The Power of Inclusivity

by Angela Copeland | Oct 23, 2024 | Career Corner Column, Inclusion, Job Search, Newsletter

Why do you think that most job seekers are looking for a new job? Many managers would confidently report that their employees leave because they are looking for more pay. And, to some degree, this theory makes sense. Employees are often not honest with their previous employer about why they’re leaving. Employees often take a “it’s not you, it’s me” approach to breaking up the work relationship. In exit interviews, employees will often avoid sharing the real reason they are moving on to another job.

As you can imagine, the truth about why they are leaving is typically very different. Most employees are uncomfortable with change. Change is one of the last things that they want to sign up for. An employee looks for a new job as a last resort. Many employees won’t fully commit to a job search until they are crying in the bathroom stall at work, and are unable to sleep at night. And, those tears have very little to do with pay.

Jessica Hardeman from Indeed.com recently interviewed ibelong CEO Rajkumari Neogy on the topic of how leaders can reclaim diversity, equity, and inclusion during a divisive time. Rajkumari shared a personal story about feeling excluded at work, and the unnecessarily difficult experience it can cause for employees. Exclusion is a tool that can be used to make an employee feel like an outsider, and that they aren’t welcome to bring their whole self to work. Neogy shared that after moving on to a new role, it became apparent how much exclusion had made an impact.

Neogy also stressed the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. Walking on eggshells each day can be emotionally taxing, and can create a difficult dynamic both for impacted employees and those around them. It’s hard to share your ideas when you don’t feel they will be accepted or even considered. It’s hard to let your guard down enough to share.

When workers feel more accepted and understood, they are able to perform at a higher level. And, ultimately the company benefits from reduced turnover and increased productivity. In other words, companies where employees feel included and accepted make more money.

In terms of inclusivity and psychological safety, there is one group that stands out as doing a great job. I was initially surprised to see Gen Z employees being so supportive of one another. Gen Z employees seem less competitive with one another, and more supportive of the success of their colleagues. They are not out to try to tear one another down. On the whole, they try to support and build each other up. In addition, Gen Z is far more accepting and inclusive of other people who are different than they are. This creates a more collaborative and effective team.

There is something that we can all learn from Neogy and our Gen Z colleagues. There’s an incredibly positive power in inclusivity.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

Culture Fit: The lie we’re telling ourselves

by Angela Copeland | May 6, 2019 | Career Corner Column, Inclusion, Job Search, Newsletter

There’s this thing in the hiring world that’s considered important. It’s called “culture fit.”

Often, companies consider it to be one of the most important factors in hiring a candidate. If you aren’t a culture fit, the company won’t hire you. It doesn’t matter how good you are or how much experience you have. You’ll be tossed out.

So, what is culture fit exactly? It’s a good question and one that companies need to think about as they’re prioritizing it so highly. Culture fit is hard to describe. It’s a feeling that other people get when they meet you. It’s how well they think they’ll get along with you. In other words, culture fit is another way to say “popularity contest.”

If you talk to folks who work at startups, you’ll be surprised. After a candidate has left the building, it’s common for the entire team to take a vote. They vote on who liked the person. And, if one person decides they didn’t like the candidate, that candidate won’t be hired.  Period.

Think of it this way. Who do we tend to like and get along the best with? People who are like us. We tend to like people who are our age. We tend to like people who are our gender. We tend to like people who like the things we like.

So, what’s the big deal? Well, if we were on a date, nothing. But, we’re not. We’re at a job interview. And, a job interview is about your skills and experience. It’s about whether or not you can do THE JOB.

Now, don’t get me wrong, if a candidate has a bad attitude or is clearly not qualified, that’s a different story. But, when you have a candidate who gets along with the entire team and who has the experience you need, one person should not be able to vote the candidate out because they can’t picture having beers with them.

Because culture fit is all about how we feel about another person, it’s a place where unconscious bias lives. It’s those feelings we may have toward people that are different than us that we don’t even realize.

Unfortunately, when a company makes culture fit a top priority, they are also saying that they may or may not care about diversity and inclusion. They’re not necessarily looking for the most qualified candidate. They’re looking for the most popular one.

A Harvard Business Review article said it best. “What most people really mean when they say someone is a good fit culturally is that he or she is someone they’d like to have a beer with. But people with all sorts of personalities can be great at the job you need done. This misguided hiring strategy can also contribute to a company’s lack of diversity, since very often the people we enjoy hanging out with have backgrounds much like our own.”

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach