Juneteenth tests corporate America’s pledges to fight racism
From Nike to Target, dozens of companies are for the first time commemorating June 19, the effective end of American slavery, but the differences in how are stark.
Workplace Issues
Articles
After years of marginalizing the issue, Corporate America says ‘black lives matter’
Pushed by employees in some cases or by a fear of losing customers, corporations are being forced to examine their roles in inequalities in hiring, pay and promotion, fostering toxic workplace cultures and consumer discrimination.
Kim & Todd Saxton: Smart decisions are built on farsighted thinking
Given the uncertainty, good decisions today need to incorporate farsighted thinking versus narrowband thinking. These complex decisions require a thoughtful and intentional process to increase the odds of having a favorable outcome.
In midst of pandemic, organizations find creative ways to keep interns working
An April survey by Indiana INTERNnet, an online portal that matches students with employers seeking interns, found that 37% of the 181 employers surveyed no longer planned to hire interns this summer, while 48% still planned to but with program changes.
In the workplace: Show your boss you can be productive working remotely
Here are some tips for building trust with your manager so you can eventually stake a claim that you deserve to work remotely.
2020 Innovation Issue: Bias is often baked into research, development
For companies that pursue technological advances and innovative solutions, bias can have an enduring impact, making it easy for the cycle to be perpetuated.
2020 Innovation Issue: Try these exercises to open up your perspective
Design thinking requires participants to communicate freely, open their minds to new ideas and look at problems in new ways. Here are some exercises to help.
Beyond COVID podcast: The complications of moving your staff back to the office
Paul Ashley, a FirstPerson senior vice president and adviser, discusses how to talk with employees about coming back to work, how to address increasing mental health needs of workers, and the ways in which the workplace may change.
Liz Malatestinic: New normal? It’s the evolving normal.
Perhaps the biggest key to making effective plans in all this is flexibility.
Garrett Mintz: Your engagement numbers don’t mean anything
Engagement has clearly shown a correlation to greater productivity and workplace happiness, but how accurate is our method for measuring workplace engagement? There are better ways.
Offices prep for new logistics when workers return
Most firms have just begun to wrestle with what they—and their workers—will face.
Restaurants will be anything but cozy when diners return
Restaurateurs say protective measures and uncertainty about the lingering pandemic might chill the influx in revenue the industry is hoping for once restaurants are allowed to resume dine-in service.
Samantha Julka: An ode to my colleagues, whom I miss so much
What I miss most is actually my people. My sweet, sweet colleagues. The lack of this serendipitous community has left the biggest impact on my body—a hole in my heart.
Infectious disease specialist, on reopening economy: ‘Do things very slowly and gradually’
Dr. Cole Beeler knows people are itching to get back to business and resume their normal lives. But he warns employers and workers not to rush back to the old way of doing business, at least not all at once.
Factories’ new reality: Temperature checks, sanitizing, face masks
From production routines and work schedules to health screenings and visitor policies, Hoosier manufacturers say COVID-19 has forced them to rethink how they operate.
Beyond COVID podcast: Want your company to be agile? Start by making your people feel stable.
Elaine Pulakos, the CEO of talent management consulting firm PDRI, talks about her new research that reveals why creating stability in your workplace frees your employees to be focused and rational so they “act like shock absorbers” during a crisis like the pandemic.
Santiago Jaramillo: How to support employees as whole people
Resilience is found when people see obstacles as speed bumps rather than insurmountable peaks, and the coach’s role is simply to help his or her people maintain that perspective.
IBJ Podcast: The pressures of working and parenting at home in a pandemic
Many parents who now work remotely have been forced to manage their duties as employees, spouses and parents all at the same time and all in the same place. Podcast host Mason King asks human resources expert Liz Malatestinic and local families for strategies for staying organized and ahead of potential meltdowns.
Kim & Todd Saxton: You can be an early-stage investor—and startups need you
Investing locally is rewarding as part of a balanced portfolio. It is also exciting and gratifying to be part of allowing a local startup to launch or grow.
Garrett Mintz: Keeping culture while employees go remote
Remote work removes many of the inconveniences associated with going into work, but it takes away a key component of what makes company culture—connection!