Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)

Strengthening the CHRO’s Strategic Role

September 11, 2023 by DERGEL Executive Search Leave a Comment

Over the last two decades, the market has indicated a rise in number of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs), while the adoption of automation tools has caused a decline in the retention of Chief Operating Officers (COOs) and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). Despite the increase in CHRO retention, there still remains some pushback from CEOs in regard to their strategic acumen.

According to recent data presented at the Visionaries Summit by Professor Rick Smith, Johns Hopkins University, Faculty Director, Human Capital Development Lab:

55% of CEOs view CHROs as being a key player in strategy.
48% of CEOs view CHROs as having strategic business skills.
& only 36% of CEOs think that the CHRO role is clearly understood by fellow leadership.

What steps can be taken to help the CHRO role become more strategic and more clearly defined?

Understand the business as a whole. The main focus of a CHRO lies with the people inside the organization. One of the most beneficial ways to support fellow colleagues is to understand the challenges they face. Ask guiding questions regarding the situations and people that affect their role in the workplace, whether that be: co-workers, clients, Sales Goals, etc. This will aid the CHRO to better understand: What are the different viewpoints? Are there cultural/religious differences? How do they communicate best? How can I best guide them to connect on the same level?

Sit with the different teams and learn from them. Sit with different team members in all of the departments to fully grasp the full scope of their role. Understand any and all challenges they may be facing, the different team dynamics, realistic timelines for operations, and what tools each team utilizes. Additionally, through attending department meetings, there will be a deeper understanding of all operations to better navigate and strategize strengthening the team.

Create a growth roadmap for employees. Take the initiative to help develop employees’ career path. Offer continued learning opportunities to further enhance your teams’ skills. Speak with team members regarding their career goals and make a plan with them to achieve each victory on the road to success.

Throughout each of these steps, it will be important to understand “why” colleagues operate in the manners they do and how to best support them. Employees will find a new appreciation for their CHROs as they will be considered more of an active member of the leadership team. Adapting small changes to include the Human Resources more in the day-to-day of all departments can help close the disconnect between their team and other leaders in the organization.

Do you have comments, questions, ideas, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]

Building a Solid Team for Long-Term Success

September 4, 2023 by Katie Moran Leave a Comment

“A players attract A players. B players attract C players.” – Steve Jobs

When it comes to building a strong, high performing team, the hiring process is key. Skills can always be taught; however, attitude and experience cannot be bought. Inexperienced companies tend to look at which skills a person has and discards the attitude. So, what are some of the best attributes to look for when hiring A players?

Basic knowledge of your company. Unless they have been coached, or have a long-standing relationship with your company, chances are they will not be well-versed on the organization’s history, operations, and key players. However, as the company’s website, LinkedIn, and listing type are all public, there should be a basic understanding of:

With whom they will be speaking and their role(s)
The mission of the organization
Size of the company/General size of their department
The sector the organization lies in
Who the target customers are (generally)

Comes ready with questions/notes. A players take their position seriously. More often than not, they will arrive with a list of questions ready and more will arise throughout the flow of the conversation. The more questions, the better – as it represents their level of interest. You’re likely to hear questions such as the following:

What does the onboarding process look like?
What does the day-to-day look like?
Who will I be working with and who would I be reporting to directly?
What are the opportunities for growth?
What is the salary and bonus structure?
Is there a relocation package?
Are any additional benefits offered?
How does the organization handle overtime?

An open mind. Brand representation is the key driver of market recognition and loyalty. Opportunities for growth lie in diversifying the target audience and employee retention the organization is interested in attracting. Unwillingness to listen to dissenting voices, deeming concerns as minuscule, and attempts to drown out voices who disagree can lead to resentment between employees, yourself and the board, regression in the organization’s progress, and more.

Growth mindset. The world of business is ever evolving. The rate of technological advancement is exponentially faster than ever seen before in history. This has allowed for the fastest speed in communication between peers to share ideas, compare data, and transfer knowledge. To make the vision a reality, top players will be able to see the full-vision and the steps needed to be taken to get there. The ability to recognize and respect that growth is not linear is a great mindset for the business world.

At the end of the day, making the dream a reality is the main goal. We all have good days and bad days. Creating a work environment that is goal oriented through healthy collaboration starts with building a team that is focused on achieving, asks impactful questions and is respectful of each other.

Do you have comments, questions, ideas, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]

Mitigating Toxic Employee Behaviors: Maintain a Healthy Work Environment

August 14, 2023 by Katie Moran Leave a Comment

Employee retention is one of the most important factors of successful businesses. During the hiring process, managers look for attitude – Can this person represent my company at the highest level? Over time, attitudes and behaviors can change. Sometimes these changes can be caused by stress, lack of passion, or, in the worst scenario – an employee’s true colors begin to show. When the toxicity becomes too much to bear, how should we best approach the situation?

Assess the mission of your organization. the actions of the employee that you have taken note of and how it is affecting the reputation of the organization, the potential to suffer further from toxic behavior, and how these behaviors are lowering the organization’s Brand.

Industries such as sales, politics, and the military often foster a “win at all costs” mindset, which can lead to competition between teams. However, employees in any industry should exercise self-control to prevent toxic behaviors from harming the team as a whole.

If your organization promotes an altruistic mission, this mentality is more likely to cause a well of tension over time. This is especially true if you claim to represent a group of people, yet you become/are made aware that some employees are ostracizing target audience members who don’t fit their idea of what that group should be – who don’t “fit the bill”. For example, if your organization supports a minority group, but an employee views someone as a “black sheep” of that group, they may make that person feel unwanted.

Some common toxic behaviors in a workplace to watch for include:

Lack of trust.
Gaslighting.
Lack of collaboration.
Bullying.
Emotional manipulation.
Lack of support/growth opportunities.
Taking credit for others’ work/ideas.
Intimidation.
Harassment.
Lack of healthy boundaries.
Slandering Teammates/Potential New Hires.

If you notice any of these behaviors, start by speaking with the employee(s) who is being targeted. Be clear with them about what you have heard and/or observed and get a clearer understanding of how it is affecting them. Then, speak with the other team members individually. This will prevent the perpetrating parties from bonding together to manipulate the narrative further. Follow up consistently to ensure that these harmful actions are not continuing.

Try to avoid only speaking with the perpetrating parties and bystanders, as this can open the door for the continuation of these behaviors. Which can potentially even open the door to more severe consequences, such as legal action.

The commercialization of Deep Technologies has opened the door lesser considered toxic behaviors:

Account hacking.
Creating fake profiles to stalk perceived competition.
Cyber threats to harm employees/target audience who don’t comply with requests or demands.
“Burning” the targeted co-worker to prevent them from being able to work.

Initial identification of any of these behaviors gives leaders an opportunity to discuss the issues and offer ways to avoid continuation. However, if the behaviors persist over time despite being addressed, it is crucial to assess if this is truly who you want representing your organization. If you decide that this is not the right fit, it will be best to let the employee go. This is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership skills with strength with compassion.

Pivotal decisions such as these open the door to truly assist your former employee to find their right career path. Consider their strengths and in which environment they thrive. Offer to help them update their resume. Be willing and eager to write recommendation letters that highlight their strengths. Introduce, or talk them up, to other business leaders/organizations that would better fit their passions and personality. Just because an employee was not the right fit for your organization, does not mean they lack talent or purpose. Wanting to assist this employee on their journey forward, is a strong exhibit of the type of leader you are/want to be.

Do you have comments, questions, ideas, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]

Embracing Age Diversity: A Necessary ‘Skill’ in the Workforce

August 7, 2023 by Yaffa Blanshay Leave a Comment

The workforce today is more diverse in age than ever before, spanning five generations, and will soon include Gen Alpha, who are still teenagers but on their way. This multi-generational dynamic presents opportunities and challenges for leaders and employees alike. Age diversity in the workforce is not a new topic however, when great candidates emphasize their ability to work effectively with individuals of all ages, it sends a clear message that age diversity is an important topic and a significant consideration for leadership and employees at all levels of the organization.

There has been much discussion about developing age-inclusive workplaces and the many benefits of multi-generational teams. At the organizational level, age is often overlooked as part of an organization’s DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) strategy. However, there is much we can do on an individual level to successfully embrace and leverage age diversity in the workplace. It is crucial to reflect upon and remind ourselves, on an individual level, of the required mindset and skills, which often overlap with those needed for positive work culture and success in any environment.

Recognize that an individual’s position within an organization is a result of their own abilities, knowledge, and contributions. For example, there are numerous accomplished Gen Z CxOs in the workforce who have rightfully earned their leadership roles and achieved success in their positions. Similarly, we also encounter many successful Boomers and Gen Xers across organizations, demonstrating their proficiency and expertise in their respective roles. Embracing age diversity means applying this principle in both directions. Age should not be a decisive factor in assessing someone’s worth or the value they bring to the organization.

Respect colleagues and peers. When respect frames our work ethos, every aspect of our interactions from communication to conflict resolution will be positively affected and contribute to a positive work culture. Provide constructive feedback respectfully. Accept constructive feedback as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Set aside age stereotypes. Age should not be used as a basis for judgment and blame. Success and performance should not be attributed to age but to individual factors. Consider the person and not the age.

Listen and discuss. Everyone has something to learn and something to teach. Age should not prevent us from either. Life-long learning has no age boundaries, and teaching others has no age boundaries either.

Life experience is present at any age and stage. It may differ in duration or content from others but offers a unique and valuable perspective due to these differences and should be acknowledged and appreciated.

Age diversity is a complex issue that requires consideration at both the organizational and individual levels. At the organizational level, seeking guidance from experts and consultants can be beneficial in designing, promoting, and implementing age-diverse policies and practices. Simultaneously, individuals at all levels within the organization must also take a proactive approach by reflecting on their own attitudes and adopting the mindsets and skillsets to actively embrace age diversity. Creating a culture that genuinely embraces age diversity fosters inclusive and productive work environments that harness the collective strengths and experiences of employees across all generations. Embracing age diversity on an individual level is not just a skill but a vital element in cultivating successful and positive work environments.

Video – The intersection between the CHRO, the Board and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)

September 8, 2020 by Samuel Dergel Leave a Comment

You are invited to watch the first of our new CxO Interviews series.

Episode 1 of our CxO Interview series, features Tracy Gee, Chief People Officer at NACD.

In this interview we discuss the intersection between the CHRO, the Board and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I), among other topics

Contact us and let’s get started!