff Does Matter